A storm in a teacup: older adults’ low prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine side-effects and their link with vaccination anxiety

Palgi, Yuval; Ben–Ezra, Menachem; Greenblatt‐Kimron, Lee

doi:10.1017/s1041610221001071

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Moreover, in line with nocebo effects being driven by actual experience in females, the experiencing of side-effects at W1 should predict W2 side-effects more robustly in females than in males. These expected results should be independent of the higher vaccine hesitancy levels 31 , and larger side-effect levels 32 observed in females. Supplementary analyses include models that examine this hypothesized direction across different side-effects and different vaccine hesitancy items (those addressing side-effect expectations and those that do not).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…This study is part of an ongoing longitudinal study 32 pertaining to vaccine side-effects in a representative sample of Israeli older adults. All data collection was conducted in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants were recruited via iPanel, a probability-based panel with over 100,000 adult members who consented to be contacted about surveys 32 , 45 . This panel conducts studies according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines for observational studies (STROBE).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants indicated sex, education, and marital status. Side-effect severity was rated on a scale from 1-not-suffering-at-all to 5-suffering-very-severely 32 across a list of 21 vaccine side-effects, based on information from the FDA ( https://www.fda.gov/media/144414 ) and Israeli Ministry of Health ( https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-covid-vaccineside-effects-in-israel-matchtrials-1001359338 ). The side-effect scale’s α was .88 and .89 at each wave respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Vaccine hesitancy prospectively predicts nocebo side-effects following COVID-19 vaccination

Levin

Palgi

Ben–Ezra

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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The directionality between vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 vaccine side-effects has not been hitherto examined. We hypothesized a nocebo effect, whereby vaccine hesitancy towards the second Pfizer vaccination dose predicts subsequent side-effects for a booster dose, beyond other effects. We expected these nocebo effects to be driven by (mis)information in males and prior experience in females. A representative sample of older adults (n = 756, mean age = 68.9 ± 3.43) were questioned in a typical cross-lagged design (wave 1 following a second Pfizer dose, wave 2 after their booster). As hypothesized, earlier vaccine hesitancy predicted subsequent booster side-effects for females (β = 0.10 p = 0.025, f 2 = 0.02) and males (β = 0.34, p < 0.001, f 2 = 0.16); effects were stronger in males (χ2Δ (1) = 4.34, p = 0.03). The (W1-to-W2) side-effect autoregression was stronger in females (β = .34, p < 0.001; males β = 0.18, p < 0.001), χ2Δ (1) = 26.86, p < 0.001. Results show that a quantifiable and meaningful portion of COVID-19 vaccine side-effects is predicted by vaccine hesitancy, demonstrating that side-effects comprise a psychosomatic nocebo component in vaccinated individuals. The data reveal distinct risk levels for future side-effects, suggesting the need to tailor public health messaging.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Vaccine hesitancy prospectively predicts nocebo side-effects following COVID-19 vaccination

Levin

Palgi

Ben–Ezra

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Given the significance of vaccinations for controlling COVID-19, together with the relative lack of knowledge pertaining to the link between vaccine acceptance/refusal and general anxiety symptoms, it seems important to delineate factors which may highlight how COVID-19 vaccinations are associated with anxiety among older adults. Recent research demonstrated cultural and cross-national differences in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and anxiety, and that older adults may report reduced willingness to receive vaccinations (e.g., Burkova et al, 2021 ; Hoffman et al, 2021 ; Stojanovic et al, 2021 ). Moreover, as will be shown, cultural and personal factors have been associated with various aspects of physical and mental health among older adults.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Anxiety in Middle-Aged and Older Jews and Arabs in Israel: The Moderating Roles of Ethnicity and Subjective Age

et al. 2022

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Subjective age (i.e., feeling younger/older than one’s chronological age) plays a significant role in older minority group members’ psychological well-being. In light of the importance of vaccinations for fighting COVID-19, it is unclear whether ethnicity and subjective age moderate the connection between receiving COVID-19 vaccinations and anxiety in Israel. Jewish ( n = 198) and Arab older adults ( n = 84) provided information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations, subjective age, and anxiety symptoms, as well as additional socio-demographic and COVID-19-related health factors (age range= 40–100, M = 62.5, SD = 12.34). Results demonstrated that feeling older was associated with increased anxiety ( p < .001) and that vaccinations were linked to increased anxiety among Jews ( p < .05). Moreover, the association between COVID-19 vaccinations and anxiety was significant only among Jewish participants with an older subjective age ( p < .05). We stress the importance of examining cultural diversities regarding the contribution of subjective age in the context of COVID-19 and psychological well-being.

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Confidence in COVID‐19 vaccines moderates the association between vaccination status and mental distress

et al. 2023

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Previous research has demonstrated that becoming vaccinated with the Coronavirus vaccine may lower mental distress. However, it remains uncertain whether this relationship holds amid concerns of vaccine side effects and doubts of the vaccine's protective capabilities. We presented three studies that showed how vaccine confidence negatively influences the relationship between vaccine uptake and mental distress. Using two‐way fixed effects regression models, Study 1 analyzes longitudinal survey of respondents from Los Angeles County in the US, while Study 2 uses the same analytical strategy but generalises findings by analysing longitudinal data of participants across all 50 US states. Main results of both studies show that (i) vaccination uptake is linked with reduced mental distress among individuals with high vaccine confidence (ii) vaccine uptake has no effect on mental distress among individuals with low vaccine confidence. Lastly, Study 3 applies multilevel analysis to a large‐scale pseudo‐panel study of 15 developed countries. Results for the third study corroborate finding (i) but not (ii) in that the multinational study finds that vaccine uptake is actually associated with higher mental distress among individuals with low vaccine confidence. In sum, our paper shows that the palliative effect of vaccination on mental health only exists when vaccine confidence is high. Results are mixed on whether vaccination affects mental distress when individual vaccine confidence is low.

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A storm in a teacup: older adults’ low prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine side-effects and their link with vaccination anxiety

Cited by 7 publications

References 11 publications

Vaccine hesitancy prospectively predicts nocebo side-effects following COVID-19 vaccination

Vaccine hesitancy prospectively predicts nocebo side-effects following COVID-19 vaccination

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Anxiety in Middle-Aged and Older Jews and Arabs in Israel: The Moderating Roles of Ethnicity and Subjective Age

Confidence in COVID‐19 vaccines moderates the association between vaccination status and mental distress

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