Attitude to vaccination against COVID-19 in patients with non-psychotic mental disorders

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the increasing prevalence of non-psychotic mental disorders and the rise of antivaccination tendencies.The aim of the study was to describe the attitude to vaccination against COVID-19 in patients with non-psychotic mental disorders, as well as in mentally healthy individuals.Materials and methods: a survey was conducted of 100 outpatient patients with psychiatric diagnoses of non-psychotic level: organic mental disorders (14), affective disorders (38), neurotic and stress-related disorders (48), as well as 30 people without mental disorders.Results and discussion. There was no association between the severity of COVID-19 and an adverse reaction to the vaccine. A high incidence of skepticism about vaccination against COVID-19 was noted in women, in the older age group, in people with higher education and highly qualified work, but poorly informed about immunoprophylaxis. Post-vaccination complications (fever, general weakness) after immunization against COVID-19 were more often detected in patients with affective disorders, however, this group of patients showed the most loyal attitude to vaccination. Patients with organic mental disorders shown the lowest degree of approval of vaccination against COVID-19, they cited fear of possible «side effects» and «lack of proven benefit» as the main reason for not being vaccinated.Conclusion. Vaccination of the population of all countries affected by COVID-19 has exacerbated such a phenomenon as doubt about the benefits of immunoprophylaxis. The results of the article can be extrapolated to the future development of new drugs in the field of immunoprophylaxis.