Effectiveness of Diversional Activity on Pain and Anxiety during Venipuncture among Children in a Selected Hospital Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Background: Hospitalization is stressful condition for children of all age groups. Venipuncture is one of the common painful procedures performed in hospital. Pediatric patients are often subjected to unexpected medical procedures that cause pain and anxiety.Statement of the problem: “A study to assess the effectiveness of Diversional Activity on pain and anxiety during venipuncture among children in a selected Hospital of Dehradun, Uttarakhand”.Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of diversional activity on pain and anxiety during venipuncture among children in both experimental and control group and to find the association between level of pre interventional anxiety and pain of children with their personal profile.Methodology: A quantitative research approach with quasi experimental, two group pre-test post-test design for anxiety and post-test only design for pain was used. The study was conducted in pediatric areas of Himalayan Hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Consecutive sampling technique was used to select the study subjects. Data was collected from 69 children (34 in control group and 35 in experimental group) by using children’s fear scale to measure anxiety and Wong Baker Face Pain scale to measure pain.Results: The mean post interventional anxiety score of children in experimental group was 1.2 ± 0.54 which was significantly lower than the control group 3.4 ± 0.5. The mean post interventional pain score of children in experimental group was 4.5 ± 1.9 which was significantly lower than the control group 9.1 ± 1.3. Comparison of mean post interventional anxiety of experimental and control group was done by using independent ‘t’ test and calculated ‘t’ value was 8.4 which was found statistically significant at p<0.05. Comparison of mean pain score of children in experimental group and control group was computed by using independent ‘t’ test and calculated ‘t’ value was 5.54 and also found statistically significant at p<0.05.Conclusion: On the basis of findings the investigator concluded that the diversional activity was effective in reducing anxiety and pain during venipuncture.