Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pain: Causes and Consequences of Unequal Care

Karen O. Anderson, PhD, MPH

Department of Symptom Research
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas

A review of the recent literature suggests that racial and ethnic disparities in pain assessment, analgesic treatment, and patient outcomes continue to exist across various acute and chronic pain conditions. Minorities consistently receive lesser quality care and are more at risk for adverse outcomes. These disparities result from a myriad of issues related to patients and their clinicians, as well as institutional policies within the healthcare system. Patient-related variables include genetic factors, patient beliefs, and coping strategies, for example. Inadequate education of healthcare providers, limited access to health care facilities for minorities, and insurance issues also contribute to disparities. Critically, research that controls for the range of other socioeconomic variables is needed both to measure ethnicity- and race-related barriers and to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions.

References

Anderson KO, Green CR, Payne R. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pain: Causes and Consequences of Unequal Care. J Pain. 2009;10(12)1187-1204.
Bonham VL. Race, ethnicity, and pain treatment: striving to understand the causes and solutions to the disparities in pain treatment. J Law Med Ethics. 2001;29(1):52-68.
Cintron A, Morrison RS. Pain and ethnicity in the United States: A systematic review. J Palliat Med. 2006;9(6):1454-1473.
Ezenwa MO, Ameringer S, Ward SE, Serlin RC. Racial and ethnic disparities in pain management in the United States. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2006;38(3):225-233.

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