A Diagnosis on Gender Specific Difference of Belonephobia and Pain Associated with Fingerpricking in Haematology Laboratory

Introduction: Needle phobia, clinically termed as belonephobia is a sub-type of blood-injury-injection phobia (BII phobia). Heightened sensitivity to experimentally induced pain, clinical pain and pain-related distress is greater in women compared with men. In reproductive age women, gonadal hormone levels also have a substantial impact on pain perception anffid analgesic response. So, this study was conducted with the objective to compare any difference in pain and symptoms felt by males and females after pricking with hypodermic needles.

Materials and Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in haematology laboratory of physiology department. A total of 216 subjects (120 females and 96 males) in the age group of 18 to 23 years were selected. The participants were asked to fill up the questionnaire based on pain and phobia associated with fingerpricking on first and tenth exposure with hypodermic needle. Assessment of pain was done by rating on numerical pain rating scale (NPRS).

Results: Females reported more fear of pain due to fingerprick compared to males (68.3% vs 49%, P<0.05). On first exposure with needle, females reported symptoms of sweaty, palpitations and dizziness significantly more than males (P<0.05). On tenth exposure, shortness of breath was more in males than females (5.2% vs 0.8%) but, there was no significant association in any other symptom between males and females. On tenth exposure, there was increase in mild grade of pain score and reduction in moderate and severe grade on NPRS (P<0.001) in both groups and significant reduction was more in females than males (P=0.01).

Conclusion: It was concluded that females were more needle phobics than males and with subsequent exposures, i.e., on 10th exposure with hypodermic needle there was reduction in pain and symptoms after finger-prick in both groups. Also, female students need more assistance during pricking.