likely complex and multifold and may include factors such as implicit bias, language barriers, and cultural differences in the perception and expression of pain and institutional differences in ERs that serve mostly Black and Hispanic patients,”
said Dr. Andrew Meltzer, senior author of the study and a researcher at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.
“Unrelieved pain can lead to a wide range of consequences such as growing distrust towards physicians and the medical community, economic burden from its debilitative effects, and physical and emotional repercussions,”
Meltzer said by email. “Given the current opioid epidemic, however, it remains unclear if more pain medicine should be a marker of higher quality care.”
Black patients were 34% less likely to receive opioids for acute pain than white patients, and Hispanic patients were 13% less likely to get opioids for acute pain, researchers report in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
So what do we do?
1. Ask for a second opinion.
It’s your right to find out what others may suggest in your situation.
2. Ask your doctor some hard questions.
It’s okay to ask your doctor if he or she knows about racial bias when it comes to pain. It’s alright to ask your doctor if they know of the cultural differences in treating African American patients.
3. Be honest about your pain level and pain tolerance.
If they ask you if it’s painful, don’t try to be “tough” or “tough it out.” Be honest and say how much pain you are in so that you can get the treatment you need.