Seasonal flu vaccination, a matter of emotion? An experimental study on role of compassion, socioeconomic status and perceived threat among healthcare workers

Abstract

Objective This study tests the impact of threat on compassion and vaccination intention among healthcare workers (HCWs) with low and high socio-economic status (SES) in France. Design A total of 309 HCWs were analyzed (Mage =39.29, SD = 11.76). Participants with high (n = 138) or low (n = 171) SES were randomly assigned to a Threat (n = 187) versus a No-Threat (n = 122) condition through filling in MacArthur’s scale. During this manipulation, participants read about an interaction involving a HCW with an SES higher than that of the participant. After filling in the MacArthur scale, all participants went through a compassion manipulation. Finally, participants read a text describing a patient’s distress. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was the vaccination intention score. The secondary outcome included the compassion score. Results The interaction of the Group X SES Subjective on compassion was not significant (p = .34, ηp 2 = .003, 95%CI [−.39,.07]). The interaction of the Group X Diploma on vaccination intention with high compassion was significant (p<.001, ηp 2 = .173, 95%CI [.11,1.68]). Planned comparisons revealed a significant difference in vaccination intention score between HCWs with low SES between Threat (M = 3.58, SD = 2.56) and No-Threat (M = 5.27, SD = 2.27; p=.01) conditions. Conclusion Ultimately, compassion inhibited the distress elicited in the threat condition in HCWs with high compassion.