title: Teaching patients to self-inject: pilot study of a treatment for injection anxiety and phobia in multiple sclerosis patients prescribed injectable medications.
abstract: Medications are increasingly being developed for chronic illnesses that require regular injection. Usually it is recommended that, if possible, patients learn to inject themselves. Self-injection is associated with better adherence than injection by family or clinics. Yet large numbers of people have difficulty learning to self-inject due to injection anxiety or phobia. We present data from eight patients who went through a manualized 6-week cognitive behavioral treatment designed to increase self-efficacy and reduce anxiety. These patients were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, were prescribed weekly intramuscular interferon beta-1a injections, and were unable to self-inject due to anxiety or phobia. Seven of the eight patients were able to inject within the 6 weeks of therapy. The eighth patient self-injected during an additional seventh session. Seven of the eight patients continued to self-inject at 3-month follow-up. Patients showed significant improvements in self-injection self-efficacy and injection anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Medical Ctr, University of California, San Francisco 94131, USA. dmohr@itsa.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boudewyn
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012646:Self Administration; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*