Negotiating with doctors in casualty is just one of the many pitfalls of needle phobia (trypanophobia).ĭespite being at higher risk because he's asthmatic, Andrew won't have the recommended winter flu or swine flu jab. 'It just brings out a completely different side to me.' 'But it's something I can't control,' he says. 'Eventually a compromise was reached and they were able to glue my head back together.'Īndrew admits that his problem is completely irrational. I told them I would rather have the hole and flatly refused. 'The doctors said they'd have to stitch it. Recently, he split his head open after tripping and falling at London's Victoria Station, and was taken to a nearby A&E department with a nasty wound. Now 35 and working as a tour manager, he struggles with his phobia.
Pathological fear of needles series#
Two years previously he'd undergone a series of injections after breaking his leg, and it's likely this triggered Andrew's fear of needles. He panicked and had to be physically restrained by two nurses and his parents as the sample was taken. Although he'd never had a problem with childhood vaccinations, as the doctor approached with a needle to take a blood sample Andrew suddenly became hysterical. This pathological fear of needles emerged when Andrew was 13 and had to be admitted to hospital to treat a leg ulcer. He becomes abusive - 'Calling the doctors everything under the sun, then apologising' - and is also physically sick. 'We're talking massive anxiety attacks, cold sweats and blind panic,' he says. When Andrew McDonald sees a needle, his response is quite dramatic. Greater attention should be directed to interventions which alleviate fear in high-risk groups.Fear: Even the sight of a needle can give those with a phobia panic attacks Conclusionsįear of needles is common in patients requiring preventive care and in those undergoing treatment. Needle fear was common when undergoing venipuncture, blood donation, and in those with chronic conditions requiring injection. Avoidance of influenza vaccination because of needle fear occurred in 16% of adult patients, 27% of hospital employees, 18% of workers at long-term care facilities, and 8% of healthcare workers at hospitals.
Both needle fear and needle phobia were more prevalent in females than males. In general, needle fear decreased with increasing age. The majority of children exhibited needle fear, while prevalence estimates for needle fear ranged from 20-50% in adolescents and 20–30% in young adults. The search yielded 119 original research articles which are included in this review, of which 35 contained sufficient information for meta-analysis. The prevalence of needle fear was calculated and restricted maximum likelihood random effects models were used for meta-analysis and meta-regression. Injections are among the most common medical procedures, yet fear of needles can result in avoidance of preventive measures and treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of needle fear and summarize the characteristics of individuals who exhibit this fear.
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