1. Title: A study to assess the ethnic /cultural differences on pain perception among a selected group of orthopedic patients who has underwent Total Knee Replacement (TKR), an improvement project in a General Multispecialty Hospital at Doha – Qatar.
2. Abstract Working in an ethnically diverse environment means clinicians/nurses regularly come in contact with patients from multicultural societies. The understanding of the concept of pain and the influences of culture or ethnicity on its perception helps in customizing the management of pain among the affected population. The experience of pain is worldwide, but is expressed variably by different people. (Glanti, G-A., 2008). A person’s ethnicity /culture influence his/her beliefs, behavior, emotions and these factors have marked implications on their health and health care activities. These factors are directly related to their decision-making in terms of health improvement lifestyles and seeking medical treatment when in need. A clinician’s understanding regarding multicultural influences, facilitate the response to the
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Untreated pain can interfere with the healing process, both by reducing the amount of movement that is comfortable to the patient and by compromising the immunity. There are studies done which comment that African – Americans have a greater severity of pain perception, while others indicate higher levels in the white population. Majority of people from the western world view germs as the reason for all diseases. However, they also believe are other reasons behind it like imbalance between the body systems, soul loss, soul theft, possession by spirits, etc., It is the cultural orientation of a person that decides how pain is expressed and what is the level of tolerance he/she has towards it and at what point do they seek medical attwntion for it. (Helman, 2001; Honeyman & Jacobs, 1996; Ramer et al.,