The Intersectionality of Chronic Pain Stigma and Racial Discrimination in Black and White Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain

Overview

Journal Pain Med

Specialties Critical Care
Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2024 Nov 9

PMID 39520539

Authors

Jenna M Wilson

Staja Q Booker

Burel R Goodin

Pavithra A Thomas

Robert E Sorge

Tammie L Quinn

Matthew C Morris

Edwin N Aroke

Samantha M Meints

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: We examined the intersection between chronic pain stigma and racial discrimination, separately among Black and White US adults with chronic low back pain.

Methods: Participants completed measures of chronic pain stigma, lifetime experiences of racial discrimination, pain severity and interference. A composite variable representing the intersectionality of stigma and discrimination was created, and Black and White participants were separately categorized into 4 groups. Black participants were categorized as: (1) high discrimination/high stigma, (2) high discrimination/low stigma, (3) low discrimination/high stigma, and (4) low discrimination/low stigma. White participants were categorized as: (1) any discrimination/high stigma, (2) any discrimination/low stigma, (3) no discrimination/high stigma, and (4) no discrimination/low stigma.

Results: Black participants reported more frequent experiences of racial discrimination than White participants (P < .05), but there was not a racial difference in chronic pain stigma (P > .05). Among Black participants, those in the high discrimination/high stigma and low discrimination/high stigma groups reported greater pain severity and interference than those in the high discrimination/low stigma and low discrimination/low stigma groups (P < .05). Among White participants, those in the any discrimination/high stigma group reported greater pain severity and interference than those in the no discrimination/low stigma group (P < .05), but there were no differences in pain severity or interference between the any discrimination/no stigma and no discrimination/high stigma groups (P > .05).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the relationship of intersectional chronic pain stigma and racial discrimination with pain is nuanced and differs across racial groups.

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