Editor’s note: This seminar is the latest event in a series of seminars launched in May 2020 to help keep the pain research community connected during the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide all members of our community with virtual educational opportunities. The seminar series is supported by the Center for Advanced Pain Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas and The MAYDAY Fund.
The IASP Pain Research Forum hosted a seminar with Elizabeth Losin, PhD, University of Miami, US, on Thursday, July 8, 2021. A Q&A session moderated by Adam Hirsh, PhD, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, US, followed the presentation.
Here is an abstract from Dr. Losin
Individuals from ethnic minorities and women often report more pain and receive less pain treatment than men and ethnic majority individuals in both clinical and experimental settings. Although the existence of these pain disparities is well documented, the sociocultural factors contributing to them are not well understood, and even less is known about their neurobiological underpinnings. I will present a neurocultural model of pain that outlines and connects cultural and neurobiological mechanisms that may account for some of the observed ethnic group differences in pain. I will then present a number of studies that test some of the mechanisms outlined in the neurocultural model, specifically studies that address three potential contributors to gender and racial/ethnic disparities in pain and pain treatment: 1) Life history factors that could influence pain perception including experiences like discrimination and beliefs about the causes and consequences of pain, 2) The clinician-patient relationship, and 3) Clinicians' biases in perceiving their patients' pain and decisions on how to treat it.
About the presenter
Elizabeth Losin, PhD, is assistant professor of psychology and director of the Social and Cultural Neuroscience Lab at the University of Miami. She received her PhD in neuroscience from UCLA in 2012 and came to the University of Miami at the start of 2015. Her passion lies in combining her training in anthropology and neuroscience to explore the bidirectional relationship between culture and the brain. She has investigated how humans acquire cultural beliefs and practices through imitation, how these beliefs and practices shape psychology and brain function by comparing individuals with different sociocultural backgrounds, and how both processes impact human health and health care. Along with the SCN Lab members, she is currently focusing on how cultural experiences (e.g., discrimination) and social situations (e.g., the doctor-patient relationship) influence pain perception and the brain mechanisms underlying it. Dr. Losin is also fervid about sharing scientific knowledge and enthusiasm with the general public.
About the moderator
Adam Hirsh, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and associate professor at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. His lab conducts experimental and clinical research on the psychosocial factors that impact pain experience and judgments. To this end, they study providers of pain care, pediatric and adult patients who experience pain and their family members, and healthy laypersons.
Join the conversation about the seminar on Twitter @PainResForum #PRFSeminar
We thank the Center for Advanced Pain Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas and The MAYDAY Fund for their support of the PRF seminar series.
