Introduction
American Hispanics are more likely than Whites to feel pain more intensely. On surveys or polls, Hispanic Americans do, however, report fewer pain ailments, such as osteoarthritis and back discomfort. Although Hispanic Americans are the speediest increasing ethnic minority in the country, considerably less is documented about their experiences with pain than is the case for other racial or cultural minorities, along with any possible discrepancies in pain management. Hispanic Americans are more susceptible to pain than Whites, according to experimental research (Hollingshead et al., 2016). When contacting something hot or cold, for instance, Hispanic Americans experience pain more quickly and endure it for a lesser amount of time than White Americans do.
Discussion
It should be emphasized, nonetheless, that surveys reveal fewer pain issues among Hispanic Americans. Surveys may be more impacted by cultural influences than lab investigations since they rely more on memories and background. There is a deep cultural norm among many Hispanic Americans that values perseverance in the face of difficulty (Hollingshead et al., 2016). Therefore, one could be less inclined to disclose or admit their pain condition on a survey if they come from a community that truly promotes stoicism.
Hispanic Americans are quite more likely than those of other races or ethnicities to engage in blue-collar occupations and physical labor, which places them at higher risk of becoming injured. However, compared to White people, Hispanic Americans skip fewer working hours in the near term because of discomfort or injury (Hollingshead et al., 2016). Hispanic Americans are more prone to attempt to endure their suffering in the near run because labor is highly valued in their society. It might appear in the immediate term as low rates of impairment, but it creeps up with people in the long run. Long-term impairment rates are greater among Hispanic Americans – in the American nation, pain is a major contributor to incapacity.
Investigations revealed not only a number of significant tendencies but also major gaps in knowledge of how Hispanic Americans feel pain. It seems reasonable to note that one of these gaps is the impact of discrimination (Hollingshead et al., 2016). Given the wider public conversation on immigrants, it is quite shocking that there is not enough attention to this. Scholars are gathering information on how physicians choose to treat Hispanic American individuals who are experiencing pain in order to start addressing these topics.
There is a lot more information available on how prejudices in medical practice affect how African Americans are treated differently. The academic dimension is examining whether a computer-simulated treatment may alter medical professionals’ attitudes and result in improved care for African Americans in research supported by the NIMHD (Hollingshead et al., 2016). If the program is effective, it may be modified for use with other racial or cultural minorities, such as Hispanic Americans. However, at first, scientists must learn more about the factors that contribute to inequities in the way African Americans are treated for pain. The majority of Americans who live in poverty and who have the poorest levels of health coverage are Hispanic. When discussing chronic diseases like pain, such factors are important. There is a hope that studies within the given scope will inspire others to develop their own concepts and advance this subject.
Hispanic Americans expressed worries about using powerful painkillers like opioids and the societal idea that pain “should be” managed without drugs. Individuals with Hispanic Americans expressed unhappiness with their pain management and poor contact with healthcare professionals. This was particularly true for individuals for whom Spanish was their first language (Hollingshead et al., 2016). When seeking pain relief, many Hispanic Americans are reportedly apprehensive about opioid drugs and affected by cultural attitudes. Taking into account such a state of affairs, there is a necessity to explore appropriate pain management practices for Hispanic Americans implemented by nurses.
To enhance pain management for Hispanic Americans, the clinical guidelines listed below should be taken into account. First, there should be qualified Spanish-speaking translators easily available in healthcare settings that are used by these patients, given the high number of Hispanic Americans who have language challenges. It has been demonstrated that using trained interpreters improves clinical treatment for patients with language challenges and is favored by both healthcare professionals and Spanish-speaking patients. Second, nurses should not presume that these patients have the literacy skills and access to the right sources of information required for receiving high-quality medical care. Providers need to be very watchful when outlining the pain problem and available treatments and determining if patients comprehend and accept this data.
Conclusion
Then, healthcare professionals should find out if Hispanic patients are using any non-prescription painkillers or cultural remedies. Many Hispanic Americans indicate that they do not disclose these therapies to clinicians, and providers do not frequently inquire about them. Nevertheless, this information is crucial because it gives healthcare professionals a chance to take into account potentially hazardous or deadly drug interactions as well as the chance to advise patients about the dangers of utilizing off-label and illicitly obtained pharmaceuticals. Evaluating patients’ usage of ethnic remedies can also improve the delivery of treatment that is culturally competent and increase patient-provider trust.
Reference
Hollingshead, N. A., Ashburn-Nardo, L., Stewart, J. C., & Hirsh, A. T. (2016). The pain experience of Hispanic Americans: A critical literature review and conceptual model. The Journal of Pain, 17(5), 513–528.