This article was originally published here
Stress Health. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1002/smi.3079. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
This study examined how existential fears are related to COVID-19 vaccination anxiety and followed the terror management theory by examining the contribution of two existential concerns, subjective nearness to death (SNtD) and death anxiety to COVID-19 vaccination anxiety during the first month of COVID-19 vaccinations. Data were collected between on January 2021 when Israel was in lockdown from a convivence sample of 381 Jewish Israelis (M= 55.39, SD= 17.17). Participants completed questionnaires examining demographics, SNtD, death anxiety and COVID-19 vaccination anxiety. A linear regression analysis examined the connections between these variables and COVID-19 vaccination while controlling for demographics and for receiving of COVID-19 vaccinations. In line with the hypotheses, SNtD and death anxiety were each positively associated with COVID-19 vaccination anxiety, and death anxiety level moderated the positive connection between SNtD and COVID-19 vaccination anxiety only for those with high death anxiety. The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence concerning the role of death anxiety in moderating the effect that SNtD has on COVID-19 vaccination anxiety. These findings are in line with the terror management theory and justify further investigation and may be utilizing in future in order to address and COVID-19 vaccination anxiety more effectively. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID:34245220 | DOI:10.1002/smi.3079
