Health and Illness Beliefs Regarding Pain and Pain Management of New Zealand Resident Sāmoan Community Leaders: A Qualitative Interpretive Study Based on Pasifika Paradigms
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Australian Health Promotion Association
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED: Ethnic disparities in chronic pain exist in Aotearoa New Zealand, including a greater impact of pain, less access to chronic pain services and less benefit from treatment for Pasifika people. This study investigated Sāmoan health perceptions and beliefs in relation to pain and how it is managed. METHODS: An interpretive descriptive study was undertaken involving interviews with nine Sāmoan key informants from Aotearoa New Zealand. Interviews explored their beliefs in relation to interpretations of pain and experiences of and preferences for pain management. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four main themes were constructed from the data. Pain is interpreted holistically described the attribution of pain to many causes, without limitation to physiological explanations. Stoicism is a character virtue described the predominant belief that pain should be endured without display or complaint. Strength in connectivity described the inherent pain coping strategies that are present within Sāmoan communities. To improve healthcare is to nurture vā described the disconnect Sāmoan people feel from healthcare services and the need to foster relationships to improve health delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Sāmoan people have beliefs and perceptions about pain and its management that extend beyond traditional Western interpretations. While pain is often endured using traditional strengths within the 'āīga (family) and community, the Sāmoan community faces challenges in receiving healthcare from mainstream pain services. SO WHAT?: Clinicians need to foster stronger relationships with Sāmoan individuals and their 'āīga and appreciate the wider psychosocial context of pain, including spirituality.Description
Keywords
chronic disease, culturally and linguistically diverse people, Pacific Island people, Pacific Island people, chronic disease, culturally and linguistically diverse people, 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 4201 Allied Health and Rehabilitation Science, 4203 Health Services and Systems, 3202 Clinical Sciences, 42 Health Sciences, Pain Research, Behavioral and Social Science, Chronic Pain, Neurosciences, 7.1 Individual care needs, 3 Good Health and Well Being, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, Public Health, 3210 Nutrition and dietetics, 4203 Health services and systems, 4206 Public health
Source
Health Promotion Journal of Australia, ISSN: 1036-1073 (Print); 1036-1073 (Online), Australian Health Promotion Association, 35(3), 724-733. doi: 10.1002/hpja.800
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© 2023 The Authors. Health Promotion Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.