Abstract

Managing pain is often a challenge for health professionals. This challenge is compounded when the patient in pain is dying. Living in an ethnically and culturally diverse society requires healthcare providers to respect and take into account the particular cultures from which their patients come. Health professionals and teams who learn the nuances of culture are rewarded with the knowledge they have been more effective in managing their patients' pain. Also, they are better able to help the family and friends of their patients adjust to the dying process. Keeping in mind the beliefs, experiences, and values of the patients and their families improves the quality of the medical care provided. Pain is perceived by the patient, and can only be reported by the patient. Pain is, therefore subjective, and, depending on the verbal skills of the patient, can be difficult to describe. Putting pain into words requires a degree of self-awareness and is coloured by the cultural background of the patient