Articles: pain-management.
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There are numerous, well-established racial disparities in the management of pain. The degree to which these are evident at the stage of conducting clinical trials is unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we examined race-based reporting, participation of Black individuals, and the factors associated with reporting and participation in pain clinical trials in the United States. ⋯ Our results indicate that representation of Black participants in pain clinical trials generally aligns with national demographics in the United States. Increased representation corresponds with health conditions more prevalent among Black individuals (eg, cardiovascular disease) and with a diverse study team composition. Despite these encouraging results, less than half of pain trials reported race, which introduces potential publication bias and limits external validity.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Sep 2023
Opioid prescription denials by community pharmacies for cancer-related pain: A case series.
Pain is one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients living with cancer. Guidelines recommend opioids as the mainstay in the management of cancer-related pain. ⋯ Additionally, in the setting of the opioid epidemic, there have been reports of systemic bias within community pharmacies, leading to experiences with embarrassment and shame for patients with cancer-related pain. This case series presents specific examples of community pharmacies declining to fill opioid prescriptions for patients with cancer-related pain and associated patient suffering.
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Pain assessment in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is complex, specifically for children receiving mechanical ventilation who require neuromuscular blockade (NMB). No valid pain assessment method exists for this population. Guidelines are limited to using physiologic variables; it remains unknown how nurses are assessing and managing pain for this population in practice. ⋯ These results demonstrate variation in how nurses assess pain for a child who requires NMB. The focus remains on behavioral assessment scales, which are not valid for this population. When intervening with a pain intervention, nurses relied on physiologic variables. Decision support tools to aid nurses in conducting an effective pain assessment and subsequent management need to be created.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Sep 2023
ReviewCultural Framing and the Impact On Acute Pain and Pain Services.
Optimal treatment requires a thorough understanding of all factors contributing to pain in the individual patient. In this review, we investigate the influence of cultural frameworks on pain experience and management. ⋯ The loosely defined concept of culture in pain management integrates a predisposing set of diverse biological, psychological and social characteristics shared within a group. Cultural and ethnic background strongly influence the perception, manifestation, and management of pain. In addition, cultural, racial and ethnic differences continue to play a major role in the disparate treatment of acute pain. A holistic and culturally sensitive approach is likely to improve pain management outcomes, will better cover the needs of diverse patient populations and help reduce stigma and health disparities. Mainstays include awareness, self-awareness, appropriate communication, and training.