Vaccination with SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccines reduced the risk of anxiety and depression in a population majored by health care workers during the recent omicron variant outbreak

BACKGROUND: The mental health status of the population majored by health care workers in China during the omicron variant outbreak remains unknown. Furthermore, the effect of COVID-19-inactivated vaccines on mental health is yet to be investigated. METHODS: A cross-sectional, online survey study was conducted from 12–20 April, 2022. The prevalence of symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: Responses from a total of 1,387 participants were analyzed, 39.7% of which reported symptoms of mental health illness. The incidence of anxiety (30.4% vs. 48.4%, p < 0.001) and depression (27.1% vs. 46.3%, p < 0.001) decreased with COVID-19 inactivated vaccination. From multivariate analysis, living in Shanghai (anxiety: Odds ratio [OR]: 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14–2.19, p = 0.006; depression: OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.16–2.25, p = 0.005), with a mental illness (anxiety: OR: 8.97, 95% CI: 1.01–79.56, p = 0.049; depression: OR: 9.32, 95% CI: 1.06–82.30, p = 0.045) increased the incidence of anxiety and depression. Elderly participants (anxiety: OR: 0.986, 95% CI: 0.975–0.997, p = 0.012; depression: OR: 0.976, 95% CI: 0.965–0.987, p < 0.001) who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 (anxiety: OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32–0.75, p = 0.001; depression: OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.29–0.69, p < 0.001) had decreased incidences of anxiety and depression. CONCLUSION: Our findings increase the awareness of the high incidence of mental health illness symptoms during the omicron variant outbreak despite previous experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, and vaccination is suggested to reduce the risk of anxiety and depression.