Psychiatric adverse events associated with the COVID-19 vaccines approved in the Republic of Korea: a systematic review

Seungeun Ryoo, Miyoung Choi, Nam Kyong Choi, Hyoung Shik Shin, Jun Hee Woo, Byung Joo Park, Sanghoon Oh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This systematic review evaluated psychiatric adverse events (AEs) following vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We included studies that reported or investigated psychiatric AEs in individuals who had received an approved COVID-19 vaccine in the Republic of Korea. Systematic electronic searches of Ovid-Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, and KoreaMed databases were conducted on March 22, 2023. Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-randomized Studies 2.0. The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023449422). Of the 301 articles initially selected, 7 were included in the final analysis. All studies reported on sleep disturbances, and 2 highlighted anxiety-related AEs. Sleep disorders like insomnia and narcolepsy were the most prevalent AEs, while depression was not reported. Our review suggests that these AEs may have been influenced by biological mechanisms as well as the broader psychosocial context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this study had limitations, such as a primary focus on the BNT162b2 vaccine and an observational study design, it offered a systematic, multi-vaccine analysis that fills a critical gap in the existing literature. This review underscores the need for continued surveillance of psychiatric AEs and guides future research to investigate underlying mechanisms, identify risk factors, and inform clinical management.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-114
Number of pages8
JournalOsong Public Health and Research Perspectives
Volume15
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

Keywords

  • Adverse effects
  • Anxiety
  • COVID-19 vaccines
  • Mental disorders
  • Sleep wake disorders
  • Systematic review

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