Understanding gender differences in postoperative pain may improve nursing care. The study investigated gender differences in pain perception and management among postoperative patients in tertiary hospitals in Osun State, Nigeria. A Sequential mixed-methods design was used. A survey of 310 patients (125 male, 185 female) across three tertiary hospitals measured pain using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours, as well as pain management satisfaction. Ten patients (6 male, 4 female) completed phenomenological interviews. Analysis used repeated-measures ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, and thematic analysis. Results showed that females reported higher pain than males during the first 24 hours (p<0.001). Satisfaction did not differ by gender (p=0.445). Female patients communicated pain non-verbally; anxiety and religious framing shaped coping; non-pharmacological strategies were underused. Nurses should do scheduled pain assessments, recognise gendered communication, and teach non-pharmacological strategies.
Keywords: Gender differences, pain management., pain perception, postoperative pain
