Pakistanis are more fearful of having to endure daily injections than they are of spiders, flying, public speaking, exams or clowns, says a recent nationwide survey. Asked to rank 10 things people are commonly afraid of, respondents listed having injections in fifth place behind a fear of snakes, sharks, heights and lighting.
The survey also reveals that over one-third of the respondents say they would rather skydive from a plane if it meant being able to avoid needles every day, with over a quarter saying they would rather handle a python. Unfortunately, while most people only have to brave the occasional needle throughout their lifetime it is a different story for the eight percent of Pakistanis living with diabetes, many of whom will be faced with having to inject themselves up to four times per day.
Professor Doctor Taeed Butt of the Fatima Memorial Hospital says the survey results are not surprising and having to self-inject every day is an ordeal for many people with diabetes. He says, "Taking injections before each meal can be a psychological and physical burden because of the associated pain. It's quite common for children and adolescents to skip a dose of insulin because they can't face another injection - and this can obviously have serious health consequences.
"Using an injection aid may decrease the risk of future injection problems especially for younger patients and facilitate the use of multiple daily injections, which may contribute to a decreased risk of long-term complications. I will encourage all diabetics who face the burden of multiple daily injections to talk with their healthcare professional to seek advice on alternative solutions," says specialist Endocrinologist Dr Saleem Qureshi of the Kahuta Research Laboratory Hospital.
The survey is commissioned by Medtronic, the global leader in medical technology, to coincide with its newly introduced injection aid, enabling patients to reduce injections directly to their skin from 120 times in a typical month, to only once every three days.
The Kausar Cardiac Centre Specialist Cardiologist with expertise in diabetes, Dr Rehan Omar, says the Medtronic's injection aid solution is an i-Port Advance, a wearable technology used by people living with diabetes on injection therapy that provides a safe, effective, and easy way for patients to administer insulin.
"The i-Port, which stands for injection port is a three-day-wearable device that people with diabetes inject into instead of injecting directly into the skin," Dr Rehan says. "The i-Port Advance, which is released in Pakistan, means people with insulin-dependent diabetes may no longer have to suffer multiple skin punctures every day. With nearly half of all patients on daily injection therapy reporting bruising and more than one third reporting pain2, the device is expected to be a game-changer in the treatment of diabetes. The i-Port will also help relieve those who experience anxiety from injecting their diabetes medications. In fact, a prospective study, which involved 100 nurses and 100 patients in a community hospital, reveals that the i-Port Advance has decreased anxiety of needles in patients by 100 percent." Healthcare professionals and people with diabetes interested in learning more about the i-Port Advance can visit www.medtronic-diabetes-mena.com.
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