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Non-Pharmacological Management for Vaccine-Related Pain in Children in the Healthcare Setting: A Scoping Review
Yujie Wu1, Yong Zhao2, Liping Wu3
1Department of Nursing, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
Insights
Non-pharmacological methods effectively reduce vaccine pain in children. Breastfeeding is most effective for infants, followed by sweeteners and non-nutritive sucking, with more research needed on other methods.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pain Management
- Evidence-Based Healthcare
- Child Health Research
Background:
- Vaccine-related pain is a common concern in pediatric healthcare.
- Effective non-pharmacological strategies are crucial for managing procedural pain in children.
- Scoping reviews are essential for synthesizing research on emerging health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review research on non-pharmacological management of vaccine-related pain in children.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for pain relief in pediatric vaccination settings.
- To identify gaps in the current research landscape.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework.
- Extensive literature searches were performed across major databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, PubMed).
- Keywords included "vaccine," "pain," and "children"; data extraction and screening were performed independently.
Main Results:
- Twenty-two studies were included, predominantly randomized controlled trials, focusing on neonates and infants.
- Non-pharmacological interventions included taste (breastfeeding, sweeteners), tactile, olfactory, visual, exercise, postural, and injection techniques.
- All reviewed methods showed effectiveness in mitigating vaccine pain, with breastfeeding being superior to sweeteners, and sweeteners superior to sterile water or non-nutritive sucking.
Conclusions:
- A variety of non-pharmacological methods offer effective pain relief for children during vaccinations.
- Breastfeeding, sweeteners, and non-nutritive sucking are recommended for infants based on taste intervention efficacy.
- Further comparative research is needed for other non-pharmacological interventions, and combined approaches should be considered.
Purpose:
To examine how research was conducted on non-pharmacological management in children with vaccine-related pain in the healthcare setting, so as to provide reference for the relief of vaccine-related pain in children.
Methods:
This study conducted a scoping review guided by the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley. MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, PubMed databases were searched in detail, and search strategy included the keyword "vaccine", the keyword "pain", and the keyword "children". Two researchers conducted literature screening and data extraction independently, and any disagreements were resolved through team consultation.
Results:
This study retrieved 1017 literatures, of which 22 were finally included, including 18 randomized controlled studies, 3 quasi-experimental studies and 1 cohort study. Non-pharmacological management measures were summarized in the study, mainly involving taste, tactile, olfactory, visual, exercise, and postural interventions and injection technique. All the above non-pharmacological management were effective in mitigating vaccine-related pain in children. The study population in the included literatures was mainly neonates and infants. Regarding the analgesic effects of taste intervention, breastfeeding was better than sweeteners, and sweeteners were better than sterile water or non-nutritive sucking. However, there was a lack of comparative studies on the analgesic effects of other non-pharmacological management.
Conclusion:
There are many non-pharmacological management measures with varying analgesic effects. Diversified non-pharmacological management measures can provide more analgesic choices for children. For reducing vaccine-related pain in newborns and infants, breastfeeding is recommended first, then sweeteners, and then non-nutritious sucking. In addition to the taste intervention, the analgesic effects of other non-pharmacological management measures need further comparative studies. Moreover, medical staff can use a combination of non-pharmacological analgesic measures to maximize the analgesic effect, and medical staff should also fully consider the analgesia willingness of children and parents.
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