Nurse-Led Interventions May Cut Children’s Fear of Needles

THURSDAY, Aug. 18, 2022 — Two new nurse-led interventions to reduce negative impacts of vaccinations in children — divided attention (DA) and positive memory reframing (PMR) — were feasible and may reduce needle-related fear, according to a study published in the September issue of the European Journal of Pain.

Felicity A. Braithwaite, Ph.D., from the University of South Australia in Adelaide, and colleagues randomly assigned children (8 to 12 years) to usual care (UC); DA, which involved drawing a child’s attention and expectations away from the needle; PMR, in which the positive elements of the experience were discussed to rectify the child’s exaggerations of needle discomfort; or combined (DA + PMR) to assess feasibility and impact. The analysis included 41 child-parent dyads.

The researchers found that preliminary within-group analyses showed no effects on child/parent pain ratings. However, children in the combined group had reduced recalled fear of needles, while children in the PMR group and the combined group had reduced fear of future needles. In the UC group and PMR group, parent ratings of child fear were reduced immediately after vaccination.

“Two new nurse-led interventions to reduce negative impacts of vaccinations in children, divided attention and positive memory reframing, were feasible and may reduce needle-related fear. Nurses were able to deliver the interventions in various environments, including nonclinical settings (schools),” the authors write. “These interventions have potential to facilitate broader dissemination of vaccinations for children in a manner that minimizes distress.”

One author disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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Posted August 2022