Medium: Oil Pastels

Abstract 

By Caroline Kee

         There is a disproportionate distribution and access to opioids across patients of different races and ethnicities. Patients who identify as Black have greater risk of opioid dose reduction than White patients despite comparable pain perception and pain management. Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) have complex pain management needs that are often under-assessed and mismanaged in acute care settings. If acute pain is not managed effectively due to differences in race or SUD status, then patients may be at increased risk for worse pain outcomes and greater healthcare utilization. This study examines Emergency Department (ED) utilization for pain-related complaints between patients with SUD who identify as Black or African American compared to White patients following orthopedic trauma. The difference in ED return rates between White and Black patients with SUDs following orthopedic trauma illustrates a need for optimal pain management prior to original discharge. Healthcare utilization and costs following discharge can potentially be mitigated by optimizing nurse-led pain assessments to inform effective pain management among diverse patients living with SUDs seen in acute care settings.