Introduction
Methods
Study design
Dependent variables
COVID-19 related health literacy
Knowledge of COVID-19
Assessments of the effectiveness of protective measures against COVID-19
Independent variables
General health literacy
Sociodemographics and health
Statistical analyses
Results
Description of the sample
Variable | N |
---|---|
Gender | |
Female | 785 (50%) |
Male | 785 (50%) |
Age | |
18–29 years | 302 (19.2%) |
30–44 years | 387 (24.6%) |
45–64 years | 671 (42.7%) |
65 years and above | 210 (13.4%) |
Migration status | |
Yes | 132 (8.4%) |
No | 1438 (91.6%) |
Subjective social status | |
Low | 370 (23.6%) |
Medium | 651 (41.5%) |
High | 549 (35%) |
Education | |
Low | 476 (30.3%) |
Medium | 812 (51.7%) |
High | 282 (18%) |
Chronic illness | |
Yes | 741 (47.2%) |
No | 829 (52.8%) |
Infection with COVID-19 | |
Not known | 1326 (84.5%) |
Known infection of oneself or contacts | 244 (15.5%) |
COVID-19 related health literacy (COV-19-HL)
Variable | COV-19-HL Score | Comparison between groups | |
---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD*) | t-test | ANOVA | |
p-value | p-value | ||
Gender | |||
Female (n = 785) | 37.97 (5.82) | <0.01 | |
Male (n = 785) | 36.59 (6.18) | ||
Age | |||
18-29 years (n = 302) | 37.10 (5.83) | 0.06 | |
30-44 years (n = 387) | 36.70 (6.48) | ||
45-64 years (n = 671) | 37.72 (6.04) | ||
65 years and above (n = 210) | 37.24 (5.39) | ||
Migration status | |||
No (n = 1438) | 37.37 (6.03) | <0.05 | |
Yes (n = 132) | 36.3 (6.11) | ||
Subjective social status | |||
Low (n = 370) | 36.81 (5.98) | <0.01 | |
Medium (n = 651) | 36.90 (5.76) | ||
High (n = 549) | 38.06 (6.33) | ||
Education | |||
Low (n = 476) | 36.34 (6.13) | <0.01 | |
Medium (n = 812) | 37.30 (5.95) | ||
High (n = 282) | 38.82 (5.83) | ||
Chronic illness | |||
No (n = 829) | 36.80 (6.27) | <0.01 | |
Yes (n = 741) | 37.82 (5.72) | ||
Infection with COVID-19 | |||
Not known (n = 1326) | 37.01 (6.08) | <0.01 | |
Known infection of oneself or contacts (n = 244) | 38.77 (5.58) |
Knowledge of COVID-19
Variable | COVID-19 knowledge score | Comparison between groups | |
---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD*) | t-test | ANOVA | |
p-value | p-value | ||
Gender | |||
Female (n = 785) | 3.39 (1.26) | <0.01 | |
Male (n = 785) | 3.22 (1.32) | ||
Age | |||
18-29 years (n = 302) | 3.35 (1.22) | 0.07 | |
30-44 years (n = 387) | 3.35 (1.32) | ||
45-64 years (n = 671) | 3.32 (1.29) | ||
65 years and above (n = 210) | 3.31 (1.33) | ||
Migration status | |||
No (n = 1438) | 3.35 (1.28) | <0.01 | |
Yes (n = 132) | 2.83 (1.35) | ||
Subjective social status | |||
Low (n = 370) | 3.26 (1.26) | <0.05 | |
Medium (n = 651) | 3.23 (1.31) | ||
High (n = 549) | 3.42 (1.28) | ||
Education | |||
Low (n = 476) | 2.99 (1.34) | <0.01 | |
Medium (n = 812) | 3.34 (1.26) | ||
High (n = 282) | 3.76 (1.14) | ||
Chronic illness | |||
No (n = 829) | 3.24 (1.32) | <0.05 | |
Yes (n = 741) | 3.37 (1.26) | ||
Infection with COVID-19 | |||
Not known (n = 1326) | 3.28 (1.30) | <0.05 | |
Known infection of oneself or contacts (n = 244) | 3.46 (1.22) |
Assessments of the effectiveness of protective measures against COVID-19
COV-19-HL and knowledge of COVID-19
Knowledge items | COV-19-HL scores | ||
---|---|---|---|
Answer incorrect or did not know | Answer correct | t-test | |
Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | p-value | |
The likelihood of a severe course of COVID-19 disease increases significantly with age. | 34.31 (6.05) | 37.94 (5.84) | <0.01 |
By wearing a simple face mask, I am protected against a COVID-19 infection (SARS-CoV-2). | 36.39 (6.72) | 37.57 (5.78) | <0.01 |
The number of new cases is sufficient to be able to assess the extent of infections as a whole. | 37.09 (6.19) | 37.48 (5.88) | 0.20 |
The differences between the reported numbers of people infected with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) can be explained by the use of different data sources. | 35.48 (5.99) | 38.69 (5.69) | <0.01 |
It is only if I disinfect my hands after washing them thoroughly that I will be sufficiently protected against a COVID-19 infection (SARS-CoV-2). | 36.50 (6.64) | 37.67 (5.68) | <0.01 |
Regression models with COV-19-HL as independent variable* | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Knowledge items | Incorrect or did not know n (%) | Correct n (%) | OR | 95% confidence interval | p |
The likelihood of a severe course of COVID-19 disease increases significantly with age. | 285 (18.2) | 1285 (81.8) | 1.106 | 1.079–1.134 | <0.01 |
By wearing a simple face mask, I am protected against a COVID-19 infection (SARS-CoV-2). | 380 (24.2) | 1190 (75.8) | 1.033 | 1.011–1.056 | <0.01 |
The number of new cases is sufficient to be able to assess the extent of infections as a whole. | 791 (50.4) | 779 (49.6) | 1.008 | 0.989–1.027 | 0.408 |
The differences between the reported numbers of people infected with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) can be explained by the use of different data sources. | 687 (43.8) | 883 (56.2) | 1.088 | 1.066–1.111 | <0.01 |
It is only if I disinfect my hands after washing them thoroughly that I will be sufficiently protected against a COVID-19 infection (SARS-CoV-2). | 518 (33.0) | 1052 (67.0) | 1.023 | 1.003–1.043 | 0.022 |
COV-19-HL and Assessments of the effectiveness of protective measures against COVID-19
Variables | COV-19-HL scores | ANOVA | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD) and p (Scheffé Post-hoc-test) | p-value | |||||||||||
not at all | rather weak | neutral | rather strong | very strong | ||||||||
Government requirements and recommendations | Closing of restaurants, stores, and businesses | 34.03 (7.74) | ref. | 36.61 (5.91) | <0.05 | 35.30 (5.65) | 0.51 | 37.02 (5.40) | <0.01 | 39.21 (5.84) | <0.01 | <0.01 |
Ban on (public) events (sports, culture) | 33.72 (8.40) | ref. | 34.57 (5.96) | 0.96 | 34.71 (5.70) | 0.87 | 36.31 (5.47) | <0.05 | 38.90 (5.72) | <0.01 | <0.01 | |
Restriction of social contacts | 33.36 (8.00) | ref. | 35.41 (5.09) | 0.19 | 35.25 (5.60) | 0.14 | 36.85 (5.52) | <0.01 | 39.67 (5.67) | <0.01 | <0.01 | |
Thorough hand washing | 30.06 (10.05) | ref. | 35.44 (5.43) | 0.06 | 32.97 (5.48) | 0.46 | 35.38 (5.52) | <0.01 | 38.73 (5.71) | <0.01 | <0.01 | |
Wearing oronasal masks | 35.34 (7.27) | ref. | 36.57 (5.79) | 0.45 | 35.76 (5.60) | 0.97 | 37.66 (5.48) | <0.01 | 39.10 (6.10) | <0.01 | <0.01 | |
Physical distancing (1.5 meters min.) | 32.86 (9.30) | ref. | 35.11 (6.31) | 0.54 | 33.53 (6.13) | 0.99 | 36.25 (5.41) | <0.05 | 39.17 (5.60) | <0.01 | <0.01 | |
Additional measures | Surface disinfection (e.g. shopping carts, tables) | 33.52 (8.50) | ref. | 36.22 (6.27) | 0.10 | 35.77 (5.93) | 0.15 | 37.15 (5.33) | <0.01 | 39.42 (5.95) | <0.01 | <0.01 |
Wearing protective gloves | 36.22 (7.37) | ref. | 36.92 (5.33) | 0.81 | 36.90 (5.91) | 0.78 | 37.33 (5.42) | 0.38 | 39.07 (6.31) | <0.01 | <0.01 | |
Hand disinfection | 33.77 (9.20) | ref. | 36.20 (5.30) | 0.47 | 35.66 (5.69) | 0.59 | 36.87 (5.77) | 0.09 | 38.64 (5.99) | <0.01 | <0.01 |
Regression models with COV-19-HL as independent variable* | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Assessment of the effectiveness of measures | No to neutral consent n (%) | Rather strong or very strong consent n (%) | OR | 95% confidence interval | p | |
Government requirements and recommendations | Closing of restaurants, stores, and businesses | 526 (33.5) | 1044 (66.5) | 1.083 | 1.061–1.106 | <0.01 |
Ban on (public) events (sports, culture) | 318 (20.3) | 1252 (79.7) | 1.103 | 1.077–1.130 | <0.01 | |
Restriction of social contacts | 461 (29.4) | 1109 (70.6) | 1.096 | 1.072–1.120 | <0.01 | |
Thorough hand washing | 145 (9.2) | 1425 (90.8) | 1.107 | 1.074–1.142 | <0.01 | |
Wearing oronasal masks | 675 (43.0) | 895 (57.0) | 1.073 | 1.052–1.094 | <0.01 | |
Physical distancing (1.5 meters min.) | 247 (15.7) | 1323 (84.3) | 1.105 | 1.076–1.133 | <0.01 | |
Additional measures | Surface disinfection (e.g. shopping carts, tables) | 530 (33.8) | 1040 (66.2) | 1.072 | 1.051–1.094 | <0.01 |
Wearing protective gloves | 965 (61.5) | 605 (38.5) | 1.035 | 1.015–1.056 | <0.01 | |
Hand disinfection | 380 (24.2) | 1190 (75.8) | 1.057 | 1.035–1.080 | <0.01 |