CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF PATIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF PAIN (KOREAN-AMERICAN, OBSTETRICS).
Contributors: Columbia University. Teachers College.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 175
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Anthropology, Cultural.; Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Description: This study explored the differences and similarities in the perception of pain reported between Korean-American and White-American obstetric patients, describing whether the different ethno-cultural background of patients affected their perception of pain. It also described whether the certain psychological factors influence their perception of pain.

This study reviewed the literature in the area of concepts and theories of pain, cultural and ethnic factors in pain, and psychosocial factors as mediators in labor pain. Gate control theory is the basis of the theoretical framework for the study. The Gate Control theory of pain emphasizes the tremendous role of psychological variables in the perception of pain and behavioral responses to pain.

The sample consisted of 124 obstetric patients, 67 White-American and 57 Korean-American patients, who had delivered a baby within last 12 to 24 hours of the interview in a large community hospital in Queens, New York city.

A Chi-square was computed on sociodemographic items to determine any significant differences in the characteristics of the groups. A t-test and one way analysis of variance with a level of significance at.05 was performed on the perception of pain in intensity and quality using the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire to determine if there were significant differences in the perception of pain between the White-American and the Korean-American patients.

The results indicated that there were some statistically significant differences in the quality of pain especially in affective type of pain experience and overall evaluation of pain while no significant differences appeared in the pain intensity in general between the two groups.

In terms of psychosocial variables as mediating factors in labor pain, the results revealed conflicting but interesting phenomena between the two groups. The study indicated that the cross-cultural differences are not all or none phenomena, but rather there is cultural universality as well as cultural diversity in the perception of pain between the Korean-American and the White-American patients. These findings further serve as the basis for understanding the culturally diverse groups of patients.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-07, Section: B, page: 3325.

Thesis (ED.D.)--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE, 1990.

School code: 0055.