Fear of injections among people with type 2 diabetes: Overview of the problem

Fear of injections is common in people with type 2 diabetes requiring insulin therapy. It is associated with poor adherence to therapy and poor glycaemic control, which places people at a higher risk of both acute and chronic complications of type 2 diabetes. However, despite awareness of the problem, limited evidence on fear of injections, especially regarding strategies to manage this issue, is available. This review explores the currently available literature on fear of injections in people with type 2 diabetes. The findings are presented according to a thematic/integrative framework consisting of five themes: (1) barriers to insulin therapy; (2) the prevalence of fear of injections; (3) factors related to fear of injections; (4) the effects of fear of injections on diabetes self-management and clinical outcomes; and (5) recommended strategies to manage fear of injections.