Ethnic differences influence care giver's estimates of pain during labour

The present study compared the childbirth experience of two different ethnic groups living in the same area and sharing the same medical facilities. We investigated the influence of ethnic differences between patient and care provider on the interpretation of pain. The subjects were 225 Jewish and 192 Bedouin parturients, who were prospectively evaluated for their labour pain experience. The pain intensity level was assessed by the parturient (`self-reported pain') and by a Jewish doctor and midwife (`exhibited pain') in the initial active phase of labour, using the visual analog scale (VAS). On the day after delivery, the women were asked to evaluate the present pain intensity level. Although the means of the self-assessments of pain intensity levels at the initial active phase of Jewish and Bedouin parturients were similar (8.55 and 8.53 respectively, P=0.25), the Jewish medical staff interpreted Bedouin women to experience less pain than Jewish women (6.89 vs. 8.52, P