title: Validation of a screening instrument for the fear of injection in dialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Very little research has been conducted on the fear of injection (FOI) in patients on dialysis. However, feedback from hospital practice indicate that FOI is widespread.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop and validate a screening instrument to assess FOI in dialysis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of patients (n = 86) completed the Dialysis Fear of Injection Questionnaire (DFIQ) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). In semi-structured interviews, these patients were also asked about their FOI, general anxiety and depressive symptoms. Various analyses were used to examine the factor structure, sensitivity, accuracy and cut-off score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most optimal set of items consists of 9 items. These items have the sensitivity of 0.88, a specificity of 0.72 and a cut-off value of 3.5. The Cronbach's α is 0.87.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DFIQ appears to be a good predictor for the presence of FOI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses can use this validated screening instrument to detect FOI. The cut-off score provides a good indication for psychological counselling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: Jeannie Op 't
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Hoog
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buytene
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Vries
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000451:nursing* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cannulation; Haemodialysis; Psychosocial