Racial disparities seen in how doctors treat pain, even among children

As many doctors, nurses and other health workers have joined protests against systemic racism, research has shown that racial bias is pervasive in health care, perhaps most apparent in the assessment and treatment of pain.

The strongest evidence of this comes from a clinical setting commonly requiring surgery — acute appendicitis. Not only are there clear racial disparities in pain relief provided even in this acute condition, but they are found even for treatment of children.