FRIDAY, May 7, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- Prescription pain medications are hard to find if you live in a predominantly non-white neighborhood, claims new research.
The study, presented Friday at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society in Vancouver, found that only half the pharmacies in non-white areas surveyed by a University of Michigan team had even a scant supply of the kinds of drugs used to treat severe chronic pain, such as back or joint aches.
They were compared to pharmacies in mostly white areas, where more than 90 percent had the drugs in stock.
Pharmacies in wealthier ZIP codes of any racial makeup tended to have a better supply of the drugs. The researchers also found that retail chain pharmacies were less likely than independent pharmacies to carry a sufficient stock.
The new results echo findings from New York City published by Columbia University researchers several years ago. But the authors of the new study noted their survey covered an entire state and looked at a broader range of drugs.
Previous studies have suggested that pharmacies in poorer or high-crime areas do not stock narcotic drugs because of the real or perceived threat of robbery, the Michigan researchers note.
"Given the incredible impact on daily function, quality of life and economic output that chronic pain can have, this is a crucial issue for physicians and health-care providers to be sensitive to when treating patients who live in areas with large minority populations," lead researcher Dr. Carmen R. Green said in a prepared statement.
More information
The American Pain Foundation has more about coping with pain.
