Comorbidity with other health conditions
Substantial rates of comorbidity with BII phobia have been demonstrated for the following:

other life-long phobias
marijuana abuse
clinical depression
panic disorder
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
agoraphobia (AG)
social anxiety disorder (SAD)In individuals with diabetes:

peripheral vascular disease
cardiovascular disease

On the health of the broader population
BII phobia is able to affect the health of a broader population than just the community of individuals with the phobia. Someone with the phobia may, for instance, be unable to respond appropriately and/or offer assistance in an emergency event in which another person was injured or cut.Avoidance of vaccinations due to BII phobia may also prove detrimental to public health at large, as lowered rates of vaccination in a population tend to increase risk of infectious disease outbreak.Given BII phobics will very often avoid situations involving exposure to blood or needles, these individuals are likely to avoid donating blood. Public health benefit could result from helping them overcome their phobia, such that donation becomes a viable option. Limitations on personal and professional life
BII phobia may influence the personal and professional decisions of those with the condition. BII-phobic females may, for instance, choose not to get pregnant, as they fear the injections, vaccinations, and labor-induced pain associated with maternity.Those with the phobia may also be unable to pursue a profession in a health-related field, such as nursing, which would require repeated exposure to feared stimuli. Phobic individuals may find their ability to complete medical school severely impaired.
Epidemiology
BII phobia is one of the more common types of phobia — it is estimated to affect about 3-4% of the general population.Onset of the phobia generally occurs in middle childhood, before the age of ten. There are more reports of incidence of the phobia in younger individuals and those with low education levels. Some studies suggest that women also experience the phobia more frequently, however results are mixed concerning relative prevalences of the phobia between the sexes. == References ==