Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 contributed to reducing the prevalence of depression in Chinese adults - A cross-sectional study

J Affect Disord. 2024 Mar 15:349:407-413. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.035. Epub 2024 Jan 6.

Abstract

Background: SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has been reported to improve mental health. However, few relevant data were collected in China. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on the risk of depression in China and risk factors contributing to depression.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study carried out from May 2020 to July 2021. Participants were widely recruited in China to participate in the survey using an online questionnaire including Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Athens Insomnia Scale-8.After exclusion of 105 ineligible questionnaires, 9452 participants were included in our final analysis. Chi-square test and Multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to analyze data.

Results: Of the 9452 participants, 7207 were vaccinated. Our results showed that the prevalence of depression decreased significantly after vaccination (56.1 % for unvaccinated participants vs. 19.7 % for vaccinated participants). The prevalence of mild, moderate and severe depression was also significantly lower in the vaccinated participants than in the unvaccinated participants (14.8 % vs 29.0 %, 2.8 % vs 13.3 %, 2.0 % vs 13.8 %, respectively). Besides, among vaccinated participants, male and aged participants had a lower chance of developing depression (AOR = 1.34; AOR = 0.63; AOR = 0.5, respectively). In addition, although with vaccination, participants with anxiety and insomnia were more likely to suffer from depression (AOR = 29.2; AOR = 11.89).

Limitations: The study was a cross-sectional survey. The numbers of participants differed much in the two groups.

Conclusions: The present study confirmed that SARS-CoV-2 vaccination contributed to reducing the prevalence of depression in Chinese adults. Moreover, vaccinated men and older adult participants had less prevalence of depression.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Depression; Insomnia; SRAS-CoV-2; Vaccination.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • China / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines