Ethnic and Religious Influences on Pain-Related Misperceptions Among Nigerian Medical Students

Pain-related myths and misperceptions among medical students can impact their future clinical practice. This study examined these beliefs among Nigerian medical undergraduates and explored the influence of ethnicity and religiosity. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinical-year students in five Nigerian medical schools, using a newly developed 35-item questionnaire to assess pain-related beliefs and the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) to measure religiosity. Of 751 eligible students, 360 participated (47.9% response rate). Common misperceptions included beliefs that most patients use pain to gain attention (53.3%) and that opioids are dangerous due to addiction risk (64.4%). Ethnicity influenced these perceptions, with Hausa/Fulani students endorsing pain endurance and stoicism more strongly. Religiosity also played a role, with Muslim students more likely to trivialize pain (p &lt; 0.05). Weak but significant correlations were found between extrinsic religiosity and pain-related beliefs (rhos = 0.20, p &lt; 0.001). These findings highlight the need for enhanced pain management education in medical curricula, addressing cultural and religious biases to ensure evidence-based clinical practice and improve patient care outcomes.<br>