Pain catastrophizing (PC) and fear of pain (FOP) are understudied across different race/ethnicity minorities. The association between these constructs and psychological disorders with relation to chronic pain are understudied as well. Prior research indicates that racial/ethnic minority populations may engage in more PC and FOP than white, non-Hispanic populations. These studies, however, have only examined macro-level differences between white, non-Hispanic and minority populations. Less is known about the nuanced differences in PC and FOP across individual racial/ethnic groups (i.e., white vs. Asian vs. Black/African American). The current study explores between-group differences in PC and FOP across diverse racial/ethnic groups of youth with chronic pain while also observing the association between anxiety/depression and PC/FOP in these populations. Youth (ages 11-17) with chronic pain presenting for treatment to a tertiary pediatric pain clinic completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), which includes a total score and subscales (i.e., rumination, magnification, and helplessness) and the Fear of Pain Questionnaire. Racial/ethnic group sizes were as follows: Black/non-Hispanic (N = 29), Hispanic (N = 58), Asian (N = 17), another race/non-Hispanic (N = 37), and Multiracial (N = 15). One-way ANOVAs were conducted to test differences in the PCS total score and subscales as well as FOP among racial/ethnic groups, and Chi-square analyses were conducted to test the association between binary codes of anxiety/depression diagnoses provided in the data repository and the race/ethnicity minorities, respectively. Results revealed non-significant differences in total PCS and PCS subscales across race/ethnicity minority groups. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in FOP across race/ethnicity minority groups. However, there were some clinically significant differences between mean PCS and FOP scores across certain racial/ethnic minority groups. Finally, no significant associations emerged between anxiety and race/ethnicities or between depression and race/ethnicities. Findings suggest that youth with chronic pain may experience PC and FOP similarly regardless of their racial/ethnic backgrounds. However, these findings were limited by small sample sizes across groups, and future research with larger sample sizes is warranted. These results can inform continued exploration and sensitivity to diversity, equity, and inclusivity issues in healthcare for pediatric chronic pain patients.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/48382 |
| Date | 09 March 2024 |
| Creators | Srinath, Aarabhi Namrata |
| Contributors | Spencer, Jean L., Nelson, Sarah |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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