title: Pain from intramuscular vaccine injection in adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vaccine use has been increasing worldwide, and adult populations are presented with more opportunities to experience pain from vaccine injection. The insertion of a needle through the skin is the most common source of iatrogenic pain, and needle phobia is a major concern in medical practice. However, it is unclear which factors play major roles in the perception of pain from vaccine injection in adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influences of patient characteristics on pain perception due to intramuscular vaccine injection in healthy adult volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The injection of hepatitis B vaccine using a 24 mm, 24-G needle was performed as a uniform stimulus, and the intensity of injection pain was measured immediately after the injection using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS). The influences of patient characteristics on pain intensity were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred sixty volunteers (65 males, 95 females) were enrolled in this study. The average VAS score was 20.8 ± 17.1 (range 0 to 67) in males and 34.4 ± 19.7 (range 2 to 76) in females (P < 0.001). However, there were no correlations between VAS score and age, body mass index or maximal pain score from previous painful experiences. The VAS score was also not affected by the experience of previous vaccine injections, a history of childbirth in females, or religion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender appears to be the only major factor that influences the pain of intramuscular vaccine injection. Therefore, pain-reducing methods will be needed when performing injection procedures, particularly in women.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors: Francis Sahngun
authors: FS
authors: Nahm
authors: Pyung Bok
authors: PB
authors: Lee
authors: Soo Young
authors: SY
authors: Park
authors: Yong Chul
authors: YC
authors: Kim
authors: Sang Chul
authors: SC
authors: Lee
authors: Hwa Yong
authors: HY
authors: Shin
authors: Chul Joong
authors: CJ
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines