Hosted by the School of Psychological Science
Abstract: Pain inequities are a global concern. Decades of research indicate that people from ethnic-minoritised groups consistently receive less adequate treatment for acute and chronic pain than white groups, even after controlling for age, gender, and pain intensity. In this talk, I will highlight this scholarship and discuss the experiences of children and young people living with sickle cell disease (SCD) as pain inequities are exemplified in this population. Here, I will present empirical research showing that children and young people living with SCD are labelled as “drug-seekers,” leading to the underestimation of pain, longer wait times, and inappropriate and delayed treatment. I will present findings from a recent study that calls attention to the interplay between institutional racism and procedural justice in people’s views on a pain encounter. Finally, I will discuss the Racism Exposure and Trauma Accumulation Perpetuate Pain Inequities – Advocating for Change (RESTORATIVE) model, which is a novel conceptual framework that integrates the models of racism and pain and demonstrates how the shared contribution of trauma symptoms (e.g., racism-based traumatic stress and PTSD) maintains and perpetuates chronic pain for racialised groups. I will utilise the RESTORATIVE model to describe specific, actionable steps to mitigate trauma and injustice.