Disparities in Pain Management

Lee Huynh Nguyen; Jessica Esther Dawson; Meredith Brooks; James S Khan; Natacha Telusca

doi:10.1016/j.anclin.2023.03.008

Disparities in Pain Management

Anesthesiol Clin. 2023 Jun;41(2):471-488. doi: 10.1016/j.anclin.2023.03.008.

Authors

Lee Huynh Nguyen¹, Jessica Esther Dawson¹, Meredith Brooks², James S Khan³, Natacha Telusca⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Cook Children's Health Care System, Texas Christian University School of Medicine, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
³ Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: ntelusca@stanford.edu.

PMID: 37245951
DOI: 10.1016/j.anclin.2023.03.008

Abstract

Health disparities in pain management remain a pervasive public health crisis. Racial and ethnic disparities have been identified in all aspects of pain management from acute, chronic, pediatric, obstetric, and advanced pain procedures. Disparities in pain management are not limited to race and ethnicity, and have been identified in multiple other vulnerable populations. This review targets health care disparities in the management of pain, focusing on steps health care providers and organizations can take to promote health care equity. A multifaceted plan of action with a focus on research, advocacy, policy changes, structural changes, and targeted interventions is recommended.

Keywords: Acute pain; Advanced pain procedure; Cancer; Chronic pain; Disparities; Diversity; Elderly; Ethnicity; Gender; Geography; Obstetric; Pediatric; Race; Rural; Socioeconomic; Veteran.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Chronic Pain* / therapy
Health Services Accessibility
Healthcare Disparities* / ethnology
Humans
Pain Management*
Quality of Health Care
Socioeconomic Factors