"I'm just not that sick": pain medication and identity in Mexican American women with chronic pain.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the beliefs and attitudes about self-identity and pain medication in a sample of Mexican American women with chronic pain living in the El Paso, Texas, area. The findings are drawn from a larger qualitative study of 15 women describing the expression and communication of chronic pain symptoms, pain-related cultural beliefs, decision making, and treatment preferences of chronic pain.


METHODS
Participants who had chronic pain syndromes for at least 1 year were recruited from a pain clinic and fibromyalgia support group. In-depth, open-ended interviews, fieldwork, and participant observation were used to gather information using a focused clinical ethnographic approach. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim.


RESULTS
A shared central theme was controlling the use of pain medications to control perceived negative associations with pain medication. The negative associations resulted in women rejecting use of medication to preserve their legitimate identity. This perception can be destructive and can lead to poor pain control.


CONCLUSIONS
Providing patients with anticipatory guidance about common barriers to taking pain medication may allow medication use consistent with improved pain control.
University of Texas at El Paso School of Nursing, El Paso, Texas 79968, USA. dimonsivais@utep.edu
Diane B
DB
Monsivais
Joan C
JC
Engebretson
D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000208:ethnology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology
D000700:Analgesics