Gender Inequities in the Multiple Sclerosis Community: A Call for Action

,

doi:10.1002/ana.25359

Cited by 10 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The gender gap is also apparent within the pharmaceutical companies, which lead phase 3 trials in multiple sclerosis. A recent study stated that in 77% of the trials, the first author was male, compared to only 23% female ( 12 ); this disproportion of male vs. female speakers was also found to be true at satellite symposia in MS meetings ( 8 ) and further supported by our study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Quantification and recognition of the gender gap is the first step in taking action. Initiatives in the field of MS such as the one led by International Women in MS (IWIMS) ( 12 ) seek to promote mentoring and training networks for women in clinical practice and research. A call to action should focus on the convening power of the pharmaceutical industry, academic leaders, editorial committees, and scientific societies so that greater representation of women and men is considered within their inclusion policies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Gender disparities in multiple sclerosis research and leadership: A Colombian perspective

Casallas-Vanegas

Guío-Sánchez²,

Reyes‐Mantilla³

et al. 2022

Front. Neurol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundThe neurological academic field is an illustrative example of persistent gender-related disparities reflected in compensation, funding, leadership, promotion, publishing, and recognition. Several studies indicate that neurology is one of the most underrepresented specialties with female physicians as first authors, but also has one of the highest gender payment gaps. Neglecting the role of women in academic leadership positions hinders the visibility and recognition of research and leadership in multiple sclerosis (MS). Increasing diversity within academia has positive effects, such as widening focus and expanding the plurality of research outputs. The gender gap and visibility of female MS clinicians and researchers remains an unexplored research topic in our country despite the rising number of female neurologists.ObjectiveThis study aims to establish the gender distribution between researchers and clinical neurologists in multiple sclerosis in Colombia and raise awareness about gender disparities in this area.MethodsWe applied a cross-sectional survey study of Colombian neurologists and neurology residents currently members of the Colombian Neurology Association. Mean and standard deviation (SD) were used for quantitative variables and frequency for qualitative variables. To evaluate the influence of gender, logarithmic regression was used. Data were analyzed in SPSS 26.ResultsA total of 201 participants agreed to complete the survey, most of whom were female (n = 135, 67.2%). All the Colombian regions were represented in the survey. Of those surveyed, 31.5% (n = 64) had an interest in demyelinating diseases and MS, of which 46.8% (n = 30) were female. Of the women with MS training, only 50% (n =5) had more than three publications as the first author of a scientific article compared to men (n = 5, 83%). After adjusting the number of publications by gender, there were no significant differences between men and women (median 2.0[2, 1.21] vs. 2[2, 0.5], p = 0.904). However, only 16.6% (n = 5) of women had a visible academic, leadership, or teaching position compared with men 75.7% (n = 25). When adjusting the salary income by gender, we found a statistically significant difference between women and men (median 2.0 [5, 1.47] vs. 3 [5, 1.65], p = 0.006). Women in MS earned between USD 2,500 and 3,800 per month; while men earned between USD 3,800 to 5,070.ConclusionDespite a higher number of female neurologists trained in MS in Colombia, our data suggest considerable differences and gender gaps with regard to diverse opportunities at the academic, salary promotion, leadership, teaching, and recognition levels between male and female MS neurologists.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%