A statement from U.S. Pain Foundation

As an organization, the U.S. Pain Foundation strongly condemns racism and inequality in all its forms. We are heartbroken at the unjust and unfair challenges that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) as well as LGBTQ+ individuals in our community have to face—on top of dealing with the difficulties of living with chronic illness. Studies repeatedly show that BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to face barriers to health care and be undertreated for pain. (You can read more about health care disparities from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.)

You have my commitment that we are taking a close look at ways we can better support our pain warriors from diverse backgrounds. As a starting point, we are in the process of forming a Disparities Solutions Advisory Council. This council will meet on a bimonthly basis and offer feedback on ways to ensure the organization’s programming and services can be more inclusive, culturally appropriate, and better address the unique health needs of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals who live with chronic pain. If you have any comments, feedback, or suggestions, I would be honored to hear them.

We were also honored to host a panel discussion last month on the topic of racial disparities in health care. While the event focused on disparities in migraine and headache care specifically, it is applicable to all types of pain management.

We are here, we are listening, and we are taking a closer look at how we can do more.

Sincerely,

Nicole Hemmenway
CEO, U.S. Pain Foundation