Does COVID-19 vaccination affect post-traumatic stress symptoms via risk perception? A large cross-sectional study among the Chinese population

Objectives: Although infection rates may increase after relaxation of the zero COVID strategy, the extensive vaccination campaign in China could potentially curb the spread of COVID-19, which may be associated with a low level of risk perception and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, the relationship between vaccination, risk perception and PTSS has not been studied extensively. This study aims to examine the associations between the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses, consistency in the type of each dose and time since vaccination with PTSS, and the mediating role of risk perception on such relationships in China. Study design: Cross-sectional sampling with a self-report questionnaire was used to measure vaccination, PTSS and risk perception. Methods: The survey was conducted in Beijing, China, from 13 January to 9 February 2023. Linear regression analyses were conducted to test the relationship between vaccination, risk perception and PTSS. Results: The analysis included 55,803 individuals. In total, 72.86 % of participants received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Regression results indicated that people with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had a lower level of PTSS (b = -1.232, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: -1.930, -0.534) than those who had not received any doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Only the negative relationship between two-dose vaccination and PTSS was mediated by risk perception, while the negative relationship between the time since vaccination and PTSS was suppressed by risk perception. Conclusions: This study showed that receiving the COVID-19 vaccine reduced PTSS by decreasing perceived risk. Vaccination time was negatively associated with PTSS, but this relationship was suppressed by risk perception. (c) 2023 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.