Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal

Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal

Investigating the effect of acupressure on point P6 of pain intensity and anxiety caused by vaccination of 6-year-old children

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 MsC of Community Health Nursing, school of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
2 MsC of clinical psychology, Department psychology,Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran.
3 Assiatant professor, School of Public Health Faculty, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
4 Instructor, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
5 Midwifery group, Nursing and Midwifery school, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction:Vaccination is the most common painful procedure in childhood and its pain control is important. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of acupressure at the P6 point on the severity of pain and anxiety caused by vaccination in 6-year-old children.
Methods:The present study was a randomized controlled field trial study conducted in 2022 on 80 healthy 6-year-old children referred to health centers in birjand for the DTP vaccine injection. Children were randomly assigned to two groups of acupressure at the P6 point and control. Data collection tools: included a personal information form and a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the observational scale of anxiety caused by therapeutic procedures in children revised (OSBD-R). Data were analyzed using Kolmogorov, Smirnov,and Mann-Whitney tests in SPSS 16 version 16 software. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Findings:There was no significant difference in pain intensity after vaccination in the two groups. After vaccination, the mean pain intensity score in the acupressure group was 3.12±1.4 and the control group was 3.35±1.39. (P=0.28). Also,the mean anxiety score in the acupressure group was 0.98±0.83 and 1.95±1.22 in the control group. (P<0.001). Therefore, anxiety in the acupressure group was significantly lower than in the control group.
Conclusion:No statistically significant difference was observed between the mean pain intensity in the two study groups, but acupressure at point P6 was effective in reducing anxiety caused by vaccination in 6-year-old children, so it can be used to reduce anxiety during vaccination of children.
Keywords
Subjects

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Published by Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science. This article is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
 
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Volume 25, Issue 2 - Serial Number 161
July and August 2026
Pages 102-113

  • Receive Date 10 August 2025
  • Revise Date 29 November 2025
  • Accept Date 06 December 2025