The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical care: Considerations for providing virtual evidence-based care to youth with high levels of needle fear.

Abstract

Youth with high levels of needle fear are at risk for adverse health outcomes and poor compliance with general and specialty medical recommendations. With consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased availability of vaccines,recommendations for adapting and virtually delivering evidence-based interventions for youth with high levels of needle fear are of particular importance for pediatric psychologists. Thus, the purpose of this commentary is to provide an overview of evidence-based interventions and recommendations for pediatric psychologists seeking to adapt and virtually deliver evidence-based interventions to youth with high levels of needle fear. Conclusions: Although pediatric psychologists may face challenges when adapting and virtually delivering exposure-based interventions to youth and their families, the clinical benefits certainly outweigh the costs, particularly considering the increased availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for youth. © 2021 American Psychological Association