The effect of information provision in decreasing pain level for children during medical procedures

Abstract

This article reviews the research papers about effectiveness of information provision for children about painful medical procedures. There are described main recommendations as to the content, format, and timing of information provision. The results of empirical study of the effect of information provision on adolescent’s behavior and emotions before, during and after venipuncture are presented. The study sample consisted of 71 adolescents aged 14 to 15 years, who were divided into experimental and control groups. The day before procedure the adolescents from experimental group got the information about procedure; the children from the control group underwent procedure without preparation. Аdolescents from the experimental group showed statistically less physical/ verbal resistance, less talked about fear and pain, had less questions to the medical personal, and after the procedure evaluated own experience as less painful. Preparing children and adolescents need to be essential part of the painful medical procedures.