Māori and pain

Abstract

Pain is subjective and is therefore a complex and difficult health issue to address. In-depth understanding is required for improvements to be made in how it is managed. Research suggests that culture plays a role in pain experiences, but very little such research has been conducted in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Significant health disparities exist between Māori (the indigenous people) and Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent), and could also exist in pain experience. We reviewed the sparse, diverse literature on Māori and pain and found patchy, inconsistent coverage, arising perhaps from the range of methodologies used and types of pain covered, with a distinct gap around chronic pain. Although pain is a significant area of Māori health, none of the research explored the lived experience of pain from a Māori perspective. The need for in-depth research using a Kaupapa Māori (Māori theory) approach to address this under-researched issue is discussed.