Results of the Cologne Corona Surveillance (CoCoS) project - a cross-sectional study: Survey data on nonadherence to recommended individual behaviours for SARS-CoV-2 pandemic containment.

Background: To curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission, citizens were urged to get vaccinated and adhere to hygiene recommendations (keeping distance, washing hands, wearing face masks), as well as informing contacts if infected. Studies confirm the effectiveness of these measures in reducing virus spread. Understanding factors influencing nonadherence is vital for enhancing the efficacy of future pandemic education campaigns. Methods: An online survey assessed nonadherence to SARS-CoV-2 containment recommendations among 30,000 randomly selected Cologne residents aged 18 or older. Invitations were sent on December 7, 2022, with the survey open until January 7, 2023. Logistic regression analyzed associations between participants' sociodemographic, health, and virus-related characteristics and reported nonadherence to recommended behaviors. Results: Out of 30,000 invited Cologne residents, 4,486 (15%) responded, with 10% reporting not having received recommended SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Nonadherence correlated significantly with older age, male gender, low income, living alone, migrant background, and chronic lung disease. 80% reported not adhering to current hygiene recommendations, linked to younger age, absence of certain pre-existing conditions, and prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, 16% reported hesitancy in informing all contacts upon testing positive, associated with male gender, absence of certain pre-existing conditions, and fewer booster doses. Conclusion: The results presented here point to which sociodemographic, health, and virus-related factors are associated with nonadherence to recommended individual behaviors to mitigate the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, issues related to the representativeness of the sample for the general population limit the validity of the results.Trial registration: DRKS.de, German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), identifier: DRKS00024046, registered on 25 February 2021.