Pain is undertreated in African Americans

AORN Journal,  Oct, 2002  

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The National Medical Association (NMA) has concluded that inadequate pain management is a serious national public health problem that affects millions of African Americans and other underserved minority populations, according to an Aug 6, 2002, news release from the association. In response, the association convened a consensus panel to discuss the challenges related to pain management in African Americans and other minorities.

According to the NMA, African Americans who experience excruciating pain as the result of life-threatening illness or major surgery are denied effective pain medication due to factors that center on race. The association will release its final report on pain management in March 2003. The following preliminary findings, however, have been released.

* Pain causes more disability than cancer and heart disease combined.

* Racial and ethnic minorities are at higher risk for receiving ineffective treatment for chronic and severe pain.

* Some physicians are fearful of prescribing certain medications because of drug abuse concerns relating to minority populations.

* Racial profiling is more prominent in urban-area pharmacies. These pharmacies may refuse to stock certain opioids for reasons such as low demand, potential for fraud, fear of being robbed, or a belief that certain prescriptions are diverted for illegal use.

In response to these findings, the NMA has issued the following recommendations.

* Encourage physicians who prescribe strong pain medication to contact the pharmacist directly.

* Provide physicians with guidelines on using tamper-resistant prescription pads.

* Integrate a pain management curricula in medical and related health education programs at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing education levels.

* Develop public health education programs that increase understanding of pain management and address prevention of medication abuse and illegal drug trafficking.

* Increase focus on data collection as a means to better identify the reasons for racial disparities in pain management.

National Medical Association (NMA) Panel Says Untreated Pain is a Public Health Crisis for Minorities (news release, Honolulu: National Medical Association, Aug 6, 2002) http://www.prnewswire.com (accessed 7 Aug 2002).

COPYRIGHT 2002 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group