Optimizing Mood Prior to Influenza Vaccination in Older Adults: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial

Kieran Ayling, Michaela Brown, Sophie Carlisle, Robert Bennett, Heather Buchanan, Jennifer Dumbleton, Christopher Hawkey, Katja Hoschler, Ruth H. Jack, Jonathan Nguyen-Van-Tam, Simon Royal, David Turner, Maria Zambon, Lucy Fairclough, Kavita Vedhara*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: This trial explored the psychological and immunological effects of two brief interventions, targeting improving positive mood, administered to older adults immediately prior to influenza vaccination. The primary aim was to examine whether the interventions resulted in greater positive mood compared to usual care, and if so, which was superior. Secondary outcomes included antibody responses to vaccination and feasibility of collecting clinical outcome data (e.g., respiratory infections). Method: Six hundred and fifty-four older adults (65–85 years) participated in a three-arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial between September 2019 and May 2020. Immediately prior to receiving an adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (Fluad, Seqirus UK Ltd), participants viewed one of two brief (15-min) video-based positive mood interventions (one fixed content, one allowing participant choice) or received usual care. State affect was measured immediately prior to, and following, intervention exposure or usual care. Antibody responses were measured prevaccination and 4 weeks postvaccination. Clinical outcomes were extracted from primary care records for 6 months following vaccination. Results: Both interventions were equally effective at improving mood prior to vaccination compared to usual care. Antibody responses were highly robust with postvaccination seroprotection rates of.88% observed for all vaccine strains. Antibody responses did not significantly differ between groups. Clinical outcome data were feasible to collect. Conclusions: Brief psychological interventions can improve mood prior to vaccination. However, altering antibody responses to highly immunogenic adjuvanted vaccines may require more targeted or prolonged interventions. The provision of choice did not notably enhance the interventions impact on mood or antibody outcomes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)77-88
Number of pages12
JournalHealth Psychology
Volume43
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)

Keywords

  • positive affect
  • positive mood
  • psychoneuroimmunology
  • randomized controlled trial
  • vaccination

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