Research has shown that both optimism and gender affects how we deal with different types of pain, however, it is still unclear which factor has the greatest impact on pain perception and pain tolerance. This study examined which variable, optimism or gender, had the greatest impact on pain. This study used both a convenience and snowball sampling consisting of a total of 45 students, 21 women and 24 men aged 19-39 years old. Optimism was measured by Life Orientation Test Revised and to measure pain perception, a cold pressor task was used. The results showed no significant differences between men and women in pain perception or pain tolerance. The results did not show any difference between optimists and pessimists regarding pain perception and pain tolerance either. These findings contradicted previous research and therefore the measurement instrument reliability in this study was questioned.

De genusrelaterade skillnaderna inom fenomenet smärta är en aspekt som måste betraktas i omvårdnadsarbetet. Många faktorer påverkar smärtupplevelsen och sjuksköterskan måste ta hänsyn till dessa för att kunna göra en korrekt bedömning. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om det fanns skillnader i män och kvinnors smärttröskel och smärttolerans, samt om skattningen av den upplevda smärtan skiljer sig mellan könen. En inriktning mot akut fysisk smärta har gjorts i detta arbete. Arbetet har utförts som en litteraturstudie som använt sig av databassökning för att inskaffa det vetenskapliga materialet. Studien har följt SBU:s steg för att finna de tio artiklar som har används för att besvara syftet. Artiklarna har kvalitetsbedömts efter en modifiering av Carlsson & Eimans (2003) ursprungliga kvalitetsbedömningsmall. Resultatet av studien visar på skillnader i både smärttröskel och smärttolerans, samt hur de olika könen skattar sin smärta. Enligt underlaget har män högre smärttröskel och smärttolerans än kvinnor, de rapporterar även mindre smärta och skattar sin upplevda smärta lägre. Det fanns även signifikanta siffror som visar att män rapporterar mindre smärta till en kvinna än till en man. Efter att ha djupare analyserat dessa fynd kan det ses att de olika studiernas resultat i vissa avseende talar emot varandra. / The gender related differences within the phenomenon pain is an aspect that must be considered in the nursing care. Many factors influence the experience of pain and the nurse has to regard these to be able to make a correct assessment. The aims of this study was to examine if there is any difference in pain threshold and pain tolerance between men and women, and if there is any gender difference in reporting experienced pain. A choice has been made to direct this study against acute, physical pain. The method that has been used for the study is a literature review, and to obtain the scientific material searching through databases has been made. The study has followed SBU’s steps for finding the ten articles that have been used to respond to the aims that were set. The quality of the articles was estimated with an evaluation form created by Carlsson & Eiman (2003) that was modified by the authors. The results of this study show differences in both pain threshold and pain tolerance, and in how pain is rated by the different genders. According to the material men have higher pain threshold and pain tolerance than women, and they also report less pain and rate the pain they experienced lower. There were also significant numbers showing that men report less pain to someone of the female sex then to the opposite. After having done a deeper analysis of these findings it can be seen that the results of the different studies used, in some aspects speak against each other.