Medicine In Pakistan Research Articles

Women empowerment and access to maternity and reproductive healthcare in Pakistan: cross-validation of a Survey-based Index in Afghanistan (SWEI-A)

BackgroundDespite the obvious violation of women’s rights in Pakistan and the vital necessity for women empowerment, a unified country-specific index measuring women empowerment is not yet available. This study cross-validated a survey-based women empowerment index from Afghanistan to be used in Pakistan.MethodsThe data for married Pakistani women aged 15–49 in the 2017–18 Pakistan demographic health survey was used to construct the final model using the explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses. The Cronbach’s alpha test examined the internal consistency of the developed index. To assess the convergence validity of the index, the association of each emerged domain with indicators of access to reproductive and maternity care was assessed by Poisson regression analysis adjusting for wealth index.ResultsThe final index had six domains; namely, labor force participation, attitude toward violence, decision-making, access to healthcare, literacy, age at critical life events predicting women empowerment of married Pakistani women with decent reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.70), and validity (SRSEA&SRMR < 0.05, CFI&TLI > 0.92). The emerged domains were significantly associated with at least one of four indicators for access to reproductive and maternity care; indicative of a favorable convergence validity.ConclusionPakistan and Afghanistan are associated as brother countries with shared religious and ethnocultural identities in which women are perceived inferior to men and in critical need of empowering efforts. The results of this study reflect upon this resemblance in sociocultural structure by yielding similar domains for women's empowerment in Pakistan building upon an index previously developed for Afghan women. The developed index could inform the design of future policies, interventions, and research recognizing the important indicators of women empowerment in Pakistan and could enhance the comparability of the results across future studies.

Perception and Attitude of Pakistani Doctors Toward the Use of Telemedicine Technology.

Healthcare providers may improve healthcare delivery and make it available to more people by combining advanced technologies with high-quality network services. In this regard, telemedicine has improved healthcare providers' ability to provide services for a large number of individuals without their physical presence. Pakistan's healthcare system is a mix of government infrastructure, parastatal healthcare, the private sector, civil society, and charitable contributions. However, unawareness, poor education, lack of skills, lack of resources, and technical issues including internet connectivity, and load shedding have limited the accessibility of the Pakistani population towards advancement in the healthcare industry. It was a cross-sectional study conducted at a private tertiary care hospital from April to June 2022 in Karachi. To recruit the study participants, a purposive sampling technique was used. Practicing doctors (n=100), who were aware of telemedicine technology and agreed to participate in the study, were included as study participants. A self-developed proforma was administered to doctors to assess the study's objectives. Out of 100, 64% (n=64)of the participants have no experience working in telemedicine while only36% have worked with telemedicine for at least one year. When asked about the applicationof telemedicine technology only 46% of the doctors knew the technology used. While only 42% of the doctors were familiar with the telemedicine tools, including a virtual stethoscope, pulse oximeter, etc. views regarding continue using telemedicine,26% of the participants having no experience with telemedicine agreed that they would like to use telemedicine,35% agreed to use telemedicine with improvement whereas 3% of them do not want to use the telemedicine technology. The participants of the current study were aware of telemedicine technology and its advantages. However, despite their agreement, the majority of the doctors emphasized the improvement of the system to deliver better services by using this technology.

Resilience and prenatal mental health in Pakistan: a qualitative inquiry

BackgroundWomen in Pakistan suffer from a high rate of depression. The stress of low-income, illiteracy, exposure to violence and living in a patriarchal society are predisposing vulnerabilities for depression, particularly during and following pregnancy. The resilience of an individual plays a significant role in promoting prenatal mental health, but this has yet to be thoroughly researched. In this article, our objective is to identify the core characteristics of resilience among pregnant women, which will then help us in developing an intervention.MethodsThe exploratory-descriptive study was conducted over 6 months in five different antenatal hospitals in Sindh, Pakistan. A total of 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with pregnant women, purposefully selected with heterogeneous characteristics to explore diverse perspectives, while symptoms of depression were quantified by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale before the interview. Verbatim transcriptions were coded openly and merged into categories and themes.ResultA total of six themes emerged from in-depth thematic analysis: 1) purpose of life, 2) dealing with emotions, 3) believing in yourself, 4) optimistic approach, 5) strengthening support and relationship and 6) spirituality and humanity. Women agreed that these characteristics could help them improve their mental health.ConclusionIn conclusion, these themes were the core components of pregnant women’s resilience which ultimately could help to promote prenatal mental health. These pave a pathway towards developing culturally and contextually resilience interventions aimed at enhancing mental health of pregnant women which then may improve neonatal and family mental wellbeing.

Impact of Drinking Water Source and Sanitation Facility on Malnutrition Prevalence in Children under Three: A Gender-Disaggregated Analysis Using PDHS 2017-18.

The proposed research studied the determinants of male and female child malnutrition in Pakistan. More specifically, it observed the role of the sanitation facility and drinking water source as important determinants of malnutrition in a gender analysis. Novel data of 1010 children under three years of age from PDHS 2017-18 were used. A CIAF (Cumulative Index for Anthropometric Failure) was established to assess malnourishment in the children. Discrete-choice logistic methodology was applied in this empirical research to study the likelihood of malnourishment in children. The logistic regression results depicted that factors such as a child belonging to a deprived area, the status of home wealth, and the education of the mother were common determinants of malnutrition in children. Factors such as a child having diarrhea (OR = 1.55, CI = 0.96-2.50) and the drinking water source (OR = 0.62, CI = 0.37-1.03) were separate prominent predictors of malnutrition in male children whereas the sanitation facility was the main determinant of malnutrition in female children (OR = 0.64, CI = 0.43-0.95). This study concludes that important links exist between the drinking water source and male child malnutrition and between sanitation facilities and female child malnutrition.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) among Healthcare Professionals of Pakistan, a Nationwide Survey.

Background: The waning vaccine immunity and emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 led health authorities across the globe to administer booster doses (BDs) of the COVID-19 vaccine. Hence, the current study aimed to assess the COVID-19 vaccine booster hesitancy (VBH) amongst Pakistani healthcare professionals (HCPs). Methods: A nationwide survey-based study was carried out from April 2022 to May 2022. The online self-administered questionnaire was utilized to collect data regarding demographics (age, gender, marital status, profession, residential area, and province), COVID-19 infection history (infection history, onset, and clinical severity of disease), previous COVID-19 vaccination (type of vaccination and the number of doses), attitudes towards BDs (acceptance, rejection, and hesitancy), and psychological drivers of VBH (perceived effectiveness, vaccine safety, risk/benefit ratio, and vaccine type preference). We assessed the association between the dependent variable attitudes of study participants, regarding BDs and independent variables (demographics, COVID-19 infection history, previous COVID-19 vaccination, and psychological drivers of VBH), by using the Chi-square test/Fisher exact test. Results: Among the 1164 study participants, 51.4% were male, and 80.4% were medical professionals. The half of study participants (52.1%) agreed to take the COVID-19 vaccine BD or had already taken it, while the rest of them refused (34.7%) or hesitated (24.2%) to take it. These attitudes of the participants were significantly associated (p < 0.001) with psychological divers about the COVID-19 vaccine BD. Conclusion: This study revealed that Pakistani HCPs hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine BD had concerns about the safety, efficacy, and risk/benefits ratio of the vaccine’s BD. To eliminate the hesitancy, regarding BD in HCPs, certain educational strategies should be implemented by health authorities to address the concerns of HCPs.

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Healthcare Outcomes Through Decentralization of Healthcare Expenditures in Pakistan.

This article contributes to the limited empirical literature on the impact of decentralization on psychological wellbeing by investigating the hypothesis which signifies that shifts toward more fiscal decentralization in health services would be accompanied by improvements in health outcomes. Formulating a conventional public finance model applied to health care, this hypothesis is tested on a panel data of the Pakistan's provinces during the period 1990 to 2015. The empirical underpinning of the article suggested that the economic reforms of 2001 in Pakistan's healthcare sector, through fiscal decentralization, have imposed a substantial and positive influence on the effectiveness of the public policy in improving the healthcare outcomes over the examined period.

Syzygium Cumini L. Seed A Potent Source of Fiber, Protein and Natural Antioxidants

Syzygium cumini L. seeds have been documented in traditional medicine in Pakistan. The current research was aimed to assess the physicochemical characteristics, polyphenols and antioxidants of S. cumini seed. The physical characteristics such as the color of S. cumini seed were white to pink, the shapes resembled to oblong and coarse texture. The length, width and weight of fresh S. cumini seed were found to be (18.20±0.81mm, 11.05±0.41mm and 1.80±0.16g), respectively while the color of dried S. cumini seeds were light brown to brown,rhombus in shape with loutish texture. The average length, width and weight of dried S. cumini seeds were 16.47±0.45; 10.14±0.25 mm and 0.75±0.12 g respectively. S. cumini seeds powder were evaluated for their chemical composition e.g. carbohydrate, protein, fat, crude fiber, moisture content and ash (77.27±2.50, 3.62±0.30, 6.25±0.55, 10.30±1.20 and 1.55±0.11 g/100g), respectively. Quantitative analysis of total phenolic content was performed it was found that the methanolic and water extract had 52±1.65 and 40±1.25 mg GAE/g content. Free radical scavenging activity was also evaluated to estimate the antioxidant property of extract. Among tested extracts maximum % inhibition 96.61±1.90% was found in methanol extract and 69.30±1.56% in water extract, while BHT has % inhibition 50.70±1.32% at concentration 100 μg/ml. Similarly in reducing power activity assay the maximum absorbance 1.4704±0.05 was shown by methanol extract and 1.2075±0.03 in water extract of S. cumini seed powder respectively which was compared with BHT (0.9207±0.02). Therefore, it was concluded that these Syzygium Cumini L. seeds traditional medicinal plants provide a good source of nutrients, namely protein, fiber and natural antioxidants.

Do Employed Females Provide Better Care to Their Children? The Case of Education and Health Care in Pakistan

The role of women as mothers is essential because they look after their children round the clock, and their positive attitude influences their children's behavior. Mothers' participation in the labor force also increases family income and influences both the health and education of children. This research aims to analyze the females' participation in the labor force and their children's care in Pakistan. The study investigates the relationship between females' employment and their time allocation to activities related to child care. Primary data collected through a survey is used to compute the data on required variables. Activities related to child care, such as activities that influence a child's education and health, are examined. The ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model was used to check the relationship between females' employment, their children's education, and health care. The result shows a negative impact of females' age on child care. At the same time, there is a positive relationship between females' age square, education, family size, and child care. The assets of the family have a positive impact on child care, while the variable is statistically significant in assets quintiles one and two. Result also highlights that female belonging to urban areas has a positive influence on child care. Finally, female employment negatively affects child employment. The major conclusion is that the female's age and employment lead to a decrease the child care. However, females' education, family size, and assets have a positive influence on child care. It is suggested that government should establish lower cost care centers for increasing the participation rate of females in the labor market. Moreover, mothers should manage their time efficiently to ensure the better care of their children by avoiding extra personal activities. Finally, mothers should better monitor their children by providing the best quality to their children, and focus should be made on females' education for the better care of children.

Does maternal empowerment improve dietary diversity of children? Evidence from Pakistan demographic and health survey 2017-18.

The role of maternal empowerment (ME) to improve child nutrition in patriarchal societies of developing countries remains ambiguous. This study provides empirical evidence about the impact of ME and some other factors selected under United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund theoretical framework, on dietary diversity of children (under 5years age) in Pakistan. Partial proportional odds model is estimated to obtain varying estimates of the parameters by using data of Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18. Significant positive role of empowered mothers to improve child dietary diversity (CDD) is explored (OR=1.135; Confidence Interval [CI]=1.001-1.288). Moreover, positive association of maternal higher education on CDD (OR=1.329; 95% CI=1.085-1.628) supports the productive and allocative efficiency hypotheses of health economics. Maternal agricultural employment, paternal education, and paternal employment were not significantly associated with CDD. This requires further exploration. Positive association of household socioeconomic status with CDD (OR=1.768; 95% CI=1.314-2.380) and significance of some demographic variables call for social welfare programs. Positive association of mother's age and CDD demands for amendment in Child Marriage Restraint Act. The observed adverse association of family size with CDD induces effective family planning to control high birth rate in Pakistan. It may be concluded that ME and creation of awareness about nutrition security through maternal education are the important factors to overcome child malnutrition in Pakistan. Since, socioeconomic and cultural environment in South Asian countries is homogeneous, the analysis in this study might be relevant to the South Asian region. Moreover, the study provides evidence informing the debate on the role of ME to improve child nutrition in patriarchal societies.

Digital Health and Future of Healthcare in Pakistan

In today's fast paced world, the use of Information Technology (IT) in dispensing quality healthcare forms a cornerstone for the development of any health system. While the standard of Medical Education and training is quickly gaining impetus within Pakistan, we are severely lacking in use of digital platforms and electronic records to aid the process of healthcare delivery. There's no dearth of talent in Pakistan; in the field of Medicine or IT. However, there is a considerable lack in the understanding of how IT can revolutionize healthcare delivery. We see that there is an urgent need for the governmental institutions and the private sector medical institutions to recognize the importance of digital health in making medical practice more effective, efficient and error proof; so that Pakistan can shake off the burden of a centuries old and obsolete system of healthcare delivery. Here, we propose our roadmap vision for development of digital health systems in Pakistan and propose basic initiatives that must be taken at the grass roots level to expedite this process.

Public Health Care in Pakistan: A People Management Soloution?

An efficient and effective public health care is critical in developing and underdeveloped countries. Pakistan, a developing and populous country is under severe pressure to provide such health care to its population due to inadequate financial and human resources and limited management capabilities. This study explores the role and practice of human resource management in two tertiary care public hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan by adopting a case study design method. Using qualitative methods, twenty-two key informants were interviewed in both hospitals to gain a better understanding of the context, challenges, and opportunities for HRM. Our findings indicate that there were no specialised HR departments at the two hospitals, and many HRM functions and practices were centralised and carried out at the provincial level. Our informants also expressed a lack of autonomy from the provincial government over decision making. However, the informants believed that HR could play a significant role in influencing employees’ attitudes and behaviours to provide quality care and services to more patients. These findings are discussed, and we draw conclusion which highlight theoretical, and practical and managerial implications for the public health care sector in Pakistan. Keywords: High-performance work systems, human resource management, attitudes and behaviours, public health care system, Pakistan.

Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence: Is it the future of mental healthcare in Pakistan?

Mental health problems are increasingly being recognised as a major public health concern among the leading causes of disease burden globally. Recent report suggests that in Pakistan, over 15 million people are suffering from some form of mental illness.“Digital mental health” is defined as any application of digital health technology for mental health assessment, support, prevention, and treatment, whereas Artificial intelligence (AI) is “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines”.

Understanding the need of Geriatric Medicine in Pakistan

Aim: To determine the common problems of advancing age and their plausible solutions. Study design: Prospective Observational Study. Setting: Pakistan Airforce Hospital Sargodha Duration of study: One year from 1st January 2020 till 31st December 2020. Methods: All elderly citizens both male and female were interviewed regarding the common difficulties faced by them in their day to day life to quantify the magnitude of the problem and consequently help finding easy plausible solutions . Results: All senior citizens approachable in person or on phone over the age of sixty five both males and females were interviewed. Interviews were carried out by using a specially designed short , crisp and easy to understand questionnaire. Common difficulties faced in this age group were listed and their magnitude was estimated so that strategies can be defined to help resolve those. Common difficulties were related to social life, relationships, self care , mobility, psychological and emotional health. In the wake of interviews we found majority of people highlighted that with advancing age the quality of care imparted to them diminishes although the demands made are minimized due to lack of reassurance and uncertainty. This instills a lack of confidence in them. Moreover the monotony over days, weeks and years causes a loss of self worth and self esteem. Conclusion: As an evolving society of a developed country we have the advantage of utilizing models of Geriatric Care already in place in the developed world. Whereby Geriatric Medicine is a specialty for addressing the needs of advancing age and Hospice looks after the terminally ill patients of any age in a nonhospital environment. Many solutions can be offered and exercised without a big resource may it be human, material or financial. Keywords: Geriatric Care, Senior Citizen, Home and Hospice

Concordance Between Indices of Malnutrition: Mid-Upper Arm Circumference V/S Weight for the Height Z Score in Different Age Groups in Karachi, Pakistan.

ObjectiveTo compare the WHO cut-off of the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) with the weight for height z-score (WHZ) in different age groups of children (6 months to 59 months of age) with acute malnutrition in Pakistan.MethodologyA cross-sectional study was carried out in the pediatric unit of Ziauddin Medical University and Hospital on malnourished children from six to 59 months of age to compare two different indices of malnutrition, MUAC and WHZ. A total of 450 children with WHZ of <-2SD and <-3SD were included in the study after excluding children with failure to thrive due to chronic illness, congenital defects, and immune deficiencies/malabsorption.ResultsThe study revealed a significant mean difference in weight, height, and MUAC among the participants (0.030, 0.053, and 0.02). The sensitivity of MUAC at <11.5 cm was highest in the 12-24-month age group with a decline at 24-48 months while specificity was highest at six to 12 months of age, which shows a mixed response.ConclusionThe result revealed variation in the cut-off value of MUAC in different age groups; the best specificity of MUAC was found at six to 12 months of age and the best sensitivity at 12-24 months of age.

The impact of COVID-related economic shocks on household mental health in Pakistan.

We combine data collected just prior to the unfolding of COVID‐19 with follow‐up data from July 2020 to document the adverse economic effects of the pandemic and resulting impact on parental and child mental well‐being in peri‐urban Pakistan. 22% of the households in our sample are affected by job loss, with monthly income down 38% on average. Our difference‐in‐difference results show that job loss is associated with a 0.88 standard deviation (SD) increase in adult mental distress scores (K10), a 0.43 SD reduction in a Hope index of children's aspirations, agency and future pathways, and a 0.40 SD increase in children's depression symptoms. In addition, we observe higher levels of parental stress and anger reported by children, as well as an increase in reported prevalence of domestic violence. Overall, we document that the pandemic has disproportionately and negatively affected the economic and mental well‐being of the most vulnerable households in our sample.

Quality Management Practices and Inter-Organizational Project Performance: Moderating Effects of Inter-Organizational Communication, Relationship, and Process Conflicts in Healthcare

The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the relationship between quality management practices (QMP) and inter-organizational project performance (IPP), as well as the moderating effects of inter-organizational communication (ICOM), relationship, and process conflicts in Pakistan’s-government healthcare organizations (NGOs) and public healthcare organizations. We developed a hypothetical model based on contingency theory. Using a self-administered questionnaire, the empirical data was collected from 296 respondents from NGOs and public healthcare in Pakistan between March and November 2019. SmartPLS 3.3.9 was used to apply structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings show that QMP significantly impacts IPP in healthcare inter-organizational collaborative projects. ICOM and process conflict significantly moderate the impact of QMP on IPP. In contrast, relationship conflict does not affect IPP. This study has practical implications for healthcare NGOs and public healthcare organizations that want to improve the performance of their projects by implementing QMP in their projects. This study added to the total quality management literature by clearly understanding QMP and its relationship to IPP.

Analysis of the state of medicine in Pakistan: challenges and future prospects

Aims: This article examines the condition of medicine in Pakistan utilising existing scientific articles, reports, and other published information in order to describe the position of the country regarding medication quality and the presence of deprived and/or false pharmaceutical preparations. Methodology: In this study, studies concerned with the condition of medicine in Pakistan have been systematically searched. The most sustainable recent studies on the condition of medicine in Pakistan in PubMed, Medline, the Cochrane library, EmBase, and Google Scholar were evaluated for this systematic review. The search criteria were [Medicine or drug] AND [analysis] AND [Pakistan]. To guarantee the caliber and consistency of the selected articles, many criteria were utilised for article eligibility, in accordance with the PRISMA principles and critical assessment tools. Results: The authors first retrieved 750 papers for use in electronic databases. These publications were then once again compared to the study's goals, and any that didn't fit the bill were disregarded. After further screening 40 publications were chosen and dispersed to the authors for additional evaluations. The authors' detailed brainstorming session resulted in the inclusion of 18 pertinent papers in the review. Scientific Novelty: This is the first systematic review performed in Pakistan in order to highlight the state of medicine. Conclusion: The research suggests that to effectively regulate substandard and counterfeit medication in Pakistan, regulatory procedures for facility inspections and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) assessments, analytical laboratories, and capacity building, all need to be strengthened. The material that is currently available cannot support the claim that 40–50% of Pakistan's medications are of low quality. The primary causes of the subpar services provided by community pharmacies include a lack of competent personnel, a lack of advice, and a lack of professionalism on the part of the dispensers, as well as the vagueness of rules and how they are applied.

Impact of Transformational Leadership on Project Success: The Moderating Role of Emotional Intelligence of Leaders

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Purpose:This study examined the impact of transformational leadership on project success with the moderating role of emotional intelligence.&#x0D; Design/Methodology/Approach:The study was conducted on NGOs providing healthcare services in Lahore, Pakistan. This study was quantitative in nature. Data was gathered from 260 respondents through standardized questionnaire working on healthcare projects of Lahore. SPSS 22 was applied for data analysis&#x0D; Findings:The findings of this study showed the insignificant effect of transformational leadership on project success. However, a very strong impact of moderator i-e emotional intelligence was observed among the relationship of transformational leadership and project success. The theoretical and practical implications of study are substantial addition for the future researchers in the domain of project management.&#x0D; Implications/Originality/Value:Theoretically, this study demonstrates that the association between TL and PS with influence of the Emotional Intelligence has direct and significant. As a result, it supports the literature’s recommendation to evaluate the relationship between Transformational Leadership Style and PS with the moderator i.e. emotional intelligence.&#x0D; The findings suggest that Pakistani healthcare NGOs enterprises must seek for emotionally intelligent transformational leaders as well as proficiency in basic managing abilities while hiring. Furthermore, existing employees must be teaching to improve their Emotional Intelligence by enrolling in professional training.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Comparative Study on Self-Medication among Medical and Non-Medical University Undergraduates

People usually pursue self-medication to deal with common ailments. Reuse of previous prescriptions, utilization of available unused medicines at home (from another prescription), and recommendation of any medicine by family and friends are some of the key factors that trigger self-medication. To evaluate the practice of self-medication, the selected population was university undergraduates, as the youth have a great impact on social media, which may help them to teach self-medication in two ways, i.e., increase or decrease of self-medication. This study was aimed at comparing the self-medication practices among medical and non-medical university undergraduates (students). This was a cross-sectional study conducted among the medical and non-medical university undergraduates in Karachi, Pakistan. A validated questionnaire was filled by 452 participants and analyzed using SPSS version 25. It was found that 59.5% of medical students always prefer self-medication, whereas 40.5% of non-medical students were seen to self-medicate when falling ill. Among all medical students, 49.4%, compared to 50.6% among non-medical students, were found to have self-medicated. From this study, we found that the medical student graduates showed the highest prevalence of self-medication compared to students in a non-medical field. Awareness campaigns about the consumption of medicine without prescription should be arranged by healthcare professionals and the government for the youth. The selling of drugs without prescription or medical advice should also be restricted by Pakistani healthcare authorities via organizing essential curative and preventive seminars.

Female Representation in Academic Medicine in Pakistan: A 15-Year Overview.

Objective: To determine the proportion of female authors publishing in Pakistan and their representation in academic anesthesiology. Design, place, and duration of study: This study was a cross-sectional retrospective analysis. We reviewed all volumes and issues of the Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (JCPSP) published from 2007 to 2021. All original articles, clinical practice articles (CPAs), reviews, and editorials were included. The first and last authors publishing in JCPSP were the study subjects.Main outcome measures: Gender of the first and last authors was determined by (a) a general review of the author’s first, middle, and last names, (b) an internet search of the author’s name, and a review of photographs on their social media, or (c) an online search of the author’s first name for typical gender assignment. The research field of the first author was noted to determine the contribution of different medical specialties. Article type and the number of citations were noted to determine the relationship with the gender of the author.Results: Around 1549 papers were published by Pakistani authors, of which, 82.6% were original articles, 9.8% were editorials, 5.5% were CPAs, and 2.1% were reviews. Around 56.2% of the first authors and 70.9% of the last authors were males. Most article types had a majority of male first and last authors (<0.001). The median (interquartile range) citation rate was two (0-19), with no difference in citations between gender. Male-male author pairing remained the most common (45.6%). The majority of the papers published belonged to the field of medicine (27.2%) and surgery (21%), with only 3.1% contributed by anesthesiology (females: 41.3%; males: 58.6%).Conclusion: Female representation in academia in Pakistan is at par with developed countries. The academic contribution from anesthesiology remains low, which corresponds to a lower percentage of the anesthesia workforce in the country. There is a need for a national indexed journal of anesthesia to evaluate the true representation of female authors in the country.