title: An ethnographic exploration of postoperative pain experiences among Ghanaian surgical patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The experience of pain associated with surgery has been a challenge for health care professionals for many years, and culture is said to influence pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study focused on patients' experiences of postoperative pain (POP) and factors that affect POP.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study employed qualitative ethnographic principles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected through individual face-to-face interviews. Data were saturated after analyzing data from 13 patients from two hospitals in Ghana.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Themes that emerged were the subjective nature of pain, which described pain dimensions and communication; psycho-sociocultural factors, such as personal inclinations and sociocultural background; and health system factors, such as personnel attitudes and health financing.
  Health professionals need to understand the sociocultural effects of pain in order to give effective care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlighted the need for patient education and the importance that health care professionals understand context-specific factors that influence POP management.
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana aziatol@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aziato
authors.affiliation: University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
authors.forename: Oluyinka
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adejumo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000451:nursing; D058748:Pain Perception; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology*; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: culture; pain management; pain response; patients’ experience; postoperative pain