Pain Management Across Cultures: A Qualitative Study of Chinese and British Perspectives
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Background: Pain is a prevalent health concern, but perceptions of pain and approaches to its management may be shaped by cultural and sociocultural factors. This study explored differences in attitudes towards pain and pain management between Chinese and British participants and examined factors that may influence these perceptions.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 14 participants, comprising eight Chinese and six British participants. Participants completed a questionnaire concerning pain-related health perceptions and subsequently participated in semi-structured online interviews exploring their attitudes towards pain and the factors influencing their views. Interviews were conducted with participants' consent, recorded and transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical approval was provided by the University of Glasgow Ethics Committee.Results: No clear difference in pain-related knowledge was identified between Chinese and British participants. However, cultural and sociocultural factors appeared to influence attitudes towards pain management. Traditional cultural beliefs were associated with greater resistance to the use of analgesic medication among Chinese participants. Differences were also observed in preferred approaches to pain relief, with Chinese participants more frequently referring to physiotherapy or naturopathy, while British participants more commonly favoured pharmacological approaches. Women generally described more positive approaches to pain management than men. Family, tradition, interpersonal relationships and healthcare infrastructure were identified as important influences on pain-related perceptions and management strategies.Conclusions: The findings suggest that pain-related perceptions and management preferences are influenced by a combination of cultural and wider sociocultural factors. Understanding these influences may help inform culturally responsive approaches to pain management. Given the small sample and qualitative design, the findings provide an exploratory account rather than evidence of population-level differences between Chinese and British populations.
Source: PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints)
Authors: Xiang Li, Samuel Bennett
Language: English
Subfield: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7213955432