The Role of COVID-19 Pandemic Anxiety and Perceptions in COVID-19 Vaccination

Abstract

Introduction Since stress and anxiety are significant manifestations of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, we studied their role in making a decision about vaccination. Objectives To study the relationship between the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with health anxiety and stress levels. Methods The methodological complex includes the author’s socio-demographic questionnaire (Pervichko, 2020, 2021, 2022); the questionnaire “Scale of perceived stress-10” (Ababkov, 2016); the questionnaire “Perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic” (Pervichko et al., 2020), developed on the basis of the Russian-language version of the E. Broadbent’s short questionnaire about the perception of disease (Broadbent, 2006); the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (Spielberger, 2002) and the “Short Health Anxiety Inventory” (Pervichko et al., 2020). The study involved 232 respondents who did not have COVID-19 (average age – 29.1 ± 13.7 years). Among the respondents, 68.5% have already been vaccinated, 23.3% do not plan to be vaccinated and 8.2% plan to perform the procedure. Results The methodological complex includes the author’s socio-demographic questionnaire (Pervichko, 2020, 2021, 2022); the questionnaire “Scale of perceived stress-10” (Ababkov, 2016); the questionnaire “Perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic” (Pervichko et al., 2020), developed on the basis of the Russian-language version of the E. Broadbent’s short questionnaire about the perception of disease (Broadbent, 2006); the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (Spielberger, 2002) and the “Short Health Anxiety Inventory” (Pervichko et al., 2020). The study involved 232 respondents who did not have COVID-19 (average age – 29.1 ± 13.7 years). Among the respondents, 68.5% have already been vaccinated, 23.3% do not plan to be vaccinated and 8.2% plan to perform the procedure. Conclusions Higher health anxiety, situational anxiety, perceived stress, and greater perceived life threat due to coronavirus contribute to COVID-19 immunization procedures, which is accompanied by perceptions of greater control of the pandemic. Disclosure of Interest None Declared