Cultural Competency - Multicultural Health Generalizations: Pain Management
Pain Management among Arabs
- Many Arabs express pain freely, especially in the presence of family members with whom they feel comfortable.
- When helping Arab patients manage their pain, it may be useful to keep in mind that:
- Pain is feared and may cause panic when it occurs.
- Coping with pain may be easier if enough information about its source and prognosis is provided.
- When the benefits of potentially painful medical procedures are understood, a higher pain tolerance may result.
- Some Arab patients may perceive intravenous fluids as an indication of the severity of the situation; thus, an explanation may be needed.
- Injections may be considered more effective than pills.
- Explaining the differences between self-medication and prescribed medication may be valuable if patients are considering self-medication.
- Arab patients may also use metaphoric symbols such as fire, iron, knives and rocks to describe pain. Inquiring about these symbols may be useful to further understand pain management among Arabs.
Source: Meleis, A. I. (1996). Arab Americans. Culture and Nursing Care: A Pocket Guide. California: University of California. P. 28
Symptom and Pain Management among Japanese-Americans:
- Many Japanese-American patients hold a cultural belief of self-control and self-discipline which can contribute to symptom and pain management.
- While older generations may delay seeking medical assistance until symptoms become severe, younger generations may acknowledge illness sooner and be more open to self-care.
- Some Japanese-American patients may seem stoic in expression of pain or discomfort.
- While some maintain a high pain threshold, others may simply refrain from asking for pain medication.
- Older generations might be especially concerned about becoming addicted to medication and therefore, may refuse to take medication as prescribed.
- Patients who do follow healthcare providers' instructions may prefer oral medications to injections.
- When pursuing self-care, Japanese-American patients may be more likely to listen to health care professionals than family members.
Source: Shiba, G. & Oka, R. (1996). "Japanese Americans". Culture and Nursing Care: A Pocket Guide. San Francisco, CA: University of California.
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