COVID-19 vaccine: psychological impact in a Portuguese sample

Objective: The present study sought to evaluate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 vaccination in a Portuguese sample. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by 921 participants who filled an online questionnaire. The online self-report questionnaire was made up of questions ranging from socio-demographic information, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale items and general anxiety levels. This study was carried out in Portugal from October to December 2020. All participants gave their voluntary and informed consent to participate in the study. Results: Most of the participants reported mild to severe anxiety symptoms. The highest levels of anxiety were reported by 59.6% of participants who reported “very/extremely” general anxiety symptoms and 39.1% were of the same opinion regarding anxiety symptoms in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine. There was a positive correlation between the anxiety score (GAD-7) and the level of anxiety related to vaccine availability (P1, rs
=.18, p = <.001, in P2, rs =.27, p = <.001 and in P3, rs =.31, p = <.001). Conclusion: This study showed a moderate prevalence of generalized anxiety symptoms about COVID-19 vaccines in a Portuguese sample, with a tendency to increase when approaching vaccination decision making. Therefore, ensuring that the population is informed about COVID-19 vaccines could reduce unnecessary anxiety, improve behavior, health/wellbeing, and decision-making.