A Comparison on the Level of Pain Related to Methods of Blood Sugar test using VAS

혈당검사 방법 별 지각된 통증정도에 대한 비교 - 시각적 상사 척도 이용 -

  • Choi, Ja-Yun (Department of Nursing, Mokpo Catholic University, Chonnam Research Institute of Nursing Science) ;
  • Jang, Keum-Seong (Department of Nursing, Chonnam National University Medical School, Chonnam Research Institute of Nursing Science) ;
  • Kim, Hyun-Oh (Chonnam University Hospital) ;
  • Choi, Ok-Yeub (Chonnam University Hospital) ;
  • Park, Min-Hee (Chonnam University Hospital)
  • 최자윤 (목포가톨릭대학교 간호학과, 전남대학교 간호과학연구소) ;
  • 장금성 (전남대학교 의과대학 간호학과, 전남대학교 간호과학연구소) ;
  • 김현오 (전남대학교 병원) ;
  • 최옥엽 (전남대학교 병원) ;
  • 박민희 (전남대학교 병원)
  • Received : 2002.07.19
  • Accepted : 2002.11.01
  • Published : 2003.03.30

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the level of pain related to a blood sugar test. Specifically, the study attempts to compare the varying degree of pains when different types of blood sugar test are used. Method: A sample of 56 subjects is composed of DM patients admitted to a medical ward of C university hospital in Gwangju. Data were collected from July, 2001 to December, 2001. The blood sugar tests were administered in four different ways: (1) the use of 27G needle only, (2) the use of 27G needle followed by ice-packed treatment, (3) the use of 27G needle after EMLA cream application, and (4) the use of lancet. The degree of pain is measured with a visual analogue scale and performed twice. Result: In both measures, the use of 27G needle only method is shown to cause the highest level of pain in comparison with the rest of methods (F=4.01, p=.01; F=8.14, p=.00). However, the differences in pain between time in all methods were not found to be significant (t=-.85, p=.40; t=.80, p=.42; t=.31, p=.75; t=.19, p=.85). Conclusion: The study results indicate that the method using lanceter is more recommendable than the use of 27G needle only method. Further research is needed to support the current study result with the use of different measurement scales and to determine effective methods of blood sugar test to lower pain and compliance.

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