Age, Not Sex, Predicts Needle Fear and Life Interference

Background and objectives: Though significant for public health, fear of needles and injection is understudied. This study provides a descriptive overview of symptom features and self-reported impact of fear of needles in a UK adult sample. Methods and design: UK-based adults ages 18-80 (N = 396) completed an online survey. Survey questions included general demographics (age, sex, lifetime psychiatric diagnoses), and questions regarding fear of needles symptom severity and life interference. Results: 77.02% endorsed at least some life interference from their fear of needles without formal diagnosis or treatment. Younger adults showed higher levels of severity of fear of needles. Sex was not significantly associated with fear of needles. Conclusions: Fear of needles with associated interference is prevalent across a broad adult age range regardless of sex, though with lower levels in older age groups. These findings highlight the necessity for interventions addressing fear of needles symptoms. If applied in the general population, interventions could help increase vital uptake of vaccines and address blood shortages, as well as improve individual quality of life and minimize health risk.