Gender-specific Research Research Articles

Does Oral Contraceptive Use Lessen the Impact of Concussions in Adult Female Athletes? [28P

INTRODUCTION: Sports-related concussion (SRC) is classified as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and occurs over 2 million times annually. Female athletes acquire SRCs at higher rates and experience poorer outcomes and increased cognitive impairment compared to males. Progesterone has been utilized as intervention for TBI because of its neuroprotective effects. Applicability of this research to female athletes is limited because of predominantly male subject populations, failure to measure endogenous progesterone levels, menstrual cycle phase at time of injury, and oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use. The purpose of this research was to explore the role of oral contraceptive use on SRC outcomes in women. METHODS: A search of the literature was conducted from June to September 2016 using PubMed and OVID databases. Search terms used included: “concussion”; “brain injury”; “menstrual cycle”; “progesterone” “oral contraception”; and “females.” RESULTS: 76 articles were identified with 5 remaining after applying exclusion criteria. Women on OCPs or in the follicular phase at the time of injury performed significantly better on quality of life and somatic symptom measures. Athletes on OCPs reported fewer concussion symptoms with less symptom severity than eumenorrheic athletes. CONCLUSION: Menstrual cycle phase and OCP use at the time of concussion may influence concussion outcomes. OCP use was associated with better outcomes in adult female athletes with SRC. Gender-specific research efforts are necessary to improve outcomes after SRC, including prospective analysis of SRC outcomes and OCP use in female athletes.

Gender, aging, and the economics of “active aging”: Setting a new research agenda

ABSTRACTThe world is aging, and the percentages of older people are on a dramatic ascent. This dramatic demographic aging of human society is not gender neutral; it is mostly about older women. One of the key policy approaches to address the aging revolution is known as “active aging,” crystalized by the WHO in 2002 by three pillars: participation, health, and security. The active aging policy has financial and economic aspects and affects both men and women. However, as argued in this article, a gender-based approach has not been adopted within the existing active aging framework. Therefore, a new gender-specific research agenda is needed, one that focuses on an interrelation between gender and different economic aspects of “active aging” from international, comparative, cultural, and longitudinal perspectives.

Biological and Behavioral Differences between Men and Women with Antisocial Personality

This literature review highlights research completed to investigate the biological and behavioral abnormalities found with men and women with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), antisocial behaviors, and psychopathic traits. Evidence that suggests imbalances of the neurotransmitter serotonin and imbalances between the hormones cortisol and testosterone have been linked to aggressive and antisocial behaviors. There are also studies that suggests that abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system and in the corpus callosum may be linked to ASPD. However, most findings do not apply to women in particular, therefore emphasizes the need for gender-specific research in order to find potential causalities in both males and females with these mental disorders.

A Systematic Review of Factors Influencing Medication Adherence to Hypertension Treatment in Developing Countries

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD), a complication of hypertension, is one of the most important and common causes of morbidity, hospitalisation, and mortality among hypertensive population. In recent decades, increased urbanisation and changes to lifestyle, diet and physical activity in developing countries have led to a major increase in the population incidence of chronic diseases including CHD. Poor medication adherence is one of the leading causes of failure to achieve hypertension control. The objective of this systematic review is to describe the prevalence of non-adherence to anti-hypertensive medications among hypertensive population in developing countries and identify factors associated with it. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the following scholarly electronic databases: Proquest, PubMed, JSTOR and Science Direct. The online search engine, Google Scholar was also used to search for and identify relevant papers. Peer-reviewed full-text articles published in English on hypertensive adults in developing countries that measured adherence to antihypertensive medications and their associations with different factors were eligible for inclusion. The review followed the PRISMA reporting and analytical guidelines for systematic reviews. Results: In all, 42 studies conducted across 19 developing countries were selected for the review. The mean prevalence of medication non-adherence (MNA) among the select hypertensive population was 47.34%. Very few studies were conducted in community settings and except for one, no study examined gender differences in MNA factors. The analysis revealed a range of factors that can influence MNA including low household income and socioeconomic status; knowledge and beliefs of hypertension and its management; avoiding side effects of medications; cost of medication; use of herbal preparations; absence of symptoms; irregular follow-up; and dissatisfaction with the treatment and health services provided. There was a general lack of consideration of role of health system in health care delivery, self-efficacy, cultural barriers, perceived individual risk of hypertension complications. There was also a lack of gender-specific research which is necessary at community settings given the social and economic vulnerabilities faced by women in developing countries that may affect adherence to antihypertensive medications. Conclusions: Future research in developing countries should consider individual risk perceptions, cultural barriers, gender and the role of local health system in health care delivery when assessing MNA among hypertensive population at community settings.

A Cross-Country Comparison of the Characteristics of Polish and South African Women Entrepreneurs

IntroductionEntrepreneurship development has been identified by many experts as the key to economic success (Luthje & Franke, 2003, p. 135; Veciana et al., 2005, p. 167; Grid & Bagraim, 2008, p. 711). Traditionally, women were not considered as part of the business world as this was a more male orientated sector (De Bruin et al., 2006, p. 568; Bird & Brush, 2002, pp. 41-42) but this phenomenon has begun to reverse in the past few decades. A noticeably growing number of women are becoming involved in the business sector and many new ventures are being started by women entrepreneurs. Research indicates that in the fast growing sector of individual and collective entrepreneurship, women may hold the key to advancing the slowing global economies (McAdam, 2013, p. 3). Entrepreneurship has been a popular topic for decades and vast amounts of research on this field have been done, but it was not until the late 1970's that gender specific research was initiated (Greene et al., 2003, p. 1). Although there might be some entrepreneurship traits, characteristics and management styles that are the same regardless of gender, it has been proven by leading experts in the field of female entrepreneurship that there are clear differences in growth patterns, financing strategies, industry choices and motives for starting a business (Bird & Brush, 2002, p. 43; Greene et al., 2003, p. 2; Brush et al., 2006, p. 586; Carter et al., 2006, p. 1). Furthermore, researchers have found that women are more risk and debt averse, that some women might need more assistance with regard to self-esteem and confidence than male entrepreneurs and that women face different structural obstacles, lifestyle issues and individual embedded mindsets when compared to men (Carter et al., 2006, p. 1; Botha et al., 2007, p. 164; Barsh & Yee, 2011, p. 6). Bird and Brush (2002, pp. 47-50) identified the following fundamental differences between male and female entrepreneurs: reasons for starting a business; the choice of business; what characteristics are needed to run a business; how they finance their startups; governance structures; growth patterns and some aspects of the entrepreneurial process. Establishing your own company, most often alone, can be very difficult. Therefore, certain characteristics are important to overcome problems attendant to conducting business. The purpose of this study was to identity the most important characteristics that women entrepreneurs felt they needed to have as part of running their businesses. This was done by making use of similar qualitative studies conducted in Poland and South Africa, both of which are classified as efficiency-driven economies by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) (Kelley et al., 2016, pp. 97, 104).1.Literature review1.1.Entrepreneurship definedEntrepreneurship research is still developing as a management science. In investigation, an attempt to introduce theoretical aspects of entrepreneurship with particular reference to the evolution of behaviours of enterprising women was made on the basis of an analysis of literature sources. That it is still developing as a management science is especially visible when entrepreneurship research is compared to the disciplines from which it emerged, requiring it to develop its own methods and theories (Bygrave, 1989, p. 8). Over the last few decades, many definitions for entrepreneurship have been developed. Dating back to the 1930's, one of the earlier definitions by Schumpeter considers an entrepreneur to be an individual who creates new products or services in new or existing markets; he defined entrepreneurship as one of the most important factors of economic development (Schumpeter, 1960, p. 12; De Bruin et al., 2006, p. 586). Kirzner (1985) further defines an entrepreneur as an individual who can optimise information in such a way that it leads to the discovery of new and improved opportunities (Korpysa, pp. 465-477). …

Alcohol Use and Mental Health Conditions Among Black College Males: Do Those Attending Postsecondary Minority Institutions Fare Better Than Those at Primarily White Institutions?

While there is a sizeable body of research examining the association between alcohol use and mental health conditions among college students, there are sparse investigations specifically focusing on these associations among Black college students. This is concerning given Black college students face different stressors compared with their non-Black peers. Black males appear especially at risk, exhibiting increased susceptibility to mental health issues and drinking in greater quantities and more frequently than Black females. This investigation examined the association between alcohol consumption and mental health conditions among Black men attending institutions of higher education in the United States and sought to determine differences between Black men attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs) compared with those attending postsecondary minority institutions. Final sample included 416 Black men, 323 of which attended a PWI. Data were from the National College Health Assessment. Black men attending a PWI reported significantly greater levels of alcohol consumption and significantly more mental health conditions. Attendance at a minority-serving institution was associated with fewer mental health conditions among Black men. Future studies should seek to replicate these findings and conduct culturally sensitive and gender-specific research examining why Black men at PWIs report greater alcohol consumption and more mental health conditions than their peers attending postsecondary minority institutions.

To your health!: Re-examining the health benefits of moderate alcohol use

Although excessive alcohol use and alcohol misuse contribute to a broad range of health problems, recent research indicates that moderate alcohol consumption may in fact be beneficial. The present study builds on previous research to investigate the associations between alcohol use and self-rated health status among young adults. Using data collected in 2008 from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), we use ordered probit models to determine whether the protective effects of moderate alcohol use are present after controlling for demographic, lifestyle, family background, and health-related characteristics. Our findings generally support earlier research with older samples, but some key gender differences are present. For women (n = 8275), moderate drinkers have better self-rated health status relative to former drinkers, infrequent drinkers, and light drinkers. Among men (n = 7207), the effects are mixed and less often significant. Differences in results between men and women point to the need for further gender-specific research and studies with other measures of health.

Barriers Accessing Mental Health Services Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Immigrant Women in Australia: Policy Implications.

Immigrant and refugee women from diverse ethnic backgrounds encounter multiple barriers in accessing mental healthcare in various settings. A systematic review on the prevalence of mental health disorders among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women in Australia documented the following barriers: logistical, language and communication, dissonance between participants and care providers and preference for alternative interventions. This article proposes recommendations for policies to better address the mental health needs of immigrant and refugee women. Key policy recommendations include: support for gender specific research, implementation and evaluation of transcultural policies, cultural responsiveness in service delivery, review of immigration and refugee claims policies and social integration of immigrants.

Women and Accidents: The Need to Separate Gender Database

As female's participation in the US labor force continues to grow, there is a need to separate workplace injuries suffered by men and women. Statistics showed that women faced different types of injuries compared to men, especially on workplace violence. For example, women faced more fatality from workplace violence, and murders by personal acquaintances than men. The authors’ study shows that women faced different types of workplace hazards and the risks have been increasing over the past years. Some analysis suggests that some jobs better protect women and the others. The study also finds that there is a lack of understanding of the different safety issues each gender faces, and the lack of data or separation of data between genders. This paper focuses on the main events of fatal and nonfatal injuries among women in all industries, especially on homicides and assaults to shed lights on the gender gaps on safety issues and the need for more gender-specific research and data.

When Mars Versus Venus is Not a Cliché: Gender Differences in the Neurobiology of Alzheimer's Disease.

OPINION article Front. Neurol., 12 January 2015Sec. Neurodegeneration https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2014.00288

Gender-specific Regulatory Challenges to Product Approval: a panel discussion.

On May 13, 2014, a 1-hour panel discussion session titled "Gender-specific Regulatory Challenges to Product Approval" was held during the Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference, "Gender-specific Research in Emergency Medicine: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes." The session sought to bring together leaders in emergency medicine (EM) research, authors, and reviewers in EM research publications, as well as faculty, fellows, residents, and students engaged in research and clinical practice. A panel was convened involving a representative from the Office of Women's Health of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, two pharmaceutical executives, and a clinical EM researcher. The moderated discussion also involved audience members who contributed significantly to the dialogue. Historical background leading up to the session along with the main themes of the discussion are reproduced in this article. These revolve around sex- and gender-specific research, statistical analysis of sex and gender, clinical practice, financial costs associated with pharmaceutical development, adaptive design, and specific recommendations on the regulatory process as it affects the specialty of EM.

A research agenda for gender and substance use disorders in the emergency department.

For many years, gender differences have been recognized as important factors in the etiology, pathophysiology, comorbidities, and treatment needs and outcomes associated with the use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. However, little is known about how these gender-specific differences affect ED utilization; responses to ED-based interventions; needs for substance use treatment and barriers to accessing care among patients in the ED; or outcomes after an alcohol-, drug-, or tobacco-related visit. As part of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference on "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," a breakout group convened to generate a research agenda on priority questions related to substance use disorders.

Injury due to mechanical falls: future directions in gender-specific surveillance, screening, and interventions in emergency department patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that among older adults (≥65years), falls are the leading cause of injury-related death. Fall-related fractures among older women are more than twice as frequent as those for men. Gender-specific evidence-based fall prevention strategy and intervention studies show that improved patient-centered outcomes are elusive. There is a paucity of emergency medicine literature on the topic. As part of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) consensus conference on "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," a breakout group convened to generate a research agenda on priority questions to be answered on this topic. The consensus-based priority research agenda is presented in this article.

Sex- and gender-specific research priorities in cardiovascular resuscitation: proceedings from the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference Cardiovascular Resuscitation Research Workgroup.

Significant sex and gender differences in both physiology and psychology are readily acknowledged between men and women; however, data are lacking regarding differences in their responses to injury and treatment and in their ultimate recovery and survival. These variations remain particularly poorly defined within the field of cardiovascular resuscitation. A better understanding of the interaction between these important factors may soon allow us to dramatically improve outcomes in disease processes that currently carry a dismal prognosis, such as sudden cardiac arrest. As part of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Medicine: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," our group sought to identify key research questions and knowledge gaps pertaining to both sex and gender in cardiac resuscitation that could be answered in the near future to inform our understanding of these important issues. We combined a monthly teleconference meeting of interdisciplinary stakeholders from largely academic institutions with a focused interest in cardiovascular outcomes research, an extensive review of the existing literature, and an open breakout session discussion on the recommendations at the consensus conference to establish a prioritization of the knowledge gaps and relevant research questions in this area. We identified six priority research areas: 1) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest epidemiology and outcome, 2) customized resuscitation drugs, 3) treatment role for sex steroids, 4) targeted temperature management and hypothermia, 5) withdrawal of care after cardiac arrest, and 6) cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and implementation. We believe that exploring these key topics and identifying relevant questions may directly lead to improved understanding of sex- and gender-specific issues seen in cardiac resuscitation and ultimately improved patient outcomes.

Future directions in sex- and Gender-specific Emergency Medicine.

The 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) consensus conference "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Medicine: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes" convened a diverse group of stakeholders to target gaps in emergency medicine (EM) sex- and gender-specific research and identify research priorities. At the close of the conference, the executive committee sought feedback from group leaders and conference attendees about the next critical steps in EM sex- and gender-specific research, goals for their own future research, and anticipated barriers in pursuing this research. This article summarizes this feedback on the future directions in sex- and gender-specific research in emergency care and strategies to overcome barriers.

Gender-specific issues in traumatic injury and resuscitation: consensus-based recommendations for future research.

Traumatic injury remains an unacceptably high contributor to morbidity and mortality rates across the United States. Gender-specific research in trauma and emergency resuscitation has become a rising priority. In concert with the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Gender-specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," a consensus-building group consisting of experts in emergency medicine, critical care, traumatology, anesthesiology, and public health convened to generate research recommendations and priority questions to be answered and thus move the field forward. Nominal group technique was used for the consensus-building process and a combination of face-to-face meetings, monthly conference calls, e-mail discussions, and preconference surveys were used to refine the research questions. The resulting research agenda focuses on opportunities to improve patient outcomes by expanding research in sex- and gender-specific emergency care in the field of traumatic injury and resuscitation.

Gender differences in neurological emergencies part II: a consensus summary and research agenda on traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. There is strong evidence that gender and sex play an important role across the spectrum of TBI, from pathophysiology to clinical care. In May 2014, Academic Emergency Medicine held a consensus conference "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes." A TBI working group was formed to explore what was known about the influence of sex and gender on TBI and to identify gaps for future research. The findings resulted in four major recommendations to guide the TBI research agenda.

Gender- and sex-specific sports-related injury research in emergency medicine: a consensus on future research direction and focused application.

Title IX, the commercialization of sports, the social change in sports participation, and the response to the obesity epidemic have contributed to the rapid proliferation of participation in both competitive organized sports and nontraditional athletic events. As a consequence, emergency physicians are regularly involved in the acute diagnosis, management, disposition, and counseling of a broad range of sports-related pathology. Three important and highly publicized mechanisms of injury in sports relevant to emergency medicine (EM) include concussion, heat illness, and sudden cardiac death. In conjunction with the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Gender-specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes," a consensus group consisting of experts in EM, emergency neurology, sports medicine, and public health convened to deliberate and develop research questions that could ultimately advance the field of sports medicine and allow for meaningful application in the emergency department (ED) clinical setting. Sex differences in injury risk, diagnosis, ED treatment, and counseling are identified in each of these themes. This article presents the consensus-based priority research agenda.

Sex- and gender-specific research priorities for the emergency management of heart failure and acute arrhythmia: proceedings from the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference Cardiovascular Research Workgroup.

The emergency department (ED) is the point of first contact for patients with acute heart failure and arrhythmias, with 1 million annual ED visits in the United States. Although the total numbers of men and women living with heart failure are similar, female patients are underrepresented in clinical studies, with current knowledge predominantly based on data from male patients. This has led to an underappreciation of the sex-specific differences in clinical characteristics and pathophysiology-based management of heart failure. Similar disparities have been found in management of acute arrhythmias, especially atrial arrhythmias that lead to an increased risk of stroke in women. Additionally, peripartum and postpartum cardiomyopathy represent a diagnostic and treatment dilemma. This article is the result of a breakout session in the cardiovascular and resuscitation work group of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Medicine: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes." A nominal group technique was used to identify and prioritize themes and research questions using electronic mail, monthly conference calls, in-person meetings, and Web-based surveys between June 2013 and May 2014. Consensus was achieved through three rounds of nomination followed by the meeting on May 13, 2014, and resulted in seven priority themes that are essential to the common complex clinical syndrome of heart failure for both men and women and include the areas of pathophysiology; presentation and symptomatology; and diagnostic strategies using biomarkers, treatment, and mortality, with special consideration to arrhythmia management and pregnancy.

Research priorities for the influence of gender on diagnostic imaging choices in the emergency department setting.

Diagnostic imaging is a cornerstone of patient evaluation in the acute care setting, but little effort has been devoted to understanding the appropriate influence of sex and gender on imaging choices. This article provides background on this issue and a description of the working group and consensus findings reached during the diagnostic imaging breakout session at the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Gender-specific Research in Emergency Care: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes." Our goal was to determine research priorities for how sex and gender may (or should) affect imaging choices in the acute care setting. Prior to the conference, the working group identified five areas for discussion regarding the research agenda in sex- and gender-based imaging using literature review and expert consensus. The nominal group technique was used to identify areas for discussion for common presenting complaints to the emergency department where ionizing radiation is often used for diagnosis: suspected pulmonary embolism, suspected kidney stone, lower abdominal pain with a concern for appendicitis, and chest pain concerning for coronary artery disease. The role of sex- and gender-based shared decision-making in diagnostic imaging decisions is also raised.