Culture and Pain: A Look at the Factors Contributing to the Undertreatment of Pain for Hispanic Patients in the U.S. Healthcare System

The disparities within the U.S. medical system concerning the lack of access to care and undertreatment treatment of pain for the Hispanic population are alarming. The factors that contribute to this problem are complex and woven throughout the various layers of the healthcare system. This literature review examined a variety of studies on pain and culture in an attempt to discover some of the key variables that exist at the level of the healthcare provider, the patient, and the interaction between these two groups that are contributing to this immense problem. The importance of understanding the cultural beliefs, norms, and expectations of the healthcare provider, patient, and medical system itself are essential to the reduction and elimination of these disparities. The theory of culture care was proposed as a framework that could be used in the development of cultural training courses for healthcare professionals to educate them concerning the various aspects of culture that need to be considered when caring for their patients. Overall, while the focus of this study centered on the provider and patient level, the need for change at the policy-level became apparent in order for healthcare providers to have greater opportunity to provide care that was more culturally competent. There is also the need for continued research into effective interventions that will reduce and/or eliminate the factors that are already known to contribute to this problem in pain management.msc_inhunpub1457_ethesesunpu