Trypanophobia (Fear of Needles) and Vaccine Hesitancy

Vaccinations generally involve being stuck with a needle; some vaccine is injected into a patient. Sometimes, the person giving the injection is better trained and fortunate, and the process is relatively painless. When vaccinations are promoted in the media, we often see a medical professional and a patient with a hypodermic needle between them. For some patients, needle phobia is very real and threatening. In the anticipated future, needles will play a role in the healthcare delivery system. Understanding the impact of needles on patients should be considered a serious variable in vaccination hesitancy and aversion. Nonetheless, it still needs to be examined in the medical literature on vaccinations and addressed.