Differences between Hispanic and white respondents on the prevalence of pain interference, and on the strength of the associations between pain interference and specific psychiatric disorders and general medical conditions, underscore the complexity of ethnic health disparities, a recent cross-sectional, retrospective study found. Participants comprised 32,574 (14% Hispanic; 86% white) National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions respondents. Researchers found:

• While Hispanic respondents were less likely than white respondents to report severe pain interference (11.4% vs 11.9%) or moderate pain interference (5.7% vs 7.8%), and were more likely to report no or low pain interference (82.9% vs 80.3%), the magnitude of these ethnic group differences was relatively small.
• Pain interference was associated with multiple past-year psychiatric disorders and general medical conditions in both Hispanic and white respondents.
• Stronger relationships were observed in Hispanic compared to white respondents between moderate pain interference and any heart condition, tachycardia, and hypertension, and between severe pain interference and any mood disorder.
• Stronger relationships were observed in white compared to Hispanic respondents between severe pain interference and both social phobia and any stomach condition.