COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is positively associated with affective wellbeing

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy in the United States iscurrently at a high level. To enable a better understanding of thishesitancy, this study explores the association between affective wellbeingmeasures and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. We consistentlyfind a positive association between the two, regardless of whichof ten different affect state variables (two positive, and eight negative)or their composite, is used. For example, people who experiencemore worry or anxiety (two negative affect wellbeing states) areless vaccine-hesitant, and vice versa. The association is found tohold even when controlling for potential confounds such as incomebracket, political affiliation, gender and employment status. Associationsare strongest for the fully employed, and for those in themiddle-class income bracket. While consistent at the national level,considerable dispersion is found at the county level. We discuss theimplications of these findings briefly.