Cultural Factors Influencing Children's Pain

• Main Authors: Anna-Maija Pietilä, Katri Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Päivi Kankkunen, Merja Nikkonen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Professor Despina Sapountzi-Krepia 2009-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Caring Sciences
• Subjects: child; pain; cultural factors
• Online Access: http://internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org/docs/Vol2_Issue3_04_Kankkunen.pdf
• ISSN: 1791-5201; 1792-037X

Purpose: To describe the cultural factors that are related to children's pain based on research findings reported inscientific articles 1995-2009. These factors are important to identify to conduct culturally sensitive care for childrensuffering from pain.Methods: In this literature analysis, altogether 14 studies were analysed by using content analysis with Leininger'sCulture Care Theory (technological, religious and philosophical, kinship and social, cultural values and lifeways,political and legal, economic, educational factors) was used as framework for the analysis.Results: Religious and philosophical factors, kinship and social factors, cultural values and lifeways, political and legalfactors, and economical and educational factors were found to be related to children's pain. The relation was focused onboth acute, recurrent and chronic pain.Discussion and conclusions: In a global view, there are several cultural factors that are related to children's pain indifferent settings. Many of these factors are culturally valued and could be difficult to modify. More research is neededto understand specific cultural influences that maintain traditions and practices leading to children's suffering from pain.Implications for practice: Nurses should be aware of cultural factors that may have influence on children's pain. Byproviding information to children and their parents some of these traditions and cultural factors might be modified.