O44 Gender bias and sexual discrimination in orthopaedics: time for change

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Gender bias and sexual discrimination (GBSD) have been widely recognized across a range of fields and are now part of the wider social consciousness. Such conduct can occur in the medical workplace, with detrimental effects on recipients. The aim of this review was to identify the prevalence and impact of GBSD in orthopaedic surgery, as well as mitigating strategies. Method A systematic review was conducted by searching Medline, EMCARE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library Database. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Original research papers pertaining to the prevalence and impact of GBSD, or mitigating strategies, within orthopaedics were reviewed. Result Of 570 papers, 27 were eligible for inclusion. These were published between 1998 and 2020. 13 papers discussed the prevalence of GBSD, 13 related to the impact of these behaviours, and six discussed mitigating strategies. GBSD was found to be common in the orthopaedic workplace, with all sources showing women to be the subjects. Effects include poor workforce representation, lower salaries, and less career success for women in orthopaedics. Mitigating strategies in the literature are focused on providing female role models, mentors, and educational interventions. Conclusion GBSD is common in orthopaedic surgery, with a substantial impact on sufferers. A small number of mitigating strategies have been tested but these are limited in their scope. As such, the orthopaedic community is obliged to participate in more thoughtful and proactive strategies that mitigate against GBSD, by improving female recruitment and retention within the specialty. Take-home Message Gender bias and sexual discrimination remain common within orthopaedics. The international orthopaedic community is obliged to do more to tackle this problem.