Chronic Pain Management by Ethnically and Racially Diverse Older Adults: Pharmacological and Nonpharmacological Pain Therapies

Abstract

SUMMARY Exploration of racial and ethnic group differences in noncancer chronic pain management in older adults. Participants & methods: Qualitative data, which were collected in semistructured face-to-face interviews with 44 racially and ethnically diverse community-dwelling older adults (ten African-Americans, ten Hispanics, 12 Afro-Caribbeans and 12 non-Hispanic whites), were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. The three racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to use culturally based treatments (e.g., herbal tea and avocado leaves), home remedies and folk medicine, and/or psychological therapies (e.g., distraction and relaxation) than non-Hispanic whites to manage chronic pain. African-Americans relied on religious coping methods. Non-Hispanic whites were more likely to use physical interventions such as massage and chiropractic treatment. Study findings suggest differences by ethnicity in preferred pain interventions for an older adult population.