The disturbing reason some African American patients may be undertreated for pain

[HuckleB]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/04/04/do-blacks-feel-less-pain-than-whites-their-doctors-may-think-so/

"African Americans are routinely under-treated for their pain compared with whites, according to research. A study released Monday sheds some disturbing light on why that might be the case.

Researchers at the University of Virginia quizzed white medical students and residents to see how many believed inaccurate and at times "fantastical" differences about the two races -- for example, that blacks have less sensitive nerve endings than whites or that black people's blood coagulates more quickly. They found that fully half thought at least one of the false statements presented was possibly, probably or definitely true.

Moreover, those who held false beliefs often rated black patients' pain as lower than that of white patients and made less appropriate recommendations about how they should be treated.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could help illuminate one of the most vexing problems in pain treatment today: That whites are more likely than blacks to be prescribed strong pain medications for equivalent ailments.

..."

---------------------------------------------------------

[JustAnotherGen]

1. It's a whole spectrum of thinking

Pretty sure we discussed this in the AfAm Group. You are brave to post this out here - because many people can't wrap their heads around the idea that the color of ones skin who ever determine the quality and extent of treatment one receives from the medical community.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

2. Even more amazing is learned, educated, trained professionals who HAVE TO KNOW BETTER

are making this mistake.

Disgusting and a perfect example of how deeply ingrained racism is to this day.

[KamaAina]

3. We've been hashing this out since Tuesday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027740299

[HuckleB]

7. Ah, whoops.

Sorry.

[sharp_stick]

4. Is this a thing regionally or something?

I never heard anything like this throughout my years in medical school or as a toxicologist following that.

On the face of it it's just so stupid. I think I would have laughed at the question.

[scioto99]

5. This reminds me of a novel.

The series concerns a protagonist named Martha Quest - a white South African growing up in, I dunno, the fifties?

The author I should remember, but don't. She's famous and dead.

The book - fourth in the series - is called Landlocked. Dragged it the fuck around Europe years ago until I lost it in a public bathroom in Prague. (Sometimes I wonder: where is it now?)

She is a privileged (unhappy) whitey flirting with communism, looking out on the black people who serve her, pregnant herself, but reflecting that "the natives" give birth without pain. There's an implication that she's been raised to think that the people around her who have darker skin are sort of like animals. Connected to nature; earthy, or something. (Gross; sorry).

Funnily enough: in my region, abuse of pain meds is a really big thing. And it's way more a whitey thing than a black thing. Few black people seem to do opioids. Whereas comparatively few white people seem to do cocaine. Weird. So maybe (i remark jokingly n sarcastically) that proves whiteys DO feel more pain?!

[scioto99]

6. Ooh! Doris Lessing!