Provide names of other journalists involved.
None
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Apr-11
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Women experience more pain than men. But they are less likely to receive adequate pain treatment from doctors. This story looks at the reasons women’s pain is inadequately treated, and gives advice on how women in pain can get the care they need.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
I did a thorough review of the latest research on gender and pain treatment. I also consulted government reports and position papers from professional medical organizations.
Explain types of human sources used.
I interviewed women who suffered from various kinds of pain, doctors who treat pain, and researchers who study pain. I also interviewed experts who were knowledgeable about how women can do a better job of communicating about pain with their healthcare providers.
Results:
I found that pain is undertreated in women–especially women of color and women in underserved communities. There is an unjustified fear among healthcare providers that if they prescribe pain medication, their patients will become addicted. But the facts don’t support that, and as a result, many people suffer needlessly. Pain researchers are trying to make women and healthcare providers more aware of this hidden problem.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Pain is a complicated topic because it is subjective and hard to measure. There is also an incorrect assumption among healthcare providers that people who use pain medication–especially women and people of color–are likely to become addicted to it. I would recommend that journalists writing about pain dig deep to get facts, rather than just the commonly held (and often incorrect) assumptions. This is an area in which the conventional wisdom among healthcare providers is often wrong.