20 Participants Needed

Blood Phobia Impact on Fainting

VE
VE
Overseen ByVera E Lucci, PhD

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are taking medication for a cardiovascular condition.

What data supports the idea that Blood Phobia Impact on Fainting is an effective treatment?

The available research shows that Blood Phobia Impact on Fainting, also known as Blood-injection-injury (BII) phobia stimuli, is linked to fainting symptoms. For example, one study found that injection-fearful blood donors reported more anxiety and disgust before donating blood, which predicted fainting symptoms. Another study showed that fear of injections and blood draws was a strong predictor of fainting, correctly identifying 72% of those who fainted. These findings suggest that addressing these fears could help reduce fainting incidents. However, the research does not directly compare this treatment to other alternatives, so its effectiveness relative to other treatments is unclear.12345

What safety data exists for treatments of blood phobia and fainting?

The safety data for treatments of blood phobia, particularly those involving fainting, primarily focus on the use of Applied Tension (AT) and exposure techniques. AT is recommended for managing the unique anxiety response and fainting associated with blood-injection-injury (BII) phobia. However, evidence on the efficacy of AT beyond exposure alone is limited. Studies suggest that exposure alone may outperform other treatments in reducing anxiety and avoidance behaviors. The variability in treatment outcomes may be due to differences in patient populations and the extent of fainting proneness. Further research is needed to better understand the efficacy and safety of these treatments for individuals with and without a history of fainting.678910

Is the treatment 'Neutral stimuli' promising for helping with fainting caused by blood phobia?

The research does not specifically mention 'Neutral stimuli' as a promising treatment for fainting in blood phobia. The studies focus more on the roles of disgust, anxiety, and fear in fainting, rather than on specific treatments like 'Neutral stimuli'.14111213

What is the purpose of this trial?

The primary purpose of this study is to characterize cardiovascular autonomic function to emotional stimuli (blood-injection-injury phobia \[needle phobia\]) during an orthostatic (upright) challenge in individuals with and without known needle phobia. It is well established that emotional stress can produce hypotensive (low blood pressure) reactions. Interestingly, these hypotensive reactions to venipuncture (even with minimal blood drawn), insulin injections, finger sticks for blood sugar monitoring, dental care, and vaccinations can affect up to a quarter of adults and appear to be uniquely associated with blood-injection-injury phobia rather than other phobias. These hypotensive reactions can ultimately lead to a vasovagal syncope (fainting) response, and lead to increased avoidance of medical and dental procedures as a result of this phobia. Ultimately, this has severe implications on public health and places additional strain on the Canadian healthcare system. Currently, there is limited understanding surrounding the initiation of this response. Additionally, a comprehensive profile of cardiovascular autonomic function during exposure to provoking stimuli during orthostatic stress has not been captured in the literature. We will test individuals with and without blood-injection-injury phobia using our standard approach while exposing them to emotional stimuli.

Research Team

VE

Victoria E Claydon, PhD

Principal Investigator

Professor, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking men and women aged 18 to 50 who either have or suspect they have a fear of needles (BII phobia) or do not. It's not open to those with heart or brain disorders, pregnant individuals, menopausal women, or anyone on heart medication.

Inclusion Criteria

English speaking
Those without a suspected BII fear and those with a suspected fear
I am either male or female.

Exclusion Criteria

I have gone through menopause.
Pregnant
I have been diagnosed with a heart or brain disorder.
See 1 more

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Testing

Participants undergo a tilt test to assess cardiovascular reflex control and orthostatic tolerance on two separate days with different stimuli

2 days
2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after testing

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Blood-injection-injury (BII) phobia stimuli
  • Neutral stimuli
Trial Overview The study aims to understand how people with needle phobia react physically when upright and exposed to stressful situations like seeing needles (BII stimuli) compared to neutral ones. Researchers will monitor the body's response in participants both with and without this phobia.
Participant Groups
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: Image and video data set shown with BII stimuli.Experimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants will undergo this test on two separate days. On each day, participants will be asked to watch a series of videos and images. For this arm of the study, participants will view the BII phobia-related stimuli.
Group II: Image and video data set shown with neutral stimuli.Placebo Group1 Intervention
Participants will undergo this test on two separate days. On each day, participants will be asked to watch a series of videos and images. For this arm of the study, participants will view the neutral stimuli.

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Simon Fraser University

Lead Sponsor

Trials
59
Recruited
12,500+

Findings from Research

In a study of 446 blood donors, those with a fear of injections reported higher levels of anxiety and disgust before donating blood, which correlated with more fainting symptoms during the donation process.
While both anxiety and disgust predicted fainting symptoms in nonfearful donors, only anxiety was a significant predictor for those with injection fear, suggesting that anxiety plays a more critical role in the fainting response for this group.
Disgust, anxiety, and vasovagal syncope sensations: a comparison of injection-fearful and nonfearful blood donors.Viar, MA., Etzel, EN., Ciesielski, BG., et al.[2015]
The Medical Fear Survey (MFS) identified seven reliable factors related to fears of blood, injury, and injections in a study of 934 participants, highlighting the complexity of these phobias.
The factor 'fear of injections and blood draws' was the strongest predictor of fainting, accurately classifying 72% of individuals who fainted, indicating its significance in understanding and assessing these medical fears.
Factorial dimensions and correlates of blood, injury, injection and related medical fears: cross validation of the medical fear survey.Kleinknecht, RA., Thorndike, RM., Walls, MM.[2019]
In a study of 60 participants with blood-injection-injury (BII) phobia, diphasic cardiovascular responses were observed in about 20% of them, indicating a significant distress response when exposed to feared stimuli.
Participants exhibiting diphasic patterns reported greater fear of injections and blood draws, suggesting that these responses are clinically relevant and may benefit from respiratory training as part of their treatment.
Cardiovascular activity in blood-injection-injury phobia during exposure: evidence for diphasic response patterns?Ritz, T., Meuret, AE., Simon, E.[2013]

References

Disgust, anxiety, and vasovagal syncope sensations: a comparison of injection-fearful and nonfearful blood donors. [2015]
Factorial dimensions and correlates of blood, injury, injection and related medical fears: cross validation of the medical fear survey. [2019]
Cardiovascular activity in blood-injection-injury phobia during exposure: evidence for diphasic response patterns? [2013]
Confrontation with blood and disgust stimuli precipitates respiratory dysregulation in blood-injection-injury phobia. [2015]
Fear is associated with attrition of first-time whole blood donors: A longitudinal examination of donor confidence and attitude as potential mediators. [2022]
[Blood-injection-injury phobia: Physochophysiological and therapeutical specificities]. [2018]
The psychophysiology of blood-injection-injury phobia: looking beyond the diphasic response paradigm. [2021]
Self-arranged exposure for overcoming blood-injection-injury Phobia: a case study. [2020]
Treatments for blood-injury-injection phobia: a critical review of current evidence. [2009]
10.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Blood-injury-illness phobia: a review. [2019]
Disgust, anxiety and fainting symptoms associated with blood-injection-injury fears: a structural model. [2015]
12.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Blood-injury phobia with and without a history of fainting: disgust sensitivity does not explain the fainting response. [2006]
The role of cognitions, trait anxiety and disgust sensitivity in generating faintness around blood-injury phobic stimuli. [2015]
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