Can positive mood make flu vaccine more effective?

What is it about?

Individuals who report greater positive mood at the time they are vaccinated appear to have a better responses to the vaccination, as measured by how much antibody they produced. in this trial we examined if it was possible to briefly improve positive mood in older people before they had their annual flu vaccination. We found that our brief (15 minute) digital intervention did improve positive mood and provided some early evidence of improving the antibody response to the vaccine too.

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Why is it important?

The effect of positive mood on antibody responses to vaccination is modest but appears to be the same as the size of the effect of statins in cardiovascular disease. This suggests that if we can find a simple way to routinely improve mood prior to vaccination, this could become a low cost, high volume public health intervention which could help make flu vaccine more effective