Objective Evidence on socioeconomic inequalities in infections with the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is still limited as most of the available studies are ecological in nature and individual-level data is sparse. We therefore analysed individual-level data on socioeconomic differences in the prevalence and perceived dangerousness of SARS-CoV-2 infections in local populations. Data were obtained from a population-based seroepidemiological study of adult individuals in two early German SARS-CoV-2 hotspots (n = 3903). Infection was determined by IgG antibody ELISA, RT-PCR testing and self-reports on prior positive PCR tests. The perceived dangerousness of an infection and socioeconomic position (SEP) were assessed by self-reports. Logistic and linear regression were applied to examine associations of multiple SEP measures with infection status and perceptions of dangerousness. Results We found no evidence of socioeconomic inequalities in SARS-CoV-2 infections by education, occupation, income and subjective social status. Participants with lower education and lower subjective social status perceived an infection as more dangerous than their better-off counterparts. In successfully contained local outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany, infections may have been equally distributed across the socioeconomic spectrum. But residents in disadvantaged socioeconomic groups might have experienced a higher level of mental distress due to the higher perceived dangerousness of an infection.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, social determinants, Seroepidemiological study, Social epidemiology, 【초록키워드】 SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, Local, ELISA, Novel coronavirus, Prevalence, IgG antibody, Germany, Linear regression, group, association, Evidence, distress, RT-PCR testing, individual, measure, participant, positive PCR, hotspot, Mental, objective, populations, Result, applied, analysed, was determined, ecological, local outbreak, were assessed, 【제목키워드】 SARS-COV-2 infection, Prevalence,