Perceived Norms and Vaccination against COVID-19 among the General Adult Population in Germany: Results of a Nationally Representative Survey.

OBJECTIVE: to examine whether perceived norms are associated with vaccination against COVID-19 (also stratified by age group). STUDY DESIGN: nationally representative survey. METHODS: Data were taken from a sample of the general adult population (n = 3829, 16 to 94 years). Data collection took place from early July to early August 2021, and 3 different groups (1: not yet vaccinated and no intention to vaccinate against COVID-19; 2: not yet, but intended to vaccinate against COVID-19; 3: yes, at least one vaccination against COVID-19) were distinguished in the analyses. Data were adjusted for several sociodemographic and health-related factors. Perceived norms served as key independent variables (1: number of important friends and relatives who would like me to get vaccinated; 2: number of important friends and relatives who already have been vaccinated or still want to do so; 3: how your general practitioner (GP) thinks about Corona vaccination). RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression showed that, in particular, the number of important friends/relatives who would like an individual to get vaccinated is associated with the actual COVID-19 vaccination status among individuals aged 16 to 59 years. Interestingly, all 3 indicators for perceived norms are associated with the likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination status among individuals aged 60 years and over. CONCLUSIONS: Our study adds to the understanding of the association between perceived norms and COVID-19 vaccination status. This highlights potential pathways to increase vaccination rates to further combat the later stages of the pandemic.

[Burden in parents of school-aged children during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: an analysis within the COVID-19 snapshot monitoring (COSMO) study]. / Belastung von Eltern mit Kindern im Schulalter während verschiedener Phasen der COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland: Eine Analyse der COVID-19-Snapshot-Monitoring-(COSMO­)Daten.

BACKGROUND: Parents face a variety of personal challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, while simultaneously being confronted with additional, school-related pandemic containment measures. OBJECTIVES: To investigate burden in parents of school-aged children across different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and to identify particularly affected subgroups. METHODS: The COSMO project is a repetitive cross-sectional survey monitoring the psychosocial situation of the population in Germany during the pandemic with a sample size of approximately n = 1000 respondents per survey wave. A quantitative analysis of COSMO data was conducted using closed survey questions on the item "burden" as the main outcome, and, if applicable, on parenthood-associated burden from March 2020 until January 2021. RESULTS: During the first COVID-19 wave, parents of school-aged children were significantly more burdened compared to the general study population. However, burden decreased significantly from March/April to June 2020. During the second COVID-19 wave in January 2021, burden was homogeneously high across all groups. Single parenthood, a low household income, having a chronic health condition, a COVID-19 infection and a migration background were associated with higher burden, although none of these factors was consistently significant across the survey waves. Mothers reported to be more affected by parenthood-related burden than fathers. CONCLUSIONS: School measures for infection control have to be weighed carefully against the psychological impact on parental burden with subsequent negative impact on the family system. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as Supplementary Information.

Public Preferences for Exit Strategies From COVID-19 Lockdown in Germany-A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Objectives: To decrease the rapid growth of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany, a stepped lockdown was conducted. Acceptance and compliance regarding entering and exiting lockdown measures are key for their success. The aim of the present study was to analyse the population's preferences for exiting lockdown measures. Methods: To evaluate population's preferences and identify trade-offs between different exit strategies, a discrete choice experiment was conducted on 28-29 April (n = 1,020). Overall, six attributes and 16 choice sets (fractional-factorial design) without an opt-out were chosen. Conditional logit and latent class models were conducted. Results: Most attributes proved to be significant. Two attributes dominated all others: Avoiding a mandatory tracing app, and providing sufficient intensive care capacities. Preventing a high long-term unemployment rate and avoiding the isolation of persons aged 70+, were relevant, though utilities were comparatively lower. We identified subgroups (elderly persons and persons with school children) with different utilities, which indicates specific attributes affecting them dissimilarly. Conclusions: The population prefers cautious re-opening strategies and is at least sceptical about the adoption of severe protection measures. Government should balance interests between subgroups.

[Demand-driven communication strategy of the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) during the COVID-19 pandemic]. / Bedarfsbezogene Kommunikationsstrategie der Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA) während der COVID-19-Pandemie.

With the declaration of a pandemic situation of national significance by the German Bundestag, the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) is fulfilling its task of providing information for understanding the pandemic situation and implementing the necessary protective measures in a clear manner throughout Germany within the framework of the adapted National Pandemic Plan COVID-19. The BZgA targets its information according to the needs of specific groups and actively involves multipliers.In order to incorporate the perspectives of the population as well as those of prevention and health promotion professionals into the services developed by the BZgA, given the particularly initial low level of knowledge in the population, various methods and data sources were used: the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring (COSMO) population survey, the monitoring of citizens' enquiries via telephone and e­mail to the BZgA, surveys of counselling professionals from nationwide telephone and online counselling centres, surveys of health professionals in early help (NZFH) and interdisciplinary practice expert hearings. Beyond providing pure information, practical and everyday offers should be developed and provided according to WHO guidelines and evidence-based criteria of effective communication in order to support the competences for a gradual adaptation to a "new normality".The paper describes the data-based and evidence-informed development process of communication content and offers, their dissemination via existing websites and channels for other topics as well as their integration into the new online platform www.zusammengegencorona.de . This demonstrates how demand-driven and target group-specific communication offers can be implemented beyond the classic and proven campaign appearance.