Cultural Diversity and Cancer Pain

Adult Cancer Pain

“…The comprehensive pain assessment should focus on the type and quality of pain, pain history (eg, onset, duration, course), pain intensity (eg, pain experienced at rest or with movement, or that interference with activities), location, referral pattern, radiation of pain, associated factors that exacerbate or relieve the pain, current pain management plan, patient response to current therapy, prior pain therapies, breakthrough or episodic pain not controlled with existing pain regimen, important psychosocial factors (eg, patient distress, family/caregiver and other support, psychiatric history, risk factors for undertreatment of pain), and other special issues relating to pain (eg, meaning of pain for patient and family/caregiver; cultural beliefs toward pain, pain expression, and treatment; spiritual or religious considerations and existential suffering). 18,19 Finally the patient’s goals and expectations of pain management should be discussed, including their level of comfort and function, with family/caregivers included.…”

Adult Cancer Pain

“…The comprehensive pain assessment should focus on the type and quality of pain, pain history (e.g., onset, duration, course), pain intensity (e.g., pain experienced at rest or with movement, or that interferes with activities), location, referral pattern, radiation of pain, associated factors that exacerbate or relieve the pain, current pain management plan, patient’s response to current therapy, prior pain therapies, important psychosocial factors (e.g., patient distress, family and other support, psychiatric history, risk factors for aberrant use of pain medication, risk factors for undertreatment of pain), and other special issues relating to pain (e.g., meaning of pain for patient and family, cultural beliefs toward pain and pain expression, spiritual or religious considerations and existential suffering). 16,17 Finally, the patient’s goals and expectations of pain management should be discussed, including level of comfort and function (see pages 1058 and 1059).…”

Patient-related Barriers to Cancer Pain Management in Jordan

“…[1][2][3][4][5][7][8][9][10][11][12] Patients from different cultures may perceive pain differently, and if patients from minority cultural backgrounds (and ethnicities) are ignored, this may lead to inadequate pain treatment. 13 For example, Beck 14 reported that black people may tend to report pain less than people from white ethnicity. In addition, Forgeron 15 explored the barriers to cancer pain management in the Arab-Islamic culture of the parents of Jordanian child cancer patients.…”