Interrogation of women health researchers’ research findings on male dominance and women's research productivity in Nigeria

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BackgroundA critical analysis of trends in gender disparities in research productivity and leadership would facilitate the advancement of women in academia. The objective of this study is to explore the societal, institutional, and cultural factors contributing to gender disparities in research productivity and leadership in academic settings in Nigeria.MethodsThis research was part of a larger study aiming to understand the opportunities and identify strategies to enhance women’s representation in scientific research in West Africa with a focus on Nigeria. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted between April and May 2023. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with eight senior medical and dental researchers who had held leadership offices in medical and dental research institutions in Nigeria. The interview guide was developed based on the outcomes of the research. The interviews were conducted using WhatsApp video calls. The transcribed data was deductively analysed.ResultsThe analysis revealed four main themes namely: (1) patterns of male dominance in research and academic institutions, (2) gender disparities in women’s entry into research, and academic institutions, (3) enabling environment and tools to enhance women’s advancement into managerial positions, and (4) the factors contributing to the observed gender differences in research productivity. While participants acknowledged an increasing presence of women in the medical and dental research academia, there was no consensus regarding a higher number of first female authorships indicating a corresponding increase in junior authorships. Patriarchal social practices were identified as potential contributors to the lower participation of women in collaborative research within the dental research academia.ConclusionAlthough respondents felt male dominance and lower research productivity among women persist in the medical and dental research academia in Nigeria, this is, however, the result of a complex interconnectedness between factors contributing to the disparity. Further research is needed to investigate previously unidentified factors influencing the observed gender skewness in research productivity among dental researchers in Nigeria.