Affiliations 

  • 1 Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
  • 2 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
  • 4 Asia-Europe Institute, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Asia Pac J Public Health, 2022 01;34(1):106-112.
PMID: 34550027 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211047868

Abstract

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is an emerging problem globally. This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of chronic illnesses in the relationship between psychological health and the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine, prior to the national vaccine rollout in Malaysia. An online cross-sectional study was conducted in Malaysia between December 10, 2020, and February 9, 2021. In addition to the descriptive analyses, a mediation analysis was performed to examine the mediating effect of chronic illnesses in the relationship between psychological distress and the willingness to accept the vaccine. A total of 1738 participants completed the survey. The psychological distress levels were found to be significantly different across demographic factors such as age, gender, and social economic status. This study demonstrated a partial mediating effect of chronic illnesses in the relationship between psychological distress and vaccine acceptance.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.