Do Behaviours & Mood Affect How Well COVID19 vaccines work? [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Examining the role of behavioural factors in determining the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines
IRAS ID
295272
Contact name
Kavita Vedhara
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
The clinical effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is variable. For example, clinical trial data indicate that protection may be attenuated in older adults. Although age is not a modifiable characteristic, we know from other viruses, including coronaviruses, that modifiable behavioural factors (e.g., physical activity, sleep, stress,) can influence susceptibility to and severity of viral infections, as well as the effectiveness of vaccines. However, the role of behavioural factors in influencing the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is currently unknown.
This study seeks to examine this issue using an observational cohort design. Adults who are eligible to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine will be asked to complete psychological and behavioural measures in advance of, and in the days following each dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine schedule. Blood samples will be taken at multiple time points to assess immune responses to the vaccine both in the short and longer term. We will explore relationships between these psychological and behavioural factors and subsequent immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
Research Summary
The present study coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 Vaccination Roll-out in the UK and sought to examine the relationship between modifiable behavioural factors and the SARS-CoV-2 antibody response to (i) initial vaccination; (ii) persistence of immunity between doses and (iii) longer-term immunity. We also sought to examine whether these relationships vary according to vaccine type (i.e., adenoviral vector vs. mRNA) and age of vaccine recipient. The study recruited 532 participants (501 of whom were recruited prior to recieving any COVID-19 vaccination dose). We measured a range of psychological and behavioural factors at baseline, as well as in the periods immediately following each vaccine dose. We measured spike antibody response to the vaccine(s) using ELISA assays. With regards to our primary aims and findings: We found that many of the psychological and behavioural factors we measured did not statistically significantly predict antibody responses to the vaccine above clinical and demographic factors (e.g., age, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccine type). However, we did find that greater depression and lower positive mood at baseline were associated with significantly poorer spike antibody responses after completing the full 2 dose course of mRNA (Pfizer) vaccination - even after controlling for clinical and demographic factors. Further secondary analysis is ongoing on this complex data-set to explore the psychological and behavioural measures collected via repeated diary measures after each vaccine dose.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/NW/0048
Date of REC Opinion
26 Mar 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion