Minorities less likely to get pain relief-US study

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Minorities less likely to get pain relief-US study
Tue Jan 1, 2008 4:00pm EST

CHICAGO, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Black and Hispanic patients in pain are less likely than whites to get powerful painkillers from U.S. hospital emergency departments, but the reasons may go beyond sheer racial bias, researchers said on Tuesday.
(snip)

While health care providers would be loathe to admit it, they may show racial bias in assessing whether a patient is exaggerating symptoms to obtain powerful painkillers to either sell or abuse, the report said.

But the study found the largest racial disparity in providing stronger medications was found among patients in the most pain and those aged 12 or younger who are unlikely to be drug abusers.

"There is no evidence that nonwhites have less severe or different types of pain when they arrive in the emergency department," Pletcher said. "We think our data indicate that opioids are being underprescribed to minority emergency department patients, especially black and Hispanic patients."



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN27422125

[Judi Lynn]

1. ER Docs Give Whites Narcotics More Often

ER Docs Give Whites Narcotics More Often
By CARLA K. JOHNSON – 2 hours ago

CHICAGO (AP) — Emergency room doctors are prescribing strong narcotics more often to patients who complain of pain, but minorities are less likely to get them than whites, a new study finds. Even for the severe pain of kidney stones, minorities were prescribed narcotics such as oxycodone and morphine less frequently than whites.

The analysis of more than 150,000 emergency room visits over 13 years found differences in prescribing by race in both urban and rural hospitals, in all U.S. regions and for every type of pain.

"The gaps between whites and nonwhites have not appeared to close at all," said study co-author Dr. Mark Pletcher of the University of California, San Francisco.

The study appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. Prescribing narcotics for pain in emergency rooms rose during the study, from 23 percent of those complaining of pain in 1993 to 37 percent in 2005.

More:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gqElvwUttmeWdb-Kgt0CiebJ2lGwD8TTALN80

[taylor egv420106]

4. Now this may sound mean

But is there evidence that its related to racism more so than the greater likelihood that a minority may not have medical insurance?

[flashl]

7. Plenty. Over 25 years worth in medical journals.

[BlueIris]

13. Holy shit.

Is there "any evidence"? Oh, my God, don't do anything else until you learn something about racism in America, and especially in the health "care" system. You don't seem to understand how things "work" in this country.

[ThePowerofWill]

15. Heres a good one.

Opiates are cheap. Percocet, Vicodan, and others are pretty cheap drugs in the whole scheme of treatment.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Link to earlier article posted on this subject:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2568340

Blacks, Hispanics less likely to get strong pain drugs in U.S. emergency rooms


www.chinaview.cn 2008-01-02 06:25:34 Print

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Despite increases in the overall use of opioid drugs to relieve severe pain, black and Hispanic patients remain significantly less likely than whites to receive these pain-relievers in emergency rooms, according to a new study released Tuesday in Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study examined treatments for more than 150,000 pain-related visits to U.S. hospitals between 1993 and 2005. It found that 31 percent of whites received opioid drugs compared with only23 percent of blacks and 24 percent of Hispanics. About 28 percent of Asians received the drugs.

In contrast, non-opioid pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen were prescribed much more often to non-whites (36 percent) than to whites (26 percent).

"Studies in the 1990s showed a disturbing racial or ethnic disparity in the use of these potent pain relievers, but we had hoped that the recent national efforts at improving pain management in emergency departments would shrink this disparity," said Mark Pletcher, lead author of the study. "Unfortunately, this is not the case."

"There is no evidence that non-whites have less severe or different types of pain when they arrive in the emergency department," Pletcher said. "We think our data indicate that opioids are being under prescribed to minority emergency department patients, especially black and Hispanic patients."

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/02/content_7349727.htm

[panader0]

3. As a white male, it is my belief that minorities get less of what is good

and more of what is bad in every section of our society.

[Trillo]

5. What a Protection Racket!

Once again, in the Patent Medicine era, narcotics were reportedly in many medicines, so, they could be obtained by anyone who could pay.

Now, with the War on Drugs and Terror and Gangs and Kids and Families and Middle Class, and whatever other kind of War is in vogue, it's funny how the elite entities in our civilization have grown only stronger, while real pain suffered by real people (but not the wealthy kind with the right skin color) can't even get enough pain medicine from their Docs.

A corrupt system through and through. Does it have ANY redeeming human qualities left, or has EVERYTHING in it become a great big money collection scam?

Don't forget to Bribe your Doctor! It might help get you care when it's needed.

[Xenotime]

6. If we had universal healthcare this wouldn't be a problem.

[Thor_MN]

8. Universal health care will not fix racial issues

It would remove bias due to insurance concerns, but the underlying racial issues would remain the same. People will always be less likely to notice the needs of people outside their cultural upbringing. One may not notice the nonverbal clues to pain that another is feeling, if not accustomed to that person's culture. So racial bias can exist without intent. Not to mention people being overtly racist by choice.

[flashl]

9. Feb. 26, 2004 letter from Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Coalition Member Organization

Dear Majority Leader Frist and Minority Leader Daschle:

The undersigned organizations are writing to thank you for your continued support for the elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care. And, like you, we are steadfastly committed to eliminating health disparities. As you are aware, disparities in health and health care continue to cost families and the nation far too much – in pain, suffering, illness, disabilities, premature deaths, and economically.

Collectively and individually, we are very encouraged by the attention that you have brought to this national health crisis. We appreciate the assistance provided through your leadership and efforts. And,we applaud your expressions of support.

"We know that African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans die younger and suffer from heart disease, diabetes and HIV/AIDS at higher rates than everyone else. These numbers are unacceptable. We are beginning to understand why, and as majority leader I am going to address them."

“A year and a half ago, a major report was released by the distinguished Institute of Medicine. That report, entitled "Unequal Treatment," confirmed what many people had long known, or at least suspected: In America, minorities receive poorer quality health care than non-minorities -- even when both groups have roughly the same insurance coverage, the same income, the same age and the same health conditions. This is more than a minority issue or a health care issue. It is a moral issue. ……… We must end these deadly disparities in health care.”

As we are all keenly aware, communities of color are disproportionately burdened by acute and chronic diseases. Communities of color, also, are subjected to disparities in the quality of care they receive. This occurs across the full spectrum of disease categories, and in medical and surgical procedures. The compilation of Federal government findings and scientific studies – from those outlined in the 1985 Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health, to the 2002 IOM Study entitled,Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, to those on HIV/AIDS,cancer, heart disease and all that fall in between – document a compelling case for a national Federal response. Indeed, racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care are an ongoing national crisis in health that must be addressed comprehensively.

It is against this backdrop of continuing disparities that we respectfully request that you combine your efforts and work to ensure enactment of an elimination of health disparities bill that –
• Implements the IOM Unequal Treatment Study recommendations;
• Reduces the number of uninsured;
• Ensures delivery of quality health care;
• Responds to the cultural and linguistic voids in care;
• Effectively addresses data collection, reporting, analysis and utilization;
• Strengthens the health care safety net infrastructure;
• Ensures accountability;
• Strengthens the Office for Civil Rights and the Office of Minority Health;
• Enhances research opportunities;
• Appropriately funds elimination of health disparities programs and projects including the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative, REACH, OCR and OMH;
• Establishes community health empowerment zones;
• Fosters innovative outreach programs;
• Reduces disease and related complications;
• Promotes wellness and prevention;
• Increases workforce diversity throughout the health arena; and
• Establishes offices of minority health at key Federal agencies including CMS and FDA.

Clearly, the measure must not weaken existing minority health programs and funding. Please know that we are fully committed to working with you to help ensure enactment of such legislation.

We strongly believe that the elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care is within your combined reach. The American people in general and communities of color in particular are counting on you. Please – work together -- far too many lives are at stake. It is against this backdrop of health challenges and opportunities that we, the undersigned organizations, request a meeting withyou.

We look forward to working with you on this national health crisis.

How many more studies do we need?

[Kali]

10. I saw this with my long-haired husband back in the 80's

he had a hard time getting meds like that on the rare occasion he needed them.

[boricua79]

11. how about...minorities less likely to get ANYTHING

how many more articles do I have to read that states minorities are more likely to be sick, or more likely to be underscholled, or more likely to be pregnant at earlier ages, or more likely to be in jail, etc. before we believe there is a systemic imbalance that perpetuates the cycle.

[BlueIris]

12. Vile. Not news, but vile.

[skypilot]

14. I suspected as much after...

...my one and only stay in the hospital. I am a black male and in 1990 my lung collapsed. A chest tube was inserted and it was very painful while it was in me. The nurses were claiming to be giving me Percacet or some such thing. I had never been hospitalized before and had no idea what Percacet was supposed to do or how it was supposed to make me feel but I noticed that the pain I was feeling in my side where the tube was inserted was not lessening after I was given medication. It was only later that someone who'd been given Percacet before told me that it was one of the stronger pain relievers and that if I'd actually received it I'd have known it for sure. I did manage to convince one nurse to give me Valium because I noticed that the pain would decrease a bit when I forced myself to relax. Unfortunately, I couldn't help but gradually tense up again after a few minutes and the pain would come back, but the Valium helped. I was in the hospital for four days and I think that that one nurse was the only one who was on the up and up with me.