Passport Health logo
Find a Clinic:
The Travel Medicine Experts
Vaccinations|Find a Travel Clinic|Advice
  • Home
    • About
        • Company History
        • Executive Team
        • Careers
        • Contact Us
        • Customer Feedback
        • FAQ
        • Media Kit
        • Mission Statement
        • Privacy Policy
    • Blogs
      • Main
      • Employer Solutions
      • Passports and Visas
    • Close
  • Destination Advice
    • Top Destinations
        • Brazil
        • China
        • Costa Rica
        • India
        • Kenya
        • Peru
        • Philippines
        • South Africa
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
    • Destination Advice
        • Tips and recommendations for healthy travel to any destination:

          • Afghanistan
          • Albania
          • Algeria
          • American Samoa
          • Andorra
          • Angola
          • Anguilla
          • Antarctica
          • Antigua and Barbuda
          • Argentina
          • Armenia
          • Aruba
          • Australia
          • Austria
          • Azerbaijan
          • Azores
          • Bahamas
          • Bahrain
          • Balearics
          • Bangladesh
          • Barbados
          • Belarus
          • Belgium
          • Belize
          • Benin
          • Bhutan
          • Bolivia
          • Bonaire
          • Bora Bora
          • Bosnia
          • Botswana
          • Brazil
          • British Virgin Islands
          • Brunei
          • Bulgaria
          • Burkina Faso
          • Burma
          • Burundi
          • Cambodia
          • Cameroon
          • Canada
          • Canary Islands
          • Cape Verde
          • Cayman Islands
          • Central African Republic
          • Chad
          • Chile
          • China
          • Christmas Island
          • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
          • Colombia
          • Comoros
          • Cook Islands
          • Costa Rica
          • Cote d'Ivoire
          • Croatia
          • Cuba
          • Curacao
          • Cyprus
          • Czechia
          • Democratic Republic of the Congo
          • Denmark
          • Djibouti
          • Dominica
          • Dominican Republic
          • East Timor
          • Easter Island
          • Ecuador
          • Egypt
          • El Salvador
          • Equatorial Guinea
          • Eritrea
          • Estonia
          • Ethiopia
          • Falkland Islands
          • Faroe Islands
          • Fiji
          • Finland
          • France
          • French Guiana
          • French Polynesia
          • Gabon
          • Gambia
          • Georgia
          • Germany
          • Ghana
          • Gibraltar
          • Greece
          • Greenland
          • Grenada
          • Guadeloupe
          • Guam
          • Guatemala
          • Guinea-Bissau
          • Guinea
          • Guyana
          • Haiti
          • Hawaii
          • Honduras
          • Hong Kong
          • Hungary
          • Ibiza
          • Iceland
          • India
          • Indonesia
          • Iran
          • Iraq
          • Ireland
          • Israel
          • Italy
          • Jamaica
          • Japan
          • Jordan
          • Kazakhstan
          • Kenya
          • Kiribati
          • Kosovo
          • Kuwait
          • Kyrgyzstan
          • Laos
          • Latvia
          • Lebanon
          • Lesotho
          • Liberia
          • Libya
          • Liechtenstein
          • Lithuania
          • Luxembourg
          • Macau
          • Macedonia
          • Madagascar
          • Madeira Islands
          • Malawi
          • Malaysia
          • Maldives
          • Mali
          • Malta
          • Marshall Islands
          • Martinique
          • Mauritania
          • Mauritius
          • Mayotte
          • Mexico
          • Micronesia
          • Moldova
          • Monaco
          • Mongolia
          • Montenegro
          • Montserrat
          • Morocco
          • Mozambique
          • Namibia
          • Nauru
          • Nepal
          • Netherlands
          • New Caledonia
          • New Zealand
          • Nicaragua
          • Niger
          • Nigeria
          • Niue
          • Norfolk Island
          • North Korea
          • Northern Mariana Islands
          • Norway
          • Oman
          • Pakistan
          • Palau
          • Palestinian Territories
          • Panama
          • Papua New Guinea
          • Paraguay
          • Peru
          • Philippines
          • Pitcairn Islands
          • Poland
          • Portugal
          • Puerto Rico
          • Qatar
          • Republic of the Congo
          • Réunion
          • Romania
          • Russia
          • Rwanda
          • Saba
          • St. Barthelemy
          • Saint Helena
          • St. Kitts and Nevis
          • St. Lucia
          • Saint Martin
          • St. Pierre-et-Miquelon
          • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
          • Samoa
          • San Marino
          • Sao Tome and Principe
          • Saudi Arabia
          • Senegal
          • Serbia
          • Seychelles
          • Sierra Leone
          • Singapore
          • Sint Eustatius
          • Slovakia
          • Slovenia
          • Solomon Islands
          • Somalia
          • South Africa
          • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
          • South Korea
          • South Sudan
          • Spain
          • Sri Lanka
          • Sudan
          • Suriname
          • Swaziland
          • Sweden
          • Switzerland
          • Syria
          • Tahiti
          • Taiwan
          • Tajikistan
          • Tanzania
          • Thailand
          • Togo
          • Tokelau
          • Tonga
          • Trinidad and Tobago
          • Tunisia
          • Turkey
          • Turkmenistan
          • Turks and Caicos Islands
          • Tuvalu
          • U.S. Virgin Islands
          • Uganda
          • Ukraine
          • United Arab Emirates
          • United Kingdom
          • United States
          • Uruguay
          • Uzbekistan
          • Vanuatu
          • Vatican
          • Venezuela
          • Vietnam
          • Wake Island
          • Western Sahara
          • Yemen
          • Zambia
          • Zimbabwe
    • Close
  • Travel Medicine
    • Travel Medical Services
        • Vaccines for Travel
        • Travel Health Consulting
        • Travelers’ Diarrhea Medicine
        • Dengue Fever Prevention
        • Malaria Medication
        • Chikungunya Prevention
        • Zika Virus Prevention
        • Ebola Virus
        • Travel Health Alerts
    • Additional Travel Services
      • Travel Supplies
      • Travel Physicals
      • Motion Sickness Medicine
      • Travel Insurance
      • Physician Referral Program
    • Close
  • Vaccinations
    • Overview
        • Anthrax
        • Chickenpox
        • Cholera
        • Hepatitis A
        • Hepatitis B
        • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
        • Japanese Encephalitis
        • Malaria Information
        • Measles – Mumps – Rubella (MMR)
        • Meningitis
        • Pneumonia
        • Polio
        • Rabies
        • Shingles
        • Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis
        • Typhoid
        • Yellow Fever
    • Influenza (The Flu)
        • Learn more about your flu vaccine options

          • Flublok®: Egg Free, Cell Based
          • FLUCELVAX®: Cell Based
          • High Dose
          • Quadrivalent
    • Routine Tests
      • TB Tests
      • Titer Testing
    • Routine Vaccinations
      • Overview
    • Close
  • Passports and Visas
    • Overview
      • Passports
      • Visas
    • Top Visa Destinations
        • Learn more about the travel visa requirements for top destinations:

          • Afghanistan Visa
          • Algeria Visa
          • Angola Visa
          • Australia Visa
          • Azerbaijan Visa
          • Bahrain Visa
          • Bangladesh Visa
          • Belarus Visa
          • Benin Visa
          • Bhutan Visa
          • Bolivia Visa
          • Brazil Visa
          • Burkina Faso Visa
          • Burundi Visa
          • Cambodia Visa
          • Cameroon Visa
          • Cape Verde Visa
          • Central African Republic Visa
          • Chad Visa
          • China Visa
          • Cote d'Ivoire Visa
          • Democratic Republic of the Congo Visa
          • Dominican Republic Visa
          • Djibouti Visa
          • Dominican Republic Visa
          • East Timor Visa
          • Egypt Visa
          • Eritrea Visa
          • Ethiopia Visa
          • Gabon Visa
          • Gambia Visa
          • Ghana Visa
          • Hong Kong Visa
          • India Visa
          • Indonesia Visa
          • Iran Visa
          • Iraq Visa
          • Jordan Visa
          • Kazakhstan Visa
          • Kenya Visa
          • Kuwait Visa
          • Kyrgyzstan Visa
          • Laos Visa
          • Lebanon Visa
          • Liberia Visa
          • Libya Visa
          • Macau Visa
          • Madagascar Visa
          • Malawi Visa
          • Mali Visa
          • Mauritania Visa
          • Mozambique Visa
          • Myanmar Visa
          • Namibia Visa
          • Nauru Visa
          • Nepal Visa
          • Niger Visa
          • Nigeria Visa
          • North Korea Visa
          • Oman Visa
          • Pakistan Visa
          • Papua New Guinea Visa
          • Paraguay Visa
          • Peru Visa
          • Qatar Visa
          • Republic of the Congo Visa
          • Russia Visa
          • Rwanda Visa
          • Saudi Arabia Visa
          • Sao Tome & Principe Visa
          • Sierra Leone Visa
          • Somalia Visa
          • South Sudan Visa
          • Sri Lanka Visa
          • Sudan Visa
          • Suriname Visa
          • Syria Visa
          • Tajikistan Visa
          • Tanzania Visa
          • Thailand Visa
          • Tibet Visa
          • Togo Visa
          • Tonga Visa
          • Turkey Visa
          • Turkmenistan Visa
          • Uganda Visa
          • Uzbekistan Visa
          • Venezuela Visa
          • Vietnam Visa
          • Yemen Visa
          • Zambia Visa
          • Zimbabwe Visa
    • Close
  • Employer Solutions
    • Corporate Wellness Solutions
      • Occupational Vaccines
      • Onsite Flu Clinics
      • Onsite Biometric Screenings
      • Employee Wellness
      • Employment Physicals
    • Corporate Travel Solutions
      • Travel Medicine and Vaccinations
      • Passport and Visa Services
      • Pre-Deployment Exams
    • Close
  • Locations
      • United States Map for Locations New Jersey Massachusetts Oregon Nevada South Dakota Montana Wisconsin California Kansas North Dakota Idaho Illinois Michigan Missouri Utah Indiana Louisiana Iowa Florida Georgia Washington Tennessee Alabama Mississippi Arkansas Arizona North Carolina Pennsylvania Ohio Kentucky South Carolina Virginia New Hampshire Rhode Island West Virginia New York Vermont Maine Connecticut Nebraska Oklahoma Colorado Wyoming Maryland Delaware New Mexico Texas Alaska Minnesota New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut New Jersey Delaware Maryland Hawaii District of Columbia
        Canada Locations Canada Locations
        Mexico Locations Mexico Locations
    • Close
  • Locations
      • United States FlagUnited States
    • Close

How Can Injection Anxiety Impact Travelers?

March 27, 2014 By Cait Hartwyk Leave a Comment

Happy Travelers

Injection Anxiety: Does it Affect Recall Abilities in Travelers?

Many of us remember being frightened of needles and injections when we were young. Although most people outgrow this fear or learn to live with the slight anxiety that may be triggered, others develop a very real phobia of needles. They may shake, sweat or even pass out. People with a fear of injections may try to avoid them whenever possible, even when doing so is detrimental to their health.

A new study published in the Journal of Travel Medicine has suggested that injection anxiety and/or needle phobia can actually have a negative impact on the recipient’s ability to recall important health information that is verbally communicated to them at the time of the vaccination. This study used the responses of 105 participants in order to test their ability to remember what was told to them during a vaccination at a travel health clinic. Participants completed a questionnaire before and after the procedure and the information was compiled and analyzed.

The researchers found that 39 percent of participants reported an experience of injection anxiety during their visit to the clinic. Self-rated anxiety and specialist-diagnosed anxiety tended to correlate with each other. The ability of participants to recall information varied widely.

Injection/Needle Phobia: The Negative Impact on Travel Health

If a travel health patient tends to “blank out” the words and actions surrounding the injection procedure, he or she is missing out on valuable information. For example, a patient who does not remember receiving a certain vaccine or booster shot will struggle to explain medical history should a health emergency arise overseas. In a remote area with non-standard medical access, this could mean the difference between life and death.

The study in question concludes that while there was no relationship between recall and anxiety, there were still concerning gaps in the participants’ abilities to recall travel risks. This fact alone should be a source of concern both for travel health specialists and patients.

Minimizing Anxiety During Your Travel Health Visit

If you have a fear of needles and tend to become anxious prior to an inoculation, be sure to discuss this with your travel health specialist as soon as possible. The specialist will be able to talk to you about your fears and help ease your anxiety. He or she may suggest distracting you during the actual injection so that you do not see what is happening. The specialist may also check to see if there are alternative ways to administer a vaccine to you.

Combating Injection Anxiety: Part of Safeguarding Health During Travel

Injection anxiety is a very real phobia for many people, and the effect that it has on memory may lead to problems later on. Not being able to remember details about allergic reactions or specific dates for booster doses can complicate treatment if someone falls ill overseas.

At Passport Health, our travel health specialists understand the fear that many people associate with vaccinations. This is why we offer a travel health booklet to all of our patients. You can take it home with you and bring it along on your trip so that you can recall important information without associating it with the anxious feelings you may have when you receive an injection. Your travel health specialist wants to make your health a first priority — remember, the needles are there to help you, not harm you.

Sources
Journal of Travel Medicine Article on Injection Anxiety
CDC Page on Anxiety
Anxiety UK Needle Phobia Booklet

Filed Under: General Posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Do you need your passport or visa in a hurry?

Passport Icon

Get your travel
documents ASAP!

Why Use a Travel Medicine Specialist?

Countless Considerations, Even for Just One Destination!

We Can Answer

  • Which vaccines are required?
  • Which vaccines may be recommended?
  • Which medications do I need?
  • What Travel Supplies do I need?

And much more

Do you need travel vaccines?

Schedule an appointment with your local Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist

Find a Passport Health Clinic

Latest health alerts for international travelers

International Health Alerts

INFLUENZA Worldwide
Feb. '19 – According to the CDC, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for ...

YELLOW FEVER in Argentina, Brazil, Congo, Republic of the, Nigeria, Peru, Suriname, Uganda
Feb. '19 - Case numbers for yellow fever are thought to be greatly under-reported; the World Health...

More Health Alert Information»

Recent Blog Posts

  • Climate Change Could Cause Increased Birth Defects By 2025
  • How Helpful is a Less-Effective Flu Vaccine?
  • How Long Should You Wait To Exercise After Getting Sick?
  • Vaccine for Malaria in Pregnancy Shows Promise in Trials

Blog Archives

  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Clinical Trials
  • Contact Us
  • Media Kit
  • HIPAA Policy and Consent Form
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
Schedule Your Appointment:
Questions? Please call or E-mail Us
FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CARE
FOR TRAVEL ANYWHERE®

Connect With Us:

Passport Health on Facebook
Passport Health on Twitter
Passport Health on YouTube
Passport Health on Instagram
Passport Health on Google Plus
Passport Health on Linked In
Passport Health Feed

Copyright © 2019