The impact of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution on mental health outcomes
Working Paper Series National Bureau of Economic Research
; 2021.
Article
in English
| GIM | ID: covidwho-1760230
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a "second pandemic" of anxiety and depression. While vaccines are primarily aimed at reducing COVID-19 transmission and mortality risks, they may have important secondary benefits. We use data from U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey merged to state-level COVID-19 vaccination eligibility data to estimate the secondary benefits of COVID-19 vaccination on mental health outcomes. To address endogenous COVID-19 vaccination, we leverage state-level variation in the timing of when age groups are eligible for vaccination. We estimate that COVID-19 vaccination reduces anxiety and depression symptoms by nearly 30%. Nearly all the benefits are private benefits, and we find little evidence of spillover effects, that is, increases in community vaccination rates are not associated with improved anxiety or depression symptoms among the unvaccinated. We find that COVID-19 vaccination is associated with larger reductions in anxiety or depression symptoms among individuals with lower education levels, who rent their housing, who are not able to telework, and who have children in their household. The economic benefit of reductions in anxiety and depression are approximately $350 billion. Our results highlight an important, but understudied, secondary benefit of COVID-19 vaccinations.
pandemics; viral diseases; human diseases; immunization; vaccination; vaccines; disease prevention; health protection; coronavirus disease 2019; depression; mental disorders; anxiety; mental stress; age groups; children; households; mental health; risk; symptoms; immune sensitization; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; man; USA; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirinae; Coronaviridae; Nidovirales; positive-sense ssRNA Viruses; ssRNA Viruses; RNA Viruses; viruses; Homo; Hominidae; primates; mammals; vertebrates; Chordata; animals; eukaryotes; APEC countries; high income countries; North America; America; OECD Countries; very high Human Development Index countries; viral infections; SARS-CoV-2; mental illness; psychological stress; United States of America
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
GIM
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Topics:
Vaccines
Language:
English
Journal:
Working Paper Series National Bureau of Economic Research
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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