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Strategies for approaching common issues in palliative and end-of-life care that may be culturally influenced: Taking a culturally appropriate pain history

Strategies for approaching common issues in palliative and end-of-life care that may be culturally influenced: Taking a culturally appropriate pain history
Strategies Suggested phrases and tools
  • Consider using an "explanatory models approach"[1] to learn more about how patients' social and cultural backgrounds influence their experience of pain.[1,2]
  • "What do you think is causing your pain?"
  • "What problems does the pain cause you?"
  • "How does the pain affect your body and your mind?"
  • "What do you fear most about the pain?"
  • "What have you used to help with the pain? How does it help?"
  • "What treatments do you think might help you with the pain?"
References:
  1. Kleinman A, Benson P. Anthropology in the clinic: the problem of cultural competency and how to fix it. PLoS Med 2006; 3:e294.
  2. Lasch KE. Culture, pain, and culturally sensitive pain care. Pain Manag Nurs 2000; 1:16.
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