• April Hazard Vallerand, Susan Hasenau, Thomas Templin, and Deborah Collins-Bohler.
• Wayne State University College of Nursing, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA. april.vallerand@wayne.edu
• Pain Med. 2005 May 1; 6 (3): 242250242-50.

ContextPain continues to be a problem in ambulatory patients with cancer. Disparities in minority patients with pain have been previously identified.ObjectiveTo examine the effect of perception of control over pain on disparities in pain, symptom distress, and functional status in white and black patients with cancer.DesignCross-sectional, descriptive.SettingOutpatient clinic in a large urban cancer center.PatientsA total of 281 patients who reported having pain within the last month and were receiving treatment in the cancer center.Outcome MeasuresPain intensity, pain-related distress, functional status, perception of control over pain.ResultsBlack patients had significantly higher pain intensity, more pain-related distress, and reported more pain-related interference with function than white patients. Disparities in pain-related distress and functional status were significantly reduced and only disparities in pain intensity remained when perception of control over pain was held constant.ConclusionsPerception of control over pain is an important factor in understanding responses to pain. Increasing a patient's perception of control over pain may decrease disparities and increase functional status.

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