Reducing Disparities in Pain Management in Primary Care

Pain is a healthcare challenge impacting millions of people in the US. On average, 50 million people live with chronic pain in the US. Reducing disparities in pain management is important. Pain has a devastating impact on patients, affecting physical and mental functioning. It also affects patients’ quality of life. Patients who experience pain report limitations in doing activities, restriction on mobility, lost work productivity, higher anxiety levels, depression, increased suicidal risk, and more likelihood of abusing and misusing substances. Racial and gender disparities have been reported in managing pain in primary care. African Americans, Hispanics, and other racial minorities report poor management of pain than whites. Socioeconomic factors also contribute to pain disparities. Being less educated, having lower income levels, lower levels of education, and lacking medical insurance have been associated with poor management of pain. Addressing these disparities can improve pain outcomes. Improving patient-provider communication, making systematic and structural changes, shared-decision making, using a multi-disciplinary approach, and tailoring pain management approaches to specific patient needs are some of the measures that can reduce disparities in managing pain.