The Severity of Pain in Children with Thalassemia during Venipuncture and Prior to Blood Transfusion

One of the most common invasive procedures in children especially children with thalassemia, which have to receive blood transfusions continuously to stay alive, is establishing an intravenous line. Recognizing and evaluating pain is one of the main responsibilities of nurses and the medical staff. The present study was conducted in order to assess the behavioral pain symptoms induced in 3-6 year old children with thalassemia during venipuncture for blood transfusion. The present research was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study on 120 children between 3 to 6 years of age, who were referred to Kerman Thalassemia Center and matched the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a scale for pediatric behavioral pain symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive (percent, mean and standard deviation) and analytical statistics (Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U). In this study 50.8% of subjects were female and 49.2% were male. The mean age of the children was 4.1 ± 1.1, 18.3% reported that they had mild pain, 32.5% indicated moderate pain and 49.2% had severe pain. The mean behavioral pain symptoms score of the children was 6.8 ± 2.4. Girls and younger children reported a significantly higher rate of pain. Considering the key role of nurses in health services, we hope that the results of this study will help them consider reducing pain of thalassemia children during venipuncture and this will decrease undesirable mental, emotional and physical complications of these children, who undergo painful procedures.