Mood and influenza vaccination in older adults: A randomized controlled trial.

Ayling, Kieran; Fairclough, Lucy; Buchanan, Heather; Wetherell, Mark A.; Vedhara, Kavita

Abstract

Objective: Positive mood on the day of vaccination has been associated with subsequent antibody responses to the influenza vaccine in older adults. The primary aim of this trial was to examine whether a brief intervention was able to enhance positive mood at the time of vaccination in a clinical context. Secondary aims included exploratory analyses of the effects of the intervention on non-specific and influenza-specific immunity.

Methods: One hundred and three older adults (65-85 years) participated in a two-arm, parallel, single-blind, randomised controlled trial. Participants viewed either a 15-minute video package designed to induce positive mood or a matched neutral control video, immediately prior to receiving a standard dose quadrivalent influenza vaccination. State affect and secretory IgA levels were assessed immediately prior to, and following, the interventions. Antigen-specific IgG responses to the vaccination were assessed at 4 and 16-weeks post-vaccination.

Results: The positive mood intervention resulted in significant improvements in state positive affect, compared with the neutral control. Secretory IgA levels significantly increased across both groups. Antigen-specific IgG responses to influenza vaccination were not statistically significantly different between groups, although point-estimates of effect size favoured participants who viewed the positive mood intervention for most strains at both 4 and 16-weeks post-vaccination.

Conclusions: A 15-minute intervention can improve positive mood in older adults prior to vaccination. Future trials should examine whether enhancing mood at the time of vaccination could enhance the effectiveness of influenza vaccination on patients and benefit health services.

Citation

Ayling, K., Fairclough, L., Buchanan, H., Wetherell, M. A., & Vedhara, K. (2019). Mood and influenza vaccination in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Health Psychology, 38(11), 984-996. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000786

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Aug 5, 2019
• Publication Date: Oct 31, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jun 21, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 24, 2019
• Journal: Health Psychology
• Print ISSN: 0278-6133
• Electronic ISSN: 1930-7810
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 984-996
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000786
• Keywords: Positive affect; Intervention; Positive mood; Vaccination; Immunity; Psychoneuroimmunology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2216039
• Publisher URL: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-44693-001?doi=1
• Additional Information: ©American Psychological Association, 2019. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. Please do not copy or cite without author's permission. The final article is available, upon publication, at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/hea0000786