Non-Scandinavian and Scandinavian women's expectations and experiences of acute pain

SummaryBackgroundCultural or ethnic background has been shown to be significant for how individuals experience pain. The aim of this study was to examine the expectation and experience of acute pain, the use of stress-coping styles, and the distribution of analgesics among non-Scandinavian and Scandinavian women in a dental treatment situation.MethodsInstruments used were the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS).ResultsNon-Scandinavian women rated both expected and experienced pain significantly higher than Scandinavian women. No significant differences were found in stress-coping styles or in the distribution of analgesics between the two groups.ConclusionNurses in acute pain situations must be aware of the need for appropriate assessment tools as well as the need to be sensitive to variations in both verbal and non-verbal communication styles across cultures.