Differences in Pain Coping Between Black and White Americans: A Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Pain Management
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Racial disparities in pain perception and experience are well-documented.
• Differences in pain-related coping strategies may contribute to these disparities.
• Previous research has explored race and pain coping, but a comprehensive review was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify race differences in the overall use of pain coping strategies.
• To examine specific coping strategies employed by different racial groups.
• To provide a meta-analytic summary of existing research on race and pain coping.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analytic review was conducted, synthesizing data from 19 studies.
• Inclusion criteria identified 150 relevant studies, yielding 6,489 participants and 123 effect sizes.
• Data were analyzed using a random effects model to calculate mean effect sizes.

Main Results:

• Black individuals used pain coping strategies more frequently overall compared to white individuals (d = 0.25, P < .01).
• Significant differences were observed in specific strategies: praying (d = 0.70) and catastrophizing (d = 0.40) were higher in Black individuals.
• White individuals reported higher engagement in task persistence compared to Black individuals (d = -0.28).

Conclusions:

• Black individuals employ pain coping strategies more frequently than white individuals.
• The use of strategies like prayer and catastrophizing by Black individuals may be linked to poorer pain outcomes.
• Further research is recommended to explore how these coping mechanisms mediate racial differences in pain experience.