The cultural language of pain: a South African study

Abstract

Background: Culture is the framework that directs human behaviour in a given situation. Accordingly, culture also influences the meaning and expression of pain. However, the influence of culture on the communication of pain is not always understood and considered by healthcare practitioners. It is often erroneously anticipated that all children (irrespective of cultural origin) will express pain either through quiet endurance or loud verbal complaints. This view could contribute to the inadequate management of pain that is so often described in pain literature. Pain assessment and measurement are integral components of pain management, but are often negatively affected by the healthcare professional’s pre-conceived ideas, as well as by his or her inability to understand the cultural meaning of pain, the non-verbal and verbal language of pain, and the patient’s ability to cope with pain.