Ethnic differences in analgesic consumption for postoperative pain.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of patient ethnicity on receipt of postoperative analgesia.


METHODS
Chart review of 250 consecutive patients hospitalized for open reduction and internal fixation of a limb fracture. Analgesics consumption in the postoperative period was measured in terms of morphine equivalents.


RESULTS
There were significant differences (p < .005) in analgesics administered to black, Hispanic, and white patients. Whites received 22 mg/day, blacks 16 mg/day, and Hispanics 13 mg/day. These ethnic differences persisted after controlling for possible confounding variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnicity exerts a powerful impact on medical care. We cannot determine from our data whether these differences stem from differences in pain behavior of the patients or differences in medical staff's perception and treatment of such patients.
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Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0804, USA.
Dimsdale
J E
JE
Shragg
G P
GP
Deutsch
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D044465:White People
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid