Petra Rattay|Niels Michalski|Olga Maria Doma?ska|Anna Kaltwasser|Freia De Bock|Lothar H. Wieler|Susanne Jordan
Differences in risk perception, knowledge and protective behaviour regarding COVID-19 by education level among women and men in Germany. Results from the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring (COSMO) study
Robert Koch Institute|Robert Koch Institute|Robert Koch Institute|Robert Koch Institute|Federal Centre for Health Education|Robert Koch Institute|Robert Koch Institute
main strategy combatting sarscov2 infections 2020 consisted behavioural regulations including contact reduction maintaining distance hand hygiene mask wearing covid19related risk perception knowledge may influence protective behaviour education could important determinant current study investigated differences education level risk perception knowledge protective behaviour regarding covid19 germany exploring development pandemic time covid19 snapshot monitoring study repeated crosssectional online survey conducted pandemic germany 3 march 2020 waves 128 27957 participants aged 1874 differences risk perception knowledge protective behaviour according education level high versus low analysed using linear logistic regression time trends accounted interaction terms education level calendar week regarding protective behaviour interaction terms tested risk perception knowledge variables education level strongest associations education level evident perceived factual knowledge regarding covid19 moreover associations found low education level higher perceived severity low education level lower perceived probability highly educated men worried covid19 low levels education educational differences observed perceived susceptibility fear higher compliance hand washing found highly educated women higher compliance maintaining distance found highly educated men regarding maintaining distance impact perceived severity differed education groups men significant moderation effects education level association factual knowledge three protective behaviours found pandemic risk perception protective behaviour varied greatly time overall differences education level relatively small risk communication reaching population groups irrespective education level critical