Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Purpose: Although racial and ethnic cancer pain disparities are well-documented, there is insufficient Asian American representation in extant literature, leading to inadequate knowledge about pain outcomes in this population. In addition, the prevalence of depression and its relationship with cancer pain in Asian American patients are poorly characterized. This study evaluated pain differences between Asian American and white patients with cancer and the role of depressive symptoms. Methods: Data from two randomized clinical trials investigating integrative therapies for chronic musculoskeletal cancer pain were analyzed to examine the association between race and pain interference using bivariate analyses and linear regression models. We pooled participants from both trials, which enrolled cancer patients with pain and used identical pain and depression assessments, to increase the sample size of Asian American cancer patients, a historically underrepresented population in pain and depression research. Results: Compared to White counterparts, Asian American patients reported greater pain interference (5.5 vs. 4.7, p = 0.016) and depressive symptoms (7.1 vs. 5.9, p = 0.047). The Asian race was associated with pain interference (coef. = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.1 to 1.5, p = 0.016) in bivariate analysis. When depressive symptoms were added to regression models, Asian race was no longer associated with pain interference (coef. = 0.51, 95% CI: −0.09 to 1.1, p = 0.097). Conclusions: Higher pain interference levels among Asian Americans were partly driven by greater depression severity. These findings highlight the mental health burden among the Asian American cancer population and suggest that treatment for depressive symptoms may need to be incorporated in oncology care and pain management for this population. Importantly, results suggest Asian Americans affected by cancer may be at increased risk for poorly managed pain and depressive symptoms.
Source: Journal of Palliative Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G2800195642, G3451920876, G4102770861, G4119534169, G4245701555, G5804639186, G5850682332, G613936551, State opioid limits, formulary design, and intended and unintended consequences for people with cancer, Comparative Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Chronic Pain and Comorbid Conditions in Veterans, Opioid Treatment of Pain in People with Cancer: Intended and unintended consequences of state policies addressing opioid prescribing, Cancer Center Support Grant, Acupuncture for Cognitive Health in Older Survivors of Prostate Cancer (ACHIEVE)
OpenAlex ID: W7117307151