Vaccination anxiety when vaccinations are available: The role of existential concerns

Abstract

This study examined how existential fears are related to COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety and followed the Terror Management Theory (TMT) by examining the contribution of two existential concerns, subjective nearness‐to‐death (SNtD) and death anxiety, to COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety during the first month of COVID‐19 vaccinations. Data were collected during January 2021, when Israel was in lockdown, from a convenience sample of 381 Jewish Israelis ( M = 55.39, SD = 17.17). Participants completed questionnaires examining demographics, SNtD, death anxiety and COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety. A hierarchical regression analysis examined the connections between these variables and COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety while controlling for demographics and for receiving COVID‐19 vaccinations. In line with the hypotheses, SNtD and death anxiety were each positively associated with COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety, and death anxiety levels moderated the positive connection between SNtD and COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety, as this association was not significant for individuals with low death anxiety. The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence concerning the role of death anxiety in moderating the effect that SNtD has on COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety. These findings are in line with the TMT and justify further investigation and may be utilized in future research in order to address COVID‐19 vaccination anxiety more effectively.

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

“…These results rejoin previous results attesting to vaccination safety and to side-effects decreasing with age (Polack et al, 2020). Vaccination anxiety (Bodner et al, 2021) did not dimmish with time since vaccination, suggesting that such anxiety is less rational. Vaccination side-effects, both typical and atypical of anxiety, similarly linked with anxiety, indicating that rather being driven by overlapping symptoms (Hause et al, 2021), anxiety perhaps impacts the immune system (Madison et al, 2021).…”

“…The widespread COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedentedly rapid vaccination development (Graham, 2020). One topic less addressed is vaccine side-effects and their link with anxiety, a condition detrimental to older adults (Bodner et al, 2021). General anxiety was found in 2.4% of those receiving the Pfizer vaccination (Kadali et al, 2021).…”

“…First, we focused on a specific age group and a single vaccination. Moreover, we used a single vaccination-anxiety item which may not as reliable or understood as the longer index (Bodner et al, 2021). Furthermore, although slightly mitigated by the above partial correlations, future research should control for additional factors that might impact anxiety level, for example, therapy, psychiatric, or medical history.…”

“…As psychological factors may impact the immune system (Madison et al, 2021), anxiety may even link with side-effects atypical of anxiety (e.g., swollen-lymph-nodes). In addition to general anxiety (Kadali et al, 2021), research showed that vaccination itself may trigger anxiety, for example, its rapid development or an irrational misinformed perception of it being more dangerous than COVID-19 (Bodner et al, 2021). Thus, we examined in older adults the linking of vaccination anxiety with vaccination side-effects (both typical and atypical of anxiety), whilst controlling for general anxiety.…”

“…Results can aid in identifying persons with anxiety; in turn suitable and effective help to ameliorate this anxiety may be offered, which may possibly alleviate side-effects. Following results, vaccination anxiety (Bodner et al, 2021) like COVID-19 anxiety (Bergman et al, 2020) may benefit from considering strategic health policies that address realistic dangers of vaccination vis-à-vis COVID-19 itself (Berry et al, 2021). ϩ Liberal depiction of side-effects that may be typical of anxiety; * Conservative depiction of side-effects that may be typical of anxiety…”