Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 2/2013

Cultural aspects in coping with cancer pain

We are cultural beings, and as such we are greatly influenced by each of the cultural groups we belong to - ethnic, religious, geographic, socioeconomic, and so on. Each of these groups influences the way we think and act by instilling in us both general and specific expectations of how the world works and how we should interact with it. Cultural paradigms map the „right“ ways to think and act in all kinds of situations. This article describes how and why culture affects both patients and health professional and offer optimal approach in pain management from culture prespective. The article can help better understand to doctor own reaction to some specific pain reactions of pain patients from different cultural and ethnic groups.

Keywords: pain, culture, responses to pain, pain management.