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. 2022 Dec 23;22(1):2419.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14811-4.

Socioeconomic differences in the reduction of face-to-face contacts in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Julia Waldhauer  1 , Florian Beese  2 , Benjamin Wachtler  3 , Sebastian Haller  4 , Carmen Koschollek  3 , Timo-Kolja Pförtner  5 , Jens Hoebel  3
Affiliations

Socioeconomic differences in the reduction of face-to-face contacts in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Julia Waldhauer et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to physical distancing measures to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Evidence on contact dynamics in different socioeconomic groups is still sparse. This study aimed to investigate the association of socioeconomic status with private and professional contact reductions in the first COVID-19 wave in Germany.

Methods: Data from two especially affected municipalities were derived from the population-based cross-sectional seroepidemiological CORONA-MONITORING lokal study (data collection May-July 2020). The study sample (n = 3,637) was restricted to working age (18-67 years). We calculated the association of educational and occupational status (low, medium, high) with self-reported private and professional contact reductions with respect to former contact levels in the first wave of the pandemic. Multivariate Poisson regressions were performed to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) adjusted for municipality, age, gender, country of birth, household size, contact levels before physical distancing measures, own infection status, contact to SARS-CoV-2 infected people and working remotely.

Results: The analyses showed significant differences in the initial level of private and professional contacts by educational and occupational status. Less private contact reductions with lower educational status (PR low vs. high = 0,79 [CI = 0.68-0.91], p = 0.002; PR medium vs. high = 0,93 [CI = 0.89-0.97], p = 0.001) and less professional contact reductions with lower educational status (PR low vs. high = 0,87 [CI = 0.70-1.07], p = 0.179; PR medium vs. high = 0,89 [CI = 0.83-0.95], p = 0.001) and lower occupational status (PR low vs. high = 0,62 [CI = 0.55-0.71], p < 0.001; PR medium vs. high = 0,82 [CI = 0.77-0.88], p < 0.001) were observed.

Conclusions: Our results indicate disadvantages for groups with lower socioeconomic status in private and professional contact reductions in the first wave of the pandemic. This may be associated with the higher risk of infection among individuals in lower socioeconomic groups. Preventive measures that a) adequately explain the importance of contact restrictions with respect to varying living and working conditions and b) facilitate the implementation of these reductions especially in the occupational setting seem necessary to better protect structurally disadvantaged groups during epidemics.

Keywords: COVID-19; Contact reduction; Educational status; Occupational status; SARS-CoV-2; Social epidemiology.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Private contact levels before and private contact reduction after 18 March 2020 by educational status. n unweighted; % weighted according to data of the official population statistics regarding age, gender and education; Pearson’s χ2-test with Rao & Scott adjustment between education and private contact reduction: p < 0.001
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Professional contact levels before and professional contact reduction after 18 March 2020 by educational and occupational status. n unweighted; % weighted according to data of the official population statistics regarding age, gender and education; Pearson’s χ2-test with Rao & Scott adjustment between education/occupation and professional contact reduction: Educational status: p < 0.001; Occupational status: p < 0.001
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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