COVID-19 Vaccinations and Anxiety in Middle-Aged and Older Jews and Arabs in Israel: The Moderating Roles of Ethnicity and Subjective Age.

Subjective age (i.e., feeling younger/older than one's chronological age) plays a significant role in older minority group members' psychological well-being. In light of the importance of vaccinations for fighting COVID-19, it is unclear whether ethnicity and subjective age moderate the connection between receiving COVID-19 vaccinations and anxiety in Israel. Jewish (n = 198) and Arab older adults (n = 84) provided information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations, subjective age, and anxiety symptoms, as well as additional socio-demographic and COVID-19-related health factors (age range= 40-100, M = 62.5, SD = 12.34). Results demonstrated that feeling older was associated with increased anxiety (p < .001) and that vaccinations were linked to increased anxiety among Jews (p < .05). Moreover, the association between COVID-19 vaccinations and anxiety was significant only among Jewish participants with an older subjective age (p < .05). We stress the importance of examining cultural diversities regarding the contribution of subjective age in the context of COVID-19 and psychological well-being.

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

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.

Subjective accelerated aging moderates the association between COVID-19 health worries and peritraumatic distress among older adults.

BACKGROUND: The present study examined whether subjective accelerated aging moderated the relationship between COVID-19 health worries and COVID-19 peritraumatic distress among older adults. METHOD: The sample consisted of 277 older adults (M = 69.58, s.d. = 6.73, range 60-92) who answered an online questionnaire during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Israel. Participants completed the measures of background characteristics, exposure to COVID-19, COVID-19 health worries, subjective accelerated aging and COVID-19-based peritraumatic distress. RESULTS: Higher levels of COVID-19 health worries were correlated with higher levels of peritraumatic distress symptoms among older adults. Moreover, those reporting accelerated aging also reported a higher level of peritraumatic distress. Finally, the interaction between COVID-19 health worries and subjective accelerated aging predicted peritraumatic distress, suggesting that COVID-19 worries were associated with peritraumatic distress to a stronger degree among older adults who felt they were aging faster. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that negative views of aging may serve as an amplifying factor for traumatic distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although preliminary, the findings provide insight for potential screening and interventions of older adults at risk of developing peritraumatic distress symptoms during the global pandemic.

No psychological vaccination: Vaccine hesitancy is associated with negative psychiatric outcomes among Israelis who received COVID-19 vaccination.

BACKGROUND: The widespread COVID-19 vaccination program, issued by the Israel Government, provides a unique opportunity to examine psychiatric morbidity and vaccine attitudes among individuals who have already been vaccinated. Accordingly, the current study examined how vaccine hesitancy contributes to clinical levels of depression, anxiety, and peritraumatic stress among individuals who had received COVID-19 vaccinations. METHODS: We analyzed data obtained from 254 vaccinated individuals, and assessed vaccine hesitancy, depression, anxiety, and peritraumatic distress, as well as several demographic, health, and COVID-19-related factors. RESULTS: Logistic regressions demonstrated that above and beyond socio-demographic, health, and COVID-19-related factors, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was the most prominent risk factor for anxiety, depression, and peritraumatic distress. Higher levels of vaccine hesitancy were found to double the risk for depression and peritraumatic stress (ORs > 2), and to triple the risk for anxiety (OR > 3). LIMITATIONS: A cross-sectional design; a preliminary study requiring further investigation CONCLUSIONS: This study points to the importance of vaccine hesitancy among vaccinated populations and provides knowledge regarding its associations with negative psychiatric outcomes. These findings may offer important information for healthcare practitioners and policy makers in their attempt to encourage individuals to receive COVID-19 vaccinations and emphasize the need to further understand the underlying mechanisms of psychiatric morbidity among vaccinated individuals.

COVID-19 health worries and anxiety symptoms among older adults: the moderating role of ageism.

A prominent feature of anxiety in late life is concerns regarding physical health. Anxiety symptoms among older adults have been connected with various psychological outcomes, including social isolation and loneliness. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many societies have demonstrated increased ageist attitudes, encouraging older adults to distance themselves from society. Accordingly, the current study examined the moderating role of COVID-19-related ageism in the connection between COVID-19 health worries and anxiety symptoms among older adults. Data were collected from 243 older adults (age range 60-92; M = 69.75, SD = 6.69), who completed scales assessing COVID-19-related health worries and ageism, as well as anxiety symptoms. The results demonstrated that both health worries and ageism were positively associated with anxiety symptoms. Moreover, the connection between health worries and anxiety symptoms was more pronounced among older adults with high ageism levels. The study highlights the vulnerability of older adults in general, and ageist older adults in particular, to the negative consequences of COVID-19-related health worries, and emphasizes the role of the increased ageist stance of society during the pandemic in this regard.

COVID-19-Related Loneliness and Psychiatric Symptoms Among Older Adults: The Buffering Role of Subjective Age.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined whether subjective age moderated the relationship between loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic and psychiatric symptoms. METHODS: A convenience sample of older adult Israelis (N = 277, mean age = 69.58 ± 6.72) completed web-based questionnaires comprising loneliness, anxiety, depressive, and peritraumatic distress symptoms. They also reported how old they felt. RESULTS: The positive relationship between loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic and psychiatric symptoms was weak among those who felt younger than their age while this very same relationship was robust among those feeling older. CONCLUSIONS: Young subjective age may weaken the loneliness-symptom association among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults holding an older age identity are more susceptible to the adverse effects of loneliness. Although preliminary, the findings may inform screening and interventions. Subjective age may help identify those at high risk in suffering from loneliness, and suggest interventions aimed at ameliorating both loneliness and older subjective ages.