Population well-being and the COVID-19 vaccination program in Chile: evidence from Google Trends.
Public Health
; 219: 22-30, 2023 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2294269
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
We analyze the dynamics of the mental well-being of the Chilean population in response to the progress of the vaccination strategy implemented by the government. STUDYDESIGN:
This study aims at investigating the possibility of using Google Trends as an instrument for tracking mental well-being of the Chilean population.METHODS:
We use the volume of searches for keywords in Google Trends (GT) related to Anguish, Anxiety, Depression, and Stress as a proxy for population well-being. Using event study methods, we analyze social attention reactions to news about the vaccination program. We implement a Difference-in-Difference-in-Differences estimation to estimate changes in population welfare by socio-economic status induced by the progress of inoculation.RESULTS:
We show that social attention to mental health problems is sensitive to news about the vaccination program. Moreover, and most importantly, we find that mental well-being responds positively to the percentage of inoculated people. This phenomenon appear to be permanent and affected by socio-economic status, with the wealthier population experiencing greater improvements than the less wealthy.CONCLUSIONS:
During the COVID-19 vaccination program in Chile, social attention to mental health problems appears to be sensitive to news about the vaccination program. There is also strong evidence of socio-economic status-induced heterogeneity in population responses to program implementation. The above phenomena appears to be permanent and cannot be attributed to either socio-economic segregation in access to vaccines or to the highly stratified schedule of the vaccination program.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19 Vaccines
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Qualitative research
Topics:
Vaccines
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Chile
Language:
English
Journal:
Public Health
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
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