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Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports 4/2024

15-02-2024 | Spinal Cord Stimulation | Chronic Pain Medicine (O Viswanath, Section Editor)

Treatment Disparities in Hispanic Patients with Chronic Pain: An Evidence-Based Narrative Review

Authors: Stephanie Crimmel, Lizbeth Hu, Ryan S. D’Souza, Eric J. Wang

Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports | Issue 4/2024

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize healthcare disparities experienced by Hispanic and Latino/Latinx patients with chronic pain, evaluate the existing literature exploring the specific therapeutic inequities affecting this patient population, and identify gaps in the literature requiring future study.

Recent Findings

Hispanic and Latino/Latinx patients experience disparities in chronic pain management. They are less likely to be prescribed pharmacologic therapies, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids. Hispanic and Latino/Latinx patients are also less likely to receive spinal cord stimulators and may be charged higher costs for them. There are no published studies specifically assessing Hispanic and Latino/Latinx patients’ utilization and outcomes from other common interventional pain procedures (e.g., epidural steroid injections, radiofrequency ablation). Limited data suggest non-pharmacologic treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and complementary/integrative health modalities, might have more benefit for this population, potentially because of greater utilization.

Summary

Hispanic and Latino/Latinx patients experience disparities in chronic pain management. There is a paucity of data available pertaining specifically to pain-related outcomes and the utilization of pain treatment modalities, especially in regard to interventional procedures. Additional research is urgently needed in order to understand the full extent of these disparities and develop solutions to provide more equitable care.
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Metadata
Title
Treatment Disparities in Hispanic Patients with Chronic Pain: An Evidence-Based Narrative Review
Authors
Stephanie Crimmel
Lizbeth Hu
Ryan S. D’Souza
Eric J. Wang
Publication date
15-02-2024
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Pain and Headache Reports / Issue 4/2024
Print ISSN: 1531-3433
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3081
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-024-01220-y

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