Perioperative pain disparity in children: A call for action

Heidi Tan1, Beverly A Mendoza2,3,4, Michelle A Fortier2,3,4,5,6

  • 1School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.

Paediatric Anaesthesia
|September 17, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Racial and ethnic disparities impact pediatric surgical care, leading to worse outcomes and pain management for minority children. More research is urgently needed to address these critical gaps in care.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Health Disparities Research
  • Pain Management

Background:

  • Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare are well-documented.
  • Minority children in the U.S. face worse surgical outcomes and pain management.
  • A need for research into pediatric perioperative pain disparities has been identified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on pediatric perioperative pain disparities in the U.S.
  • To highlight the limited research in this specific area.
  • To emphasize the need for further investigation and intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on pediatric perioperative pain disparities.
  • Identification of research gaps and areas for future study.
  • Synthesis of findings to inform future research directions.

Main Results:

  • Existing literature on pediatric perioperative pain disparities is limited.
  • There is a significant paucity of research in this domain.
  • Current data indicates potential disparities in pain management for minority children.

Conclusions:

  • Urgent need for increased research, including randomized control trials and health services research, on pediatric perioperative pain disparities.
  • A multidisciplinary, systems-based approach is essential for translating research into practice.
  • Ensuring optimal perioperative care for all children, regardless of background, requires addressing these disparities.

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