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European Journal of Pediatrics Jan 2021The current outbreak of COVID-19 raging globally is taking a heavy toll on the adult population, with a rapidly growing number of newly infected and critically ill...
The current outbreak of COVID-19 raging globally is taking a heavy toll on the adult population, with a rapidly growing number of newly infected and critically ill patients. However, to date, mortality rate among children is low as they mostly suffer from a mild disease. Yet, other more routinely encountered childhood diseases do not stand still and continue to be the main share of pediatricians' everyday challenges. Here we describe a case series of routinely seen pediatric diseases with delayed diagnosis due to different aspects of what we call "Corona-phobia". These cases were easily collected within a 1-week period which implies that this is a more widespread phenomenon.In conclusion, this raises the possibility that measures taken to mitigate this pandemic may be more damaging to children overall than the virus itself. We believe that pediatricians as well as policy makers should take this important aspect into consideration. What is Known: • COVID-19 manifests as a mild disease in most children; however, children are an important reservoir and may become spreaders of the disease. • Social distancing and isolation are important tools in mitigating COVID-19 transmission. What is New: • This case series describes 7 cases with delayed diagnosis of every-day pediatric diseases that were not caused by COVID-19 but were highly influenced by different aspects of "Corona-phobia". • Our objective is to highlight the possibility that measures taken to mitigate this pandemic may lead to a substantial delay in the diagnosis of other non-COVID-19 related diseases.
Topics: Adolescent; COVID-19; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Incidence; Infant, Newborn; Male; Occupational Exposure; Pandemics; Pediatricians; Phobic Disorders; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 32661937
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-020-03736-y -
PloS One 2022Needle phobia is an overlooked condition that affects virtually all medical procedures. Our study aimed to identify how commonly needle phobia is experienced, its...
Needle phobia is an overlooked condition that affects virtually all medical procedures. Our study aimed to identify how commonly needle phobia is experienced, its underlying reasons, impacts, and potential mitigation strategies. A global survey was conducted in a general adult population using a questionnaire based on a targeted literature review that identified under-researched areas. The 21-item questionnaire was completed on a secure, web-based survey platform. Statistical analyses and models were utilized to identify relationships between participant characteristics and needle phobia. Of the 2,098 participants enrolled in the study, 63.2% (n = 1,325) reported experiencing needle phobia, and rated the intensity of their fear as 5.7 (±2.6) on average on a scale from 0 (no fear) to 10 (very strong/unreasonable fear or avoidance). According to the logistic regression model, other medical fears (odds coefficient = 2.14) and family history (1.67) were the most important factors associated with needle phobia. General anxiety (96.1%) and pain (95.5%) were the most common reasons for needle fear. Of the participants experiencing needle phobia, 52.2% stated avoiding blood draws, followed by 49.0% for blood donations, and 33.1% for vaccinations. While 24.3% of participants have seen a therapist, most have never sought help. The majority have shared their fear with nurses (61.1%) or physicians (44.4%); however, the provider helpfulness was rated as 4.9 (±3.1) on average on a scale from 0 (unhelpful) to 10 (extremely helpful). Utilizing non-invasive alternatives (94.1%) and smaller needles (91.1%) were most commonly identified as potential device-related solutions to alleviate fear; distractions (92.1%) and relaxation techniques (91.7%) were the top non-device-related approaches. Our findings highlight the prevalent nature of needle phobia and provide insights into its etiology and effects on patient care. Clinician responses were not perceived as helpful, emphasizing the need to address needle phobia, and improve patient experience.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Prevalence; Phobic Disorders; Surveys and Questionnaires; Causality
PubMed: 36409734
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276814 -
PloS One 2023Needle phobia remains a major drawback of conventional injectable medications, leading to avoidance and low adherence among a reasonable portion of patients. Despite...
Needle phobia remains a major drawback of conventional injectable medications, leading to avoidance and low adherence among a reasonable portion of patients. Despite this, there is a limited number of studies investigating needle phobia prevalence and symptoms. In this survey, we studied the knowledge and prevalence of needle phobia and its manifestations among 1182 adult Jordanians. Moreover, we assessed the feasibility of microneedles delivery systems as an alternative approach to conventional injectable methods. The results revealed that 28.5% of the participants identified themselves with needle phobia, with a notably higher prevalence among females compared to males (p-value < 0.001). The overall prevalence of needle phobia based on its measured manifestations was found to be 27.4%. The survey also found that 68% of the population were unfamiliar with the concept of microneedles despite the reasonable proportion of the population who were aware of the disadvantages of conventional injectable medications. Furthermore, the survey identified four significant predictors of needle phobia through hierarchical linear regression analysis. Gender, occupation, and negative past experiences with needle injections accounted for 3%, 1%, and 1% of the variance in needle phobia, respectively. In addition, the participants' preference for microneedles over conventional injectables medications appeared as another significant predictor, contributing 5% of the variance. Overall, the model explained 10% of the variance in needle phobia. Collectively, this study provides an insight into needle phobia prevalence and manifestations in Jordan, while also exploring microneedles as an alternative drug delivery system for patients with needle phobia.
Topics: Female; Male; Humans; Adult; Jordan; Prevalence; Drug Delivery Systems; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 37729191
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291807 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Mar 2011Little is known about how anxiety disorders affect pregnancy outcomes. Therefore we investigated the impact of one anxiety disorder, blood- and injection phobia, on...
BACKGROUND
Little is known about how anxiety disorders affect pregnancy outcomes. Therefore we investigated the impact of one anxiety disorder, blood- and injection phobia, on obstetric and neonatal outcomes.
METHODS
From a population-based prospectively collected cohort we compared an index group of 110 women with blood- and injection phobia with a control group of 220 women. Standardized medical records were used to collect data. Obstetric and neonatal outcomes e.g. elective cesarean, prematurity, and small for gestational age were used as the main outcome measures.
RESULTS
Women with blood- and injection phobia stated more often a fear of childbirth (p<0.001) and were more frequently delivered by elective cesarean section (p=0.032). The incidence of premature delivery (p=0.028), neonatal morbidity (p=0.001) and the risk of having a baby born small for gestational age (p=0.009) was higher among women with blood- and injection phobia.
LIMITATIONS
The medical records, from which all information is drawn, despite standardization, sometimes may lack some information. However, this dilemma exists in both groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Women with an anxiety disorder such as blood- and injection phobia are at increased risk for adverse obstetric outcomes, premature delivery and for having a baby born with higher neonatal morbidity. It therefore seems important to identify and treat women with anxiety disorders without delay early during pregnancy in an effort to minimize risks of complications for the woman herself and the child.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Blood; Case-Control Studies; Cesarean Section; Chi-Square Distribution; Female; Humans; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Injections; Middle Aged; Parity; Phobic Disorders; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Statistics, Nonparametric; Young Adult
PubMed: 20825998
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2010.08.013 -
The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and... 2009Childhood social phobia (SP) is common and associated with varying forms of impairment. The cause of social anxiety disorder is often complex, involving both genetic and... (Review)
Review
Childhood social phobia (SP) is common and associated with varying forms of impairment. The cause of social anxiety disorder is often complex, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Shyness in young children may be a possible precursor to social anxiety later in life, although not the sole antecedent. Current assessment of childhood social anxiety includes psychometrically sound self report and clinician administered measures either specifically targeting SP disorder or including the construct as a subscale of a broader measure. The type of measure that is used most often depends on the purpose of the assessment, the setting, time constraints, and required training. Extant data support the efficacy of both psychosocial and pharmacological interventions, with response rates ranging from 50-80%. Further research is needed to clarify the developmental stages of SP, the psychometric properties of brief measures, as well as the efficacy of combined interventions.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Antidepressive Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Combined Modality Therapy; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Mutism; Personality Assessment; Personality Inventory; Phobic Disorders; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Shyness; Social Behavior; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 19728571
DOI: No ID Found -
The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and... 2009Social phobia (SP, or social anxiety disorder, SAD) is among the most common of all psychiatric disorders. SP typically begins early in life and provokes a great deal of... (Review)
Review
Social phobia (SP, or social anxiety disorder, SAD) is among the most common of all psychiatric disorders. SP typically begins early in life and provokes a great deal of impairment and reduction in quality of life. Despite its high prevalence and associated impact, SP has only recently become the focus of clinical research. We review the current CBT literature on SP, focusing on its main components, such as exposure, safety behaviors, cognitive restructuring, post-event processing, attentional retraining and social skills training. We suggest that although CBT for SP is effective, with effect sizes ranging from .6 to 2.6, much room for improvement remains. We conclude by reviewing some new and promising directions in the development of CBT for SP.
Topics: Attention; Awareness; Behavior Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Combined Modality Therapy; Humans; Implosive Therapy; Judgment; Patient Education as Topic; Phobic Disorders; Reality Testing; Self Care; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Social Adjustment; Social Behavior; Social Perception
PubMed: 20635773
DOI: No ID Found -
Scientific Reports Dec 2023While it has been suggested that more than a quarter of the whole population is at risk of developing some form of specific phobia (SP) during their lives, we still know...
While it has been suggested that more than a quarter of the whole population is at risk of developing some form of specific phobia (SP) during their lives, we still know little about the various risk and protective factors and underlying mechanisms. Moreover, although SPs are distinct mental disorder categories, most studies do not distinguish between them, or stress their differences. Thus, our study was manifold. We examined the psychometric properties of the Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ) and assessed whether it can be used for screening in the general population in a large sample (N = 685). Then, using general linear modeling on a second sample (N = 432), we tested how potential socio-demographic, cognitive emotion regulatory, and personality variables were associated with the five SP subtypes. Our results show that the SPQ is a reliable screening tool. More importantly, we identified transdiagnostic (e.g., younger age, female gender, rumination, catastrophizing, positive refocusing) as well as phobia-specific factors that may contribute to the development and maintenance of SPs. Our results support previous claims that phobias are more different than previously thought, and, consequently, should be separately studied, instead of collapsing into one category. Our findings could be pertinent for both prevention and intervention strategies.
Topics: Humans; Female; Phobic Disorders; Emotions; Surveys and Questionnaires; Psychotic Disorders
PubMed: 38097804
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49691-0 -
Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria (Sao... Mar 2012Specific phobia (SP) is characterized by irrational fear associated with avoidance of specific stimuli. In recent years, neuroimaging techniques have been used in an... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Specific phobia (SP) is characterized by irrational fear associated with avoidance of specific stimuli. In recent years, neuroimaging techniques have been used in an attempt to better understand the neurobiology of anxiety disorders. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of articles that used neuroimaging techniques to study SP.
METHOD
A literature search was conducted through electronic databases, using the keywords: imaging, neuroimaging, PET, spectroscopy, functional magnetic resonance, structural magnetic resonance, SPECT, MRI, DTI, and tractography, combined with simple phobia and specific phobia. One-hundred fifteen articles were found, of which 38 were selected for the present review. From these, 24 used fMRI, 11 used PET, 1 used SPECT, 2 used structural MRI, and none used spectroscopy.
RESULT
The search showed that studies in this area were published recently and that the neuroanatomic substrate of SP has not yet been consolidated.
CONCLUSION
In spite of methodological differences among studies, results converge to a greater activation in the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex of patients exposed to phobia-related situations compared to controls. These findings support the hypotheses of the hyperactivation of a neuroanatomic structural network involved in SP.
Topics: Amygdala; Brain Mapping; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Phobic Disorders; Tomography, Emission-Computed; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 22392396
DOI: No ID Found -
British Medical Journal Jan 1975
Topics: Agoraphobia; Behavior Therapy; Humans; Life Style; Phobic Disorders; Psychoanalytic Therapy; Psychosurgery
PubMed: 1120241
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.1.5948.40-a -
Neuropsychopharmacology : Official... Jan 2015Behavioral inhibition (BI) is an early-appearing temperament characterized by strong reactions to novelty. BI shows a good deal of stability over childhood and... (Review)
Review
Behavioral inhibition (BI) is an early-appearing temperament characterized by strong reactions to novelty. BI shows a good deal of stability over childhood and significantly increases the risk for later diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Despite these general patterns, many children with high BI do not go on to develop clinical, or even subclinical, anxiety problems. Therefore, understanding the cognitive and neural bases of individual differences in developmental risk and resilience is of great importance. The present review is focused on the relation of BI to two types of information processing: automatic (novelty detection, attention biases to threat, and incentive processing) and controlled (attention shifting and inhibitory control). We propose three hypothetical models (Top-Down Model of Control; Risk Potentiation Model of Control; and Overgeneralized Control Model) linking these processes to variability in developmental outcomes for BI children. We argue that early BI is associated with an early bias to quickly and preferentially process information associated with motivationally salient cues. When this bias is strong and stable across development, the risk for SAD is increased. Later in development, children with a history of BI tend to display normative levels of performance on controlled attention tasks, but they demonstrate exaggerated neural responses in order to do so, which may further potentiate risk for anxiety-related problems. We conclude by discussing the reviewed studies with reference to the hypothetical models and make suggestions regarding future research and implications for treatment.
Topics: Anxiety; Child; Child Development; Developmental Disabilities; Humans; Inhibition, Psychological; Phobic Disorders
PubMed: 25065499
DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.189