Nov 13, 2021 21:00:00

Poor people's 'pain' may be underestimated, creating treatment disparities

Economic disparity is not only reflected in the difference in goods that can be purchased, but also 'the

poor die earlier than the rich ', ' the IQ of children varies depending on the economic conditions of the region ', and ' 3000 due to the difference between rich and poor'. It has been pointed out that all kinds of 'word disparities' occur in children. ' A new study found that 'people with low socioeconomic status are more likely to underestimate'pain'and the quality of treatment they receive depends on the difference between rich and poor.'

Poverty and pain: Low-SES people are believed to be insensitive to pain --ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103121000160

New psychology research finds that poor people are perceived as being less susceptible to pain
https://www.psypost.org/2021/09/new-psychology-research-finds-that-poor-people-are-perceived-as-being-less-susceptible-to-pain-61883

There's a Horrible Bias That Makes Us Underestimate The Pain of Poorer People
https://www.sciencealert.com/there-sa-horrible-bias-that-makes-us-dismiss-the-pain-of-poorer-people

Kevin Summers, a graduate student at the University of Denver in the United States, points out that statistical data show that rich people receive more pain treatment than poor people. is. Previous studies investigating the cause of this have focused on quality medical facilities, insurance coverage, the patient's own health, and alcohol intake.

On the other hand, previous and African-Americans are easy to pain has been underestimated from the research results and, towards the women of the pain has been underestimated than men research results have been reported, a variety of subjective Bias has also been shown to influence pain assessment. However, Summers points out that few studies have linked the differences between rich and poor and medical care for pain to the biases that healthcare professionals have.

So Summers and colleagues conducted multiple experiments with a total of 1584 subjects to investigate the impact of health care workers' bias on the difference between rich and poor on the treatment of pain.

First, in the first experiment, 126 subjects were presented with 20 white men's occupations and academic backgrounds, neutral facial facial photographs, and 18 'pain scenarios', and how much each white man was. I was asked to evaluate whether I was in pain. As a result, white men with low-income jobs (such as waiters and dishwashing) or low education are well-positioned socio-economic conditions (lawyers and doctors), even in the same pain scenario. It was confirmed that there was a tendency to be evaluated as 'not feeling much pain' rather than (etc.).

In another experiment in which 248 subjects participated, a person with a low socioeconomic status was also asked to evaluate pain with a sentence containing an explanation such as 'a person with a low socioeconomic status' without showing a face photo. Was found to be perceived as 'less sensitive to pain'. Follow-up experiments, including gender and race, also found that black and female patients tended to underestimate pain, but socioeconomic status also affected pain assessment. ..

And in an experiment in which 111 people participated, the research team not only showed the patient's face photo and profile to judge the sensitivity of pain, but also said, 'They / they (images to be evaluated for pain). How hard do you think the life of (the person) was? ' Analyzing the answers, we found that people think that people with low socioeconomic status are tough on pain because they have experienced various difficulties. In other words, there was a bias that 'poor people are tougher than rich people, so they will feel less pain in the same situation.'

In addition, a research team conducted an experiment in which subjects were asked to prescribe painkillers to relieve patient pain, and both non-healthcare workers and health care workers 'give more painkillers to wealthy people.' , Prescribe less painkillers to the poor. ' 'Subjects rated low socioeconomic status as having less pain than high socioeconomic status, and determined that less treatment was needed to relieve the pain,' the research team said. I am.

Bias in socio-economic status and pain susceptibility in the medical setting could create disparities in the treatment of pain associated with rich and poor, Summers said. Also, this effect is not limited to medical practice, 'ignoring people with low socioeconomic status who complain of pain on the sidewalk' and 'going to the hospital even if a friend with low socioeconomic status complains of pain' There is a possibility that there will be effects such as 'I do not recommend it' and 'Compensation for injuries and injury and illness leave will fluctuate depending on the socioeconomic status of employees'.

The results of this study are based on images, and the environment is different from when you actually see the person in the examination room to judge the amount of pain or painkillers. As a result, future research will need to see if it affects decisions in the doctor's office, not in the lab, Summers said. In addition, the research team is conducting further research on whether the bias that socioeconomic status has on pain judgment extends to children.