Gender and Ethnicity: Are They Influencing Cancer Pain?

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chee W ; Guevara E ; Im E-O ; Lim H-J ; Liu Y ; Tsai H-M
• Description:
  Studies have reported inconsistent findings on gender and ethnic differences in cancer pain experience, and the inconsistency suggests further investigations on this topic for appropriate cancer pain assessment and adequate cancer pain management. The purpose of the study was to explore gender and ethnic differences in pain experience of four ethnic groups of cancer patients. A feminist perspective theoretically guided the research process: gender and ethnicity were viewed as important factors that influenced cancer pain experience within the U.S. multicultural contexts. This was a survey study among 480 multiethnic cancer patients. The instruments included questions on sociodemographic characteristics and health/illness status, three unidimensional cancer pain scales, two multidimensional cancer pain scales, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Certain gender and ethnic differences in types of pain and symptoms that patients experienced were found. Also, the findings indicated statistically significant gender difference in functional status and ethnic differences in cancer pain and functional status. Women reported higher cancer pain, symptom, and functional scores than men. Compared with other ethnic groups, Asians reported the lowest cancer pain scores and pain relief scores; African Americans reported the lowest symptom scores; and Hispanics reported the highest functional status scores. The findings support gender and ethnic differences in cancer pain experience and suggest further in-depth national-scope studies on this topic. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Healthcare Disparities Minority Health Neoplasms Occupational Health Race Factors Safety Sex Characteristics
• Keywords:
  Cancer Gender Factors Health Disparities Minority Health Pain Tolerance Racial Factors Sociological Factors
• ISSN:
  0190-535X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  34
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054100
• Citation:
  Oncol Nurs Forum 2007 Mar; 34(2):479
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2007
• Performing Organization:
  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Oncology Nursing Forum
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b0e8ddb8258e76cf3f29c4436b468885f14e7ee2178b33672e8ddb4af58a006504490784befa61d3adf10f08084c32ed9899e461e0660b71609da686cf106904
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216734/cdc_216734_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 37.56 KB ]