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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Author Spotlight: Quantifying Pain Experience – An Illustrative Approach Using the Pain Body Diagram
Published on: July 7, 2023
Racial and ethnic differences in the experience and treatment of noncancer pain
Samantha M Meints1,2, Alejandro Cortes2, Calia A Morais3
1Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Management Center, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
Abstract:
The burden of pain is unequal across racial and ethnic groups. In addition to racial and ethnic differences in the experience of pain, there are racial and ethnic disparities in the assessment and treatment of pain. In this article, we provide a nonexhaustive review of the biopsychosocial mechanistic factors contributing to racial and ethnic differences in both the experience and treatment of pain. Using a modified version of the Socioecological Model, we focus on patient-, provider- and system-level factors including coping, perceived bias and discrimination, patient preferences, expectations, patient/provider communication, treatment outcomes and healthcare access. In conclusion, we provide psychosocial factors influencing racial and ethnic differences in pain and highlight future research targets and possible solutions to reduce these disparities.
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