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 (β = -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.