Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pain Burden and Pain Management in the Context of Opioid Overdose Risk

Purpose of Review Opioid deaths have risen to unprecedented rates in the USA. Efforts to mitigate the opioid crisis include supply-side strategies that reduce opioid availability. However, Patients of Color have historically reported less access to analgesia and worse pain burden and pain management than Whites. In this narrative review, we examine the recent literature on racial/ethnic disparities in pain care, including opioid access, and provide recommendations for advancing equity in pain management.