中文摘要
我们利用一项对英国人口具有代表性的大规模面板调查的信息，估计新冠疫苗接种对心理健康的影响。利用疫苗接种时间的外生变异，我们发现，疫苗接种使心理健康水平（GHQ-12）提高0.12个标准差，弥补了疫情所致心理健康恶化程度的一半。这一改善至少持续两个月，并与社会活动参与度提高以及自我报告的新冠病毒感染可能性下降相关。主要受益者是疫情期间出现心理困扰的个体，这支持在疫苗接种推广中优先考虑他们。相反，对疫苗潜在副作用心存顾虑的个体在接种后心理健康并未改善，这凸显了公众对疫苗安全性和有效性抱有信心的重要性。将心理健康的改善纳入考量后，疫苗接种的收益提高约50%。• 疫苗接种使心理健康水平（GHQ-12）提高0.12个标准差，弥补了疫情所致心理健康恶化程度的一半。• 主要受益者是疫情期间出现心理困扰的个体，这支持在疫苗接种推广中优先考虑他们。• 相反，对疫苗潜在副作用心存顾虑的个体在接种后心理健康并未改善，这凸显了公众对疫苗安全性和有效性抱有信心的重要性。• 将心理健康的改善纳入考量后，疫苗接种的收益提高约50%。
Abstract
We estimate the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on psychological well-being using information from a large-scale panel survey representative of the UK population. Exploiting exogenous variation in the timing of vaccinations, we find that vaccination increases psychological well-being (GHQ-12) by 0.12 standard deviations, compensating for one-half of the deterioration in mental health caused by the pandemic. This improvement persists for at least two months, and is linked to higher engagement in social activities and a decrease in the self-reported likelihood of contracting COVID-19. The main beneficiaries are individuals who became mentally distressed during the pandemic, supporting their prioritization in vaccination roll-outs. Conversely, individuals who harbored concerns about potential vaccine side effects show no improvement in psychological well-being upon vaccination, underscoring the importance of public confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy. Accounting for the improvement in psychological well-being increases the benefits of vaccination by around 50%. • Vaccination increases psychological well-being (GHQ-12) by 0.12 standard deviations, compensating for one-half of the deterioration in mental health caused by the pandemic. • The main beneficiaries are individuals who became mentally distressed during the pandemic, supporting their prioritization in vaccination roll-outs. • Conversely, individuals who harbored concerns about potential vaccine side effects show no improvement in psychological well-being upon vaccination, underscoring the importance of public confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy. • Accounting for the improvement in psychological well-being increases the benefits of vaccination by around 50%.