Pain Assessment in Patients with Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Phlebotomy for Polycythemia in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital
| dc.contributor.advisor | Henok Tadel | |
| dc.contributor.author | Lensa Habtamu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-11-13T13:10:50Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-11-13T13:10:50Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-08-16 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Background: Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease frequently undergo therapeutic phlebotomy to manage secondary polycythemia, yet procedural pain is rarely assessed or managed in Ethiopian healthcare settings. This study assessed the severity of phlebotomy-related pain and identified associated factors among children with cyanotic congenital heart disease at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 1, 2025 to March 1, 2026 among 118 children aged 4 to 16 years with echocardiography-confirmed cyanotic congenital heart disease undergoing therapeutic phlebotomy. Pain was assessed immediately post-procedure using validated age-appropriate tools: Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale for children aged 4 to 7 years and Numeric Rating Scale for older children. Pain scores were categorized as mild for scores of 2 to 3 versus moderate-to-severe for scores of 4 or higher. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and binary logistic regression in SPSS version 27. Results: Two-thirds of children experienced moderate-to-severe pain, with a mean pain score of 4.0 (SD 1.00) and a median of 4 (IQR 3–5), with scores ranging from 2 to 6. Preprocedural anxious children experienced moderate to severe pain, p< 0.001. Young children, less than 5 years of age, experienced moderate to severe phlebotomy pain, p < 0.001. Children with frequent phlebotomy attempts experienced moderate to severe pain, p<0.0001. Conclusion: Two-third of children with cyanotic CHD undergoing therapeutic phlebotomy experienced moderate to severe procedural pain. Pre-procedural anxiety, young age, and frequency of phlebotomy attempts associated with moderate to severe phlebotomy pain. Therapeutic Phlebotomy pain needs to be assessed and managed. Systematic pre-procedural psychological preparation including the use of distraction techniques, and improving competency to improve first-attempt venipuncture success recommended particularly in young children with cyanotic CHD undergoing therapeutic phlebotomy. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/9582 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | |
| dc.subject | Cyanotic congenital heart disease | |
| dc.subject | therapeutic phlebotomy | |
| dc.subject | procedural pain | |
| dc.subject | children | |
| dc.subject | Ethiopia | |
| dc.title | Pain Assessment in Patients with Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Phlebotomy for Polycythemia in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital | |
| dc.type | Thesis |