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Abstract
Research has documented disparities in pain outcomes among racial and ethnic minorities in both acute and chronic pain (Flaskerud, 2015; Fillingim et al., 2009; Jablonska, Soares, & Kamp; Sundin, 2006; Green et al., 2003). Similar findings have been noted for disparities in pain catastrophizing, also documented to be associated with poorer pain outcomes (Leung, 2012; Sullivan et al., 2000). Given the noted associations, the primary aim of the study was to assess psychosocial and cultural factors related to chronic pain and the extent to which these factors contribute to pain interference. The proposed study aimed to understand racial disparities in chronic pain by assessing race differences in chronic pain, pain catastrophizing and the degree to which pain catastrophizing uniquely predicts pain outcomes (life quality, disability, frequency, and severity of pain). It was hypothesized that participants who identified as a racial minority would report more undesirable pain outcomes and more pain catastrophizing and that pain catastrophizing would predict pain outcomes among racial minority participants. Data was collected through a Qualtrics Survey of patients recruited from 2 community clinics in Athens, GA. Analyses including Independent Samples T-Test, Multivariate Analysis of Variance, and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance were used to test hypotheses. Results did not support the notion that participants who identify as a racial minority experience poorer pain outcomes. Rather, data indicated an inverse relationship where Black/African-American participants with chronic pain reported increased quality of life in the social domain. Participants who identified as a racial minority did report more pain catastrophizing, however, this did not predict pain outcomes. More research is needed to further understand racial and ethnic chronic pain disparaties.