Analysis of two non-pharmacological pain management methods for vaccine injection pain in infants: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the efficiency of local heat and cold application to decrease vaccine-associated pain among infants 2-6 months of age.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial. The study universe comprised infants aged 2-6 months who were brought to 4 family health centers in the Safranbolu district of Karabuk Province, Turkey, for a pneumococcal vaccination June 1-November 30, 2016. A total of 96 infants (heat application: 31, cold application: 32, and control group: 33) were enrolled in the the study. The data were collected using an infant ınformation form and the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain scale.

Results: The mean FLACC score of the infants was 5.531±1.934 in the cold application group, 8.710±1.346 in the heat application group, and 9.152±1.661 in the control group. The difference between the mean scores of the groups was statistically significant (KW=49.043; p=0.000).

Conclusion: Local cold and heat application methods applied to the vaccination area before a pneumoccal vaccine reduced vaccine-associated pain in the infants, and the application of cold was more effective than heat.