Understanding the Postpartum Pain Experience in Women of Minority Race/Ethnicity

Opioid misuse has been declared a national emergency in the United States. Although the opioid epidemic has touched all communities, there is a differential impact based on race and ethnicity. In particular, data has shown that individuals of minority race/ ethnicity are less likely to receive an opioid for pain management than non- Hispanic white individuals. As birth is the most common reason for hospitalization, women of reproductive age are particularly vulnerable to opioid exposure and to experiencing disparities in pain management. Indeed, our data have demonstrated the high frequency of inpatient and outpatient opioid use and wide variation in management of postpartum pain. Notably, data has shown that, despite reporting higher levels of pain postpartum, minority race/ ethnicity women receive less opioid treatment as inpatients and are less frequently prescribed an opioid upon hospital discharge. Despite this plethora of quantitative data, few reports have explored women's perspectives on the postpartum pain experience and disparities therein.

The investigators propose a qualitative study of women's experience with pain management in the postpartum period. This proposal aims to fill an unmet need for a systematic, in-depth, and unbiased evaluation of women's postpartum pain experiences, with a focus on racial/ ethnic disparities. The investigators will conduct in-depth interviews on the postpartum pain experience among low-income women who have undergone cesarean delivery.

The first interview will be approximately 60 minutes long and will take place during the postpartum hospitalization during days 1 through 4. All efforts will be made to interview the participant at a time when she is comfortable, free of distraction, and not experiencing any medical complications. Interviews will be conducted privately in the participant's hospital room. All guests will be asked to leave the room for the interview and clinical interruptions will be minimized. Interviewers will be trained in the confidential and sensitive conduct of interviews about these topics. Interviews will be conducted by experienced research personnel trained to perform in-depth, unbiased, professional interviews and who are fluent in English and Spanish. The second interview will be by phone for 2 to 4 weeks after hospital discharge that will last approximately 45 minutes.

Interview topics will address identify themes related to autonomy, respect, cultural views on pain management, feeling heard/valued, communication with care team, understanding pain management options, medication administration timing, and perceptions of provider judgment related to opioids. This interview will also ask participants to self-identify their race and ethnicity. Interviews will be audio-recorded. After completion of the interviews, the digital audio files will be professionally transcribed prior to analysis.

This project takes an innovative approach in targeting health disparities in racial/ ethnic minorities, who are disproportionately affected by maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. Optimizing postpartum health, reducing opioid overuse, and reducing disparities in care and outcomes are critical goals of major professional societies and the NICHD 2020 strategic plan. Understand the postpartum pain experience will inform future implementation studies by providing an essential missing piece: women's voices and perspectives. Furthermore, this work aims to identify root causes of racial/ ethnic disparities in postpartum opioid use and pain management and allow a foundation from which to enact systems and policies which guard against such disparities.