Enhancement of antibody responses to influenza vaccination in the elderly following a cognitive-behavioural stress management intervention.

Background: Previous research has demonstrated that the psychological morbidity experienced by informal caregivers is associated with increased vulnerability to infectious diseases, in particular influenza. A pragmatic trial was conducted to examine whether a stress management intervention (SMI) could reduce psychological morbidity and enhance the antibody response to influenza vaccination in the elderly, and whether changes in immune response of SMI participants were associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity.

Methods: Forty-three elderly spousal carers of dementia patients and 27 non-carer controls were recruited.