Effect of an intervention to reduce procedural pain and distress for children with HIV infection

Objective: To evaluate a multicomponent pain management intervention, including cognitive behavioral strategies, for children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection undergoing routine venipuncture. Methods: Following a baseline venipuncture, children were exposed to an intervention including preparation, relaxation, distraction, reinforcement, parent involvement, and EMLA (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) cream, and followed for three additional venipuncture procedures. After each procedure, child distress was rated on the Procedure Behavior Checklist (PBCL), child self-report of pain was obtained using the FACES scale, and parent anxiety was reported on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Scale (STAI). Results: Significant reductions in child distress and pain were found by the second postintervention procedure and maintained at the third. Parent anxiety was significantly reduced by the second postintervention procedure, but many parents chose not to participate in the third postintervention procedure. Conclusions: With repeated exposure, a multicomponent pain management intervention, including cognitive behavioral strategies and EMLA, appears effective at reducing pain, distress, and parent anxiety for children with HIV.