The figures show that as many as 1 in 5 young people in Norway are afraid of taking injections. One of them is 17-year-old Julia Nilsen from Namdalseid in Trøndelag. She does almost anything to escape. – A while ago I had quite severe pain in my stomach. Then the doctor would put a pain-relieving injection in my back or in my butt. But I refused. I finally got my way. I would rather be in pain than take an injection, says the 17-year-old to news. She also has bad experiences with blood tests, and says that she often faints. – I don’t like the sting itself or the needle. The fact that it goes into the skin. I’m not sure if it will hit a leg or not. Julia Nilsen is far from alone in feeling that way. Julia Nilsen doesn’t really know why she thinks injections are difficult. She has no problem seeing others get stabbed. Photo: Private – Very sad Norstat has carried out the new survey on behalf of the Norwegian Engineering and Technology Organization (NITO). The aim was to survey fear of injections among Norwegians, as well as find out what consequences this could have. A total of over 1,000 people responded to the survey. 13 percent state, across age and gender, that they have a fear of injections. Broken down by age, the number is significantly higher. Among young people between the ages of 15 and 29, 21 per cent say they are afraid of injections. When this group is then asked whether fear of injections has prevented them from seeking medical attention or taking blood tests, 27 per cent say yes. 16 percent respond that they have not been vaccinated. – There are quite a few. If they choose not to vaccinate because of the sting itself, it is very sad, says Hilde Hegseth. She is a bioengineer at St. Olav hospital in Trondheim and sits on the professional board of the Bioengineering Institute (BFI), which is an independent professional unit in NITO. Now Hegseth and colleagues work to help those who are struggling. Hilde Hegseth will soon take over the job as head of the section for sampling and close-to-patient analysis at St. Olav’s hospital. Over time, this section has worked systematically on the topic of injection fear. Photo: Marthe Svendsen / news Help to get In a collaboration between Nidaros DPS and St. Olav’s hospital in Trondheim, people get help to cope with phobias. Including fear of injections. On the first day, the patients get to talk to a psychiatric nurse. They are also exposed to a range of equipment that is used, among other things, for blood sampling. Already on day two, the blood sample must be taken. Then the patients meet the bioengineers Tonje Marie Kjøsnes Thorgersen and Gina Mehus Stornes. They both work as subject managers at the Department of Medical Biochemistry at St. Olavs. – It is a fast process. It’s all about exposure, and you just have to get through it. For us, it is important that patients explain what they find scary. We have to find out what they fear and then agree on how the blood test should be taken, says Thorgersen. Tonje Marie Kjøsnes Thorgersen encourages people who are afraid of injections to speak up. It is only then that they can help in the best possible way. Photo: Marthe Svendsen / news She further explains that the vast majority of people think it is fine to sit in the chair where the samples are taken, but the department also has a sofa for those who prefer it. Some will also have a look at the equipment before starting. And up until now, all the patients have been able to complete it. – I have experienced that absolutely everyone has managed to take the blood test on day two. So it might look like it works. We have also had patients who return to expose themselves further, says Stornes. Could stem from childhood Hilde Hegseth believes many people are afraid of injections after bad experiences from childhood. In addition, the bioengineer believes it is about losing control over what happens to your own body. She says the new survey provides important knowledge. – We want to help people overcome their fear of injections so that they get the healthcare they need. The fact that young people do not go to the doctor with serious problems can also become a burden on the healthcare system in the long term, says Hegseth. Fear of injections – this is what the survey shows Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news A total of 1,051 people took part in the survey. 13 per cent of all respondents, across age and gender, state that they have a fear of injections. Among young people between the ages of 15 and 29, 21 percent state that they struggle with this. As many as 1 in 4 in this group respond that the fear of injections has led them to avoid health care. 16 percent of them have refused vaccines. Half of people with a fear of injections in Norway state that they do not want to give blood. Source: Norstat/NITO
ttn-69
Skipping doctor’s visits and vaccinations, shows a new survey – news Trøndelag
