Purpose: Blood-drawing procedures are among the most commonly performed medical interventions in clinical practice and are routinely conducted during preventive health examinations. However, needle-related procedures may provoke fear and anxiety in some individuals and may influence healthcare experiences and engagement. Despite extensive research on needle fear in vaccination and pediatric contexts, limited attention has been paid to venipuncture-related distress during routine health examinations.
Patients and methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using health examination records from a tertiary medical center in Taiwan. Adults who underwent routine health examinations between January 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024 were eligible. Individuals younger than 18 years, those who did not undergo venipuncture, and records with incomplete data were excluded. Documented behavioral and physiological responses during venipuncture were used as proxy indicators of venipuncture-related distress. Bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression models were performed to evaluate associated factors.
Results: Among 15,932 participants included in the final analysis, 162 individuals (1.02%) had documented behavioral or physiological distress during venipuncture. Participants with documented distress were significantly younger and had lower systolic blood pressure. In multivariable analysis, younger age (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94-0.98), lower systolic blood pressure (adjusted OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99), and colonoscopy (adjusted OR = 3.49, 95% CI: 2.01-6.06) were associated with documented distress.
Conclusion: Approximately 1% of adults undergoing routine health examinations had observable venipuncture-related distress documented in routine nursing records. Recognition of needle-related distress during venipuncture may facilitate earlier identification of affected individuals and support strategies to improve patient experience during preventive healthcare.
Reference:Yuan Y, Yen YC, Chu WM, Lin SY, Hsu CY, Yang SH, Lin CF. Factors associated with documented distress during venipuncture in routine health checkups. Front Psychiatry. 2026 Aug 12;17:1866329. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1866329. PMID: 42656565; PMCID: PMC13506753.