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A recent study reveals significant racial disparities in post-surgical pain management, showing that Black patients are less likely to receive multimodal pain medication combinations compared to White patients. This study was presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists' annual meeting in Philadelphia and has raised concerns about equitable healthcare in postoperative care.

Research conducted at Johns Hopkins Hospital between July 2016 and July 2021 focused on thoracic and abdominal surgical procedures requiring intensive care admissions within 24 hours after surgery. The analysis included data from 482 Black adults and 2,460 White adults. The study found that Black patients had a 74% higher likelihood of being prescribed opioids post-surgery. In contrast, they were 29% less likely to receive comprehensive multimodal analgesia, which involves using four or more pain management methods.

Multimodal analgesia employs various medications and techniques to better control pain while reducing reliance on opioids. Dr. Nauder Faraday, an author of the study and professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, emphasizes that this approach combines different methods, which can lead to superior pain relief and diminished narcotic use. Despite the advantages, fewer Black patients benefit from this method.

The research suggests significant racial disparities in the application of advanced pain management techniques, yet there’s a noted absence of data on individual pain levels. Additional studies could provide further insights, especially to understand whether these disparities extend to other racial and ethnic groups.

Dr. Eli Carrillo from Stanford Medicine, who was not involved in the study, points out that understanding each patient's self-reported pain level would enhance the findings. Carrillo’s previous research, published in JAMA Network Open, similarly identified that Black and Brown patients are less likely to have their pain severity recorded and are less frequently administered painkillers compared to their White counterparts.

The implications of these findings are profound, as inadequate pain management can adversely affect quality of life and patient outcomes. Dr. Dionne Ibekie, an anesthesiologist from Illinois, reiterates the importance of addressing "medical racism," emphasizing that biases, even if unconscious, can lead to inadequate pain treatment for Black patients.

This study is part of ongoing research revealing systemic issues in healthcare. Previous studies, such as one from 2007 published in the Journal of the National Medical Association, found that physicians are twice as likely to underestimate the pain in Black patients compared to other ethnicities.

The KFF Survey on Racism, Discrimination, and Health released last year highlighted that 15% of Black patients reported being denied necessary pain medication, a figure significantly higher compared to other racial groups.

Moreover, another study presented at the same meeting highlighted racial disparities in access to helicopter transport in medical emergencies, further underlining the systemic inequities in urgent medical care.

Researchers insist on the need for systematic changes in medical practice and further research to ensure equitable treatment and pain management for all patients, irrespective of race or ethnicity.