As a classic tool for pain evaluation, the MPQ has been translated into several languages and used in cross-cultural research translations. Pain is an unrelenting fact of human life. Although nearly all people experience pain sensations similarly, there are vast differences in the expression of pain. Both personal and cultural meanings are important in the experience and treatment of pain. An appreciation of the influence of culture on communication about pain, affective response to pain, conditioning for pain, meaning of pain, and biological differences is important if patients are to be responded to effectively.
Culture significantly affects both the assessment and management of people in pain.
Nursing, medical, and hospital cultures influence pain assessment, decision making, and care. An understanding of the impact of culture on the pain experience is crucial to effective care. It is often best to anticipate a patient's pain needs, since cultural or religious reasons may inhibit a patient from requesting pain medication even when it is medically necessary for recovery. Also, not every patient will share a desire for the least intrusive medication possible. References Bakker, L. Communicating across cultures.