e
veryone with type reported that identifiable needle phobia
1 diabetes, and at has a median age of onset at 5.5 years
least 500,000 people (Bienvenu & Eaton, 1998) and remains
with type 2 diabetes, quite common in adulthood (nir et al.,
do daily injections. 2003). For instance, in a sample of young
that’s a lot of people injecting and a lot adult travellers attending a vaccination
of injections, especially if you’re on the clinic, 21.7% reported that they were
4-5 injections a day routine (one or two afraid of injections and 8.2% described
background injections, and one with each their fear as excessive (Nir et al., 2003).
meal). in an older study, fear of blood and injury
getting those needles on and off was found to be present in approximately
can be a problem – plus, as they’re both one-third of children 6 to 12 years old
pointy and sharp, there is a real possibility (Lapouse & Monk, 1959). However,
of small, unwanted puncture accidents studies on blood-injection-injury phobia
happening. also, what about drawing up have been hampered by a lack of precise
your dose? Perhaps twisting your pen to definition for the disorder but it’s estimated
set your dose is problematic? then there as affecting around 3% of the adult
are those with needlephobia, an unlucky population (Bienvenu & Eaton, 1998).
circumstance if you have to inject several One product that has been developed
times a day. to address needlephobia in children with
diabetes is insuJet. it is only calibrated
Childhood anxiety for use with insulin, so it’s easy to fill with
there is evidence that a small percentage the right dose. brought to the Uk by
of children in particular, but also adults too spirit Healthcare, one of the company’s
suffer from needle-phobia. Around 8% representatives, Jim swift, remembers
of children have a pronounced needle- having needle-phobia as a child. “i
phobia (Hanas and Ludviggson, 2005) certainly avoided having any innoculations,
and best estimate at around 3% of adults, i was chased around the surgery as a wee
(Bienvenu & Eaton, 1998). It is actually a boy. i did grow out of it, but my son is still
fairly logical fear to have, after all, who very needlephobic, and he’s 21.”
wishes to be stabbed with anything and as part of swift’s work with spirit
then insert a foreign material into our Healthcare, he’s well aware of difficult fear
bodies? Having diabetes, however, you of needles is for both for children and their
have little choice. parents, describing it as “traumatic”.
epidemiological studies have as well as the insuJet, there are other
continued over