title: After going through chemotherapy I can't see another needle.
abstract: Needle anxiety not only impacts on a patient's quality of life but can delay or prevent future medical care. Our survey of women with breast cancer indicated that 78/208 women (37.5%) reported feeling anxious about injections. Patients who reported needle anxiety were significantly younger (t(206)=3.72; P<0.01), with a lower body mass index (BMI) (t(182)=2.16; P<0.05), experience of chemotherapy (chi(2)(1)=8.29; P<0.01), a lower internal health locus of control (t(187)=2.28; P<0.05) and higher levels of state (t(197)=-3.58; P<0.01) and trait anxiety (t(197)=-2.30; P<0.05). Patients repeatedly highlighted the experience of chemotherapy as having caused their needle anxiety. Patient discourse suggests that chemotherapy related needle anxiety is a result of physical (e.g. finding a suitable vein) and environmental (e.g. the chemotherapy room) factors. Patients with cancer require psychosocial support during all stages of care, this should include the application of techniques to prevent or ameliorate the development of anxiety caused by certain aspects of cancer treatments, such as the development of chemotherapy-related needle anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Psychosocial Oncology Group, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex BN1 9QG, UK.
authors.forename: Anna Clare
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Lesley J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fallowfield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D015984:Causality; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents