Prevalence, factors associated and management of needle phobia among the general population in Saudi Arabia and Egypt

This study aims to assess the prevalence of needle phobia among Saudi and Egyptian adult populations. In addition, underlying causes and strategies that can be utilized to address needle fear were investigated. A cross-sectional online survey study was conducted in Saudi Arabia and Egypt between 1 May and 30 June 2023. Participants aged 18 years and above and living in Saudi Arabia and Egypt were eligible to complete the survey. Participants were invited to participate in this study through social media platforms (Facebook, X, Snapchat, and Instagram). A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants. A 21-item questionnaire consisting of four sections including a Likert scale score was used to answer the research objectives. Numeric data were presented as mean ± SD. For categorical variables, percentages were used. Comparison between groups were made by Student’s t-test or Mann Whitney test according to data distribution. Chi squared tests for categorical values were conducted. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate factors associated with needle phobia. A total of 4065 participants were involved in this study (Saudi Arabia: 2628 and Egypt: 1437). Around one-third of the study participants (36.5