The Intersection of Pain and Culture
Course Overview
Pain is invisible, and diagnosis depends on patients' reports. These factors contribute to the treatment of pain to be devalued and stigmatized. When issues of culture, race, and ethnicity come into play with pain experiences, it becomes even more complex. Assessing the interaction between how patients construct the meaning and subjective experiences of pain is necessary, rather than simply dealing with only the biomedical causes. Consequently, pain may be universal, but culture influences the creation of meanings, patient experiences, verbal expressions, and coping with pain.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Define pain.
- Discuss the changing demographic trends that contribute to the United States' multicultural landscape.
- Define culture, race, and ethnicity.
- Analyze how culture, race and ethnicity influence how pain is defined, expressed, and experienced.
- Discuss how different racial and ethnic minority groups utilize different terms for pain.
- Identify how different racial and ethnic minority groups respond to and cope with pain.
- Explain how different racial and ethnic minority groups seek help with pain.
- Discuss the factors that contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in pain management.
- Identify pain rating scales and instruments and how culture influences these rating scales.
- Discuss best practice guidelines for assessments and interventions that are culturally relevant and competent.
About the Author/Presenter
Alice Yick Flanagan, PhD, MSW, received her Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University, School of Social Work. She has clinical experience in mental health in correctional settings, psychiatric hospitals, and community health centers. In 1997, she received her PhD from UCLA, School of Public Policy and Social Research. Dr. Yick Flanagan completed a year-long post-doctoral fellowship at Hunter College, School of Social Work in 1999. In that year she taught the course Research Methods and Violence Against Women to Masters degree students, as well as conducting qualitative research studies on death and dying in Chinese American families.
Previously acting as a faculty member at Capella University and Northcentral University, Dr. Yick Flanagan is currently a contributing faculty member at Walden University, School of Social Work, and a dissertation chair at Grand Canyon University, College of Doctoral Studies, working with Industrial Organizational Psychology doctoral students. She also serves as a consultant/subject matter expert for the New York City Board of Education and publishing companies for online curriculum development, developing practice MCAT questions in the area of psychology and sociology. Her research focus is on the area of culture and mental health in ethnic minority communities.
Audience/Accreditations and Approvals
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details):
Counselor, Nursing, Physician, Social Work
If you require special accommodations, please contact Colibri Healthcare Support by clicking here: Contact Us
