Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological distress and anxiety increased sharply among the masses. Several factors such as widespread unemployment, leading to income loss, food insecurity, social isolation, substance abuse, caregiving burdens and racialized discrimination led to the development of anxiety-related conditions in all classes of people. As per a recent study published by Elsevier, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 resulted in measurable improvement in psychological well-being, enhancing the quality of life.
A boon for mental health
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The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, also indicated that vaccination, among study participants, was associated with declines in distress and perceived risks of infection by 7.7 percentage points, hospitalisation by 6.91 percentage points and death by 4.68 percentage points. In addition, these improvements persisted and became stronger up to at least eight weeks following vaccination.
“Our study documents important psychological benefits of vaccination beyond reducing the risk of severe illness and death associated with Covid-19,” said lead investigator Jonathan Koltai, PhD, Department of Sociology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, US.
However, the impact of vaccination on mental health varied by race and ethnicity. The highest reduction in distress was observed among Alaska Native and American Indians, owing to the higher vaccination rates in Asia-Pacific countries.
