Investigate Gender Differences Research Articles

PO-05-200 GENDER DISPARITIES IN MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN A MODERN LOUISIANA COHORT

Female gender is associated with a lower lifetime risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) when compared to males. Other gender differences in atrial fibrillation comorbidities, treatments, and outcomes have been described with often conflicting results. We sought to investigate gender differences in comorbidities, treatments, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation patients from a recent Louisiana population. Data on patients aged ≥18 years diagnosed with atrial fibrillation between January 2010 and December 2019 was pulled from the Research Action for Health Network database (REACHnet). The primary outcome was defined as the first occurrence of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), intracranial bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, hospitalization, or death. Chi-squared test was used to study categorical variables. Poisson regression was used to examine the effect of gender on outpatient visits per year, adjusted for comorbidities. 2592 patients were included in this study, 35.1% of whom were females. Female patients were younger (62.2 vs 63.3 years p <0.001), had less coronary artery disease (OR=0.68, p <0.001), and less chronic kidney disease (OR=0.89, p=0.005), but a more frequent stroke history (OR=1.4, p<0.001) at baseline (figure). Females were less likely to receive antiarrhythmic drug therapy (AAD) (OR=0.75, p=0.018). Among those who received AADs, female patients were less likely to receive amiodarone (OR=0.69, p=0.003), and more likely to receive flecainide (OR=3.45, p=0.048). Patients with at least 1 non-gender CHA2DS2-VASc risk factor had similar odds of receiving oral anticoagulation in general, and similar odds for receiving direct oral anticoagulants in particular. Females had one more outpatient visit per year than males did, even after accounting for comorbidity differences (p <0.001). Female patients had higher odds of achieving our primary outcome of stroke, TIA, intracranial bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, hospitalization, or death (OR=1.19, p=0.041). Female atrial fibrillation patients have a different comorbidity profile than their male counterparts. We found persistent gender disparities in the management and prognosis of atrial fibrillation in a modern Louisiana population.

Association Between Internet Searches Related to Suicide/Self-harm and Adolescent Suicide Death in South Korea in 2016-2020: Secondary Data Analysis.

Previous studies have investigated the association between suicide and internet search volumes of terms related to suicide or self-harm. However, the results varied by people's age, period, and country, and no study has exclusively investigated suicide or self-harm rates among adolescents. This study aims to determine the association between the internet search volumes of terms related to suicide/self-harm and the number of suicides among South Korean adolescents. We investigated gender differences in this association and the time lag between the internet search volumes of the terms and the connected suicide deaths. We selected 26 search terms related to suicide and self-harm among South Korean adolescents, and the search volumes of these terms for adolescents aged 13-18 years were obtained from the leading internet search engine in South Korea (Naver Datalab). A data set was constructed by combining data from Naver Datalab and the number of suicide deaths of adolescents on a daily basis from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. Spearman rank correlation and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were performed to identify the association between the search volumes of the terms and the suicide deaths during that period. The time lag between suicide death and the increasing trend in the search volumes of the related terms was estimated from the cross-correlation coefficients. Significant correlations were observed within the search volumes of the 26 terms related to suicide/self-harm. The internet search volumes of several terms were associated with the number of suicide deaths among South Korean adolescents, and this association differed by gender. The search volume for "dropout" showed a statistically significant correlation with the number of suicides in all adolescent population groups. The correlation between the internet search volume for "dropout" and the connected suicide deaths was the strongest for a time lag of 0 days. In females, self-harm and academic score showed significant associations with suicide deaths, but academic score showed a negative correlation, and the time lags with the strongest correlations were 0 and -11 days, respectively. In the total population, self-harm and suicide method were associated with the number of suicides, and the time lags with the strongest correlations were +7 and 0 days, respectively. This study identifies a correlation between suicides and internet search volumes related to suicide/self-harm among South Korean adolescents, but the relatively weak correlation (incidence rate ratio 0.990-1.068) should be interpreted with caution.

Clinician perception of pathological narcissism in females: a vignette-based study.

The DSM-5 reports that up to 75% of those diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are males, which denotes that narcissism is a clinical phenomenon that operates differently in men and women. Vulnerable narcissism, which tends to be more prevalent in females and is currently under-appreciated in the DSM-5, may be diagnosed as other "vulnerable" disorders (e.g., Borderline Personality Disorder; BPD). The current study investigated gender differences in clinicians' perceptions of narcissistic pathology. Adopting an online vignette-based study, clinicians (N = 108; 79 females) read clinical case vignettes of hypothetical patients and provided diagnostic ratings of existing personality disorders. Clinicians' diagnostic ratings of NPD were concurrent with the vignette containing grandiose narcissism symptoms, irrespective of patient gender. However, when presented with a vulnerable narcissism vignette, clinicians were significantly more likely to attribute a BPD diagnosis in female patients, compared to male patients. Clinicians with a psychodynamic approach and more experience in practice were also more likely to label vulnerable narcissism symptoms as NPD, compared to those with a CBT approach and less experience in practice. The clinical implications of these results support the shift toward assessing personality dysfunction based on dimensional trait domains.

Examining mental and physical health between autistic women and women with serious mental illness

BackgroundCompared with their male counterparts, autistic women and women with serious mental illness (SMI) usually report comparable or better objective outcomes (e.g. more socially valued roles) but also poorer subjective outcomes (e.g. depression). While a number of studies investigated gender differences in adult outcome in autism or in SMI, this study is to our knowledge one of the first to compare whether autistic women would differ from women with SMI in their profiles of co-occurring health conditions, psychosocial function and in variables related to socially valued roles. MethodsTo explore this issue, we recruited 112 women (57 autistic women and 55 women with SMI) from one center of the REHABase cohort. Evaluation included a medical interview (DSM-5), an interview by a trained midwife to investigate co-occurring health conditions and a standardized scale for psychosocial function (Global Assessment of Functioning scale; GAF). ResultsCompared with women with SMI, autistic women had better psychosocial function but had also a higher mean number of co-occurring mental and physical health conditions. Autistic women were more likely to report current depression (beta=2.25; p = 0.002), current anxiety (beta=2.67; p < 0.001) and a history of school bullying (beta=2.05; p = 0.013). Autistic women reported less desire to become mothers. ConclusionsWhile autistic women and women with SMI report additional challenges resulting in poorer mental health compared with non-autistic women and their male counterparts, the present study suggests that autistic women may experience unique challenges and have unique treatment needs that should be taken into account when designing service provision.

‘Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus’? Doctoral Students’ Perspectives on Doctoral Education

Gender influences the lives of doctoral students, shaping both their doctoral experience and their views on doctoral education. Following this argument, the purpose of this paper is to investigate gender differences in students’ perspectives of what doctoral education entails. The emphasis is on how and to what extent male and female students’ perspectives differ in reflecting changes in doctoral education’s concept, which appears to be shifting from traditional to instrumental. A study was conducted to determine how Portuguese doctoral students perceive doctoral education in terms of its structuring dimensions. The study’s findings, gathered through 11 focus groups interviews with 31 doctoral students from three Portuguese public universities, five scientific fields and evenly distributed by gender, suggested that a hybrid concept of doctoral education is valued, combining elements of its traditional concept and an instrumental concept. This hybridity, and even a propensity toward a more instrumental perspective, appeared to be particularly prevalent among female doctoral students. The paper advances some explanatory hypotheses for these trends while highlighting clues for future research.

Exploring the Nexus of Body Image Satisfaction, Social Physique Anxiety, and Happiness in Young Adults: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry

The main objective of the study was to explore the relationship between body image satisfaction, social physique anxiety, and the happiness of young adults. The study also assessed whether the association of body image satisfaction predicts social physique anxiety and happiness in young adults. Finally, gender differences in these variables were also explored. A sample of 250 young adults (men = 83, women = 167) was recruited from the race-course park, gyms, and exercise clubs in Lahore City by using a purposive sampling technique. Results showed that body image satisfaction has a positive relationship with social physique anxiety (p &lt; .01), and a negative relationship with happiness in young adults. Regression analysis shows that social physique anxiety negatively and significantly predicts body image satisfaction and happiness in men and women. Certain demographic variables such as age, gender, monthly income, joint family system, and type of food appeared as significant predictors of body image satisfaction, social physique anxiety, and happiness in both men and women. An independent samples t-test was carried out to investigate gender differences in these variables. Implications for research, counseling, and clinical practice of these findings have been discussed.

The gender-job satisfaction paradox: the evidence of Serbia

Research Question: This study investigates gender differences in job satisfaction among employees in Serbia. Motivation: The main goal of the research is examine and providing evidence the existence and scope of the paradox of gender job satisfaction. In his paper, Clark (1997)proves that women have greater job satisfaction than men. The author suggests that, in general, the higher satisfaction of women at work may be a consequence of lower job expectations as a result of the worse position in the labor market that women have had in the past. Idea:The starting point of this research is the assumption that employed women are on average more satisfied than men, despite the inferior position they occupy in the labor market. Data:The research was conducted among 468 employees in six privately owned IT and publishing companies and one state-owned company (The Pension and Disability Insurance Fund of the Republic of Serbia).The structured questionnaire was used and distributed during January 2021. Tools: The questionnaire has two parts. The first part pertains to the respondents’ demographic information such as gender, age, level of education, the sectoral structure of the company in which they are employed, management positions and years of work experience. The second part of the questionnaire referred to questions related to job satisfaction, ie it contained 8 questions in accordance with the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire(Clark, 1997), which measured the degree of satisfaction with aspects of job including general satisfaction with current job. Findings: The results research show the women are more dissatisfied with their job compared to men, despite the fact that the distinction in job satisfaction between women and men is statistically insignificant. Finding that women on the average more dissatisfaction with their jobs than man appears to be contradictory to the most of studies report that women more satisfaction with their jobs than men. Accordingly, the idea of the gender-job satisfaction paradox in conditions of high levels of gender inequality that characterizes the labor market in Serbia cannot be confirmed and accepted as a universal phenomenon.Contribution: The paper adds existing knowledge about the job-gender paradox. Evidence that there are no differences in job satisfaction between female and male employees suggests that gender discrepancies is becoming less significant.

Understanding disproportionate female completion rates at police academies

ABSTRACT This paper investigates gender differences in graduation rates for police trainees in the nationwide sample of police academies collected in 2018 by the Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies. The study explores which characteristics of the police academies can explain the lower levels of graduation for female trainees when compared to their male counterparts. The findings suggest that the stress environment, the gender ratio of trainees, the instructors’ minimum education, the affiliation of the police academy with an academic institution, and the length of the program play an important role in explaining lower graduation rates for female trainees. When scrutinizing the specific reasons for failure, female trainees are more likely to fail due to challenges encountered in firearms training, driving lessons, and physical fitness instruction, but not due to overall academic performance. The female trainees are also twice as likely to voluntarily admit to failure and withdraw as their male counterparts.

Gender Differences in Dynamic Functional Network Connectivity in Pediatric and Adult Patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persistence into adulthood depends on gender, with 60% female and 35% male cases. This study sought to investigate gender differences in dynamic functional network connectivity (FNC) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of pediatric ADHD patients (female: N = 24; 11.02 ± 2.60 years, male: N = 20;11.87 ± 2.62 years) and adult ADHD patients (female = 19; 31.11 ± 10.40 years, males: N = 20;32.05 ± 10.10 years). We identified nine and eight networks in pediatrics and adult data, respectively, using group independent component analysis (GICA). Each age group was clustered into four states using K-means. Significant gender differences in the pediatric group were only found in temporal profiles, particularly in "fraction of time" (FOT) and "mean dwell time" (MDT), but not in FNC. FOT spent by the female pediatric group in state 4 showed a negative relationship with hyperactivity severity. Compared with the adult male group, reduced connectivity was observed within the visual network (VN), between the VN and default-mode network (DMN), and frontoparietal network, as well as between the DMN and cerebellum networks in female adult ADHD patients. Significant FOT and MDT differences were observed between the two groups in state 3. Our results imply gender differences in ADHD, especially in the adult group. Furthermore, given the gender differences observed, our work provides insights into the pathophysiology of ADHD subserved by gender. Impact statement Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms differ between genders; however, little has been done to determine gender differences in pediatric and adult ADHD patients. The present work presents the first gender-specific dynamic functional network connectivity study for different age groups of ADHD patients and highlights the discrepancies between male and female ADHD patients, particularly in the adult group, which may be due to the persistence of inattentive symptoms in female ADHD patients from childhood into adulthood. Given the gender differences observed in the current study, clinicians could consider treatment strategies that target each gender in each age group. The present work provides further insight into the connectivity patterns of the resting-state network in ADHD and may also serve as a basis for future sex-specific studies in different age groups in other disorders.

Gender differences in time taken for peer review and publishing output in the physical sciences

Background: Despite decades of work to improve gender equality in science (and other science, technology, engineering, and maths fields), gender bias still exists and has been shown to impact the retention of women in academic scientific careers. Publication of peer-reviewed articles remains a key criterion for career progression and a common marker of success in academia. Any barriers to publication faced by women may therefore impact their retention and career progression. Objectives: To investigate gender differences within one potential barrier to publication, namely the time taken in peer review, by investigating the question: &amp;lsquo;Is the peer review process longer for papers with (assumed) women as first authors than those with (assumed) male first authors?&amp;rsquo; Methods: Gender differences in peer review time were analysed for 1100 peer-reviewed papers published between 2006 and 2016 and selected from 5 journals covering a range of physical science disciplines and publication styles. Results: In the physical sciences, male first-authored papers outnumbered female first-authored papers 2:1. However, the analysis showed no statistical difference in the time taken for peer review between the two sets of papers. Conclusion: The time taken to peer review a paper is not linked to the gender of the paper&amp;rsquo;s first author. However, the large discrepancy in the number of papers with men as first authors compared to that with women as first authors could be a contributing factor to the attrition of women from the academic career ladder (the so-called &amp;lsquo;leaky pipeline&amp;rsquo;).

Distinct Emotional and Cardiac Responses to Audio Erotica between Genders.

Emotional and cardiac responses to audio erotica and their gender differences are relatively unclear in the study of the human sexual response. The current study was designed to investigate gender differences regarding positive and negative emotional responses to erotica, as well as its association with cardiac response. A total of 40 healthy participants (20 women) were exposed to erotic, neutral, and happy audio segments during which emotions and heart rate changes were evaluated. Our data showed distinct emotional responses to erotica between genders, in which women reported a higher level of shame than men and rated erotic audios as less pleasant than happy audios. Meanwhile, men reported erotic and happy audios as equally pleasant. These results were independent of cardiac changes, as both sexes demonstrated comparable heart rate deceleration when exposed to erotica relative to neutral and happy stimuli. Our results highlight the role of sociocultural modulation in the emotional response to erotica.

Arithmetic Word Problem-Solving and Math Anxiety: The Role of Perceived Difficulty and Gender

ABSTRACT A crucial component of mathematics curriculum in primary education is represented by the ability to solve arithmetic word problems. Previous studies investigated predominantly the cognitive factors underlying this skill, neglecting the role of emotional (e.g. math anxiety – MA) and metacognitive aspects (e.g. perceived difficulty). Some findings suggested that emotional factors could influence perceived task difficulty which would, in turn, impair students’ performance. However, the relation between MA, perceived difficulty, and math problem-solving has not been explored yet. Moreover, although many studies reported gender differences in MA levels, findings involving primary school children are contrasting. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the role of MA and perceived task difficulty on arithmetic word problem-solving proficiency in a sample of Italian primary school students, and to investigate gender differences in those variables. Results showed that MA had a direct and indirect effect through perceived difficulty on problem-solving performance. Furthermore, findings confirmed that girls exhibited higher MA levels, however no gender difference was observed in problem-solving accuracy nor in perceived difficulty. The study underlines the need to consider emotional factors when investigating children’s difficulties in math problem-solving and highlight the importance of MA interventions, especially for girls, already in primary education.

Gender Differences in Gastroparesis

Delayed gastric emptying, known as gastroparesis, is a chronic disorder that disproportionately affects women over men. We reviewed studies focusing on female predominance of gastroparesis and various hypothesis for the development and presentation in such differences. Females are at a disadvantage for several factors, including physiologic delay at baseline, cyclic changes in sex hormones attributing to symptoms as well as dynamic results of gastric emptying tests, and interplay with nitric oxide dysfunction, linking it to functional gastrointestinal disorders, thus higher symptom severity, and a potential barrier to treatment response. Further studies need to be conducted to investigate gender differences in the development and presentation of gastroparesis, with the intent to develop and implement customized treatment for gender-specific variations in gastric delay.

Gender differences in behavioral inhibitory control under evoked acute stress: An event-related potential study.

This study investigated gender differences in behavioral inhibitory control among college students under acute stress state by using event-related potential technique. Acute stress was evoked in 41 college students (22 males and 19 females) using the Trier Social Stress paradigm, and the neutral state was matched using out-of-speech reading, with subjects completing a two-choice Oddball task in each of the two states. In combination with the ERP technique, the area under the stress curve, reaction time, number of errors, and the difference waves between the two stimulus conditions in the frontal-central region N2 wave amplitude and the parietal-central region P3 wave amplitude were compared between the two groups of subjects in the stressful and neutral state. The results revealed that the area under the stress curve was larger under the stress condition compared to the neutral condition, and the area under the stress curve was larger in females than in males. Behavioral results showed no statistically significant differences in reaction time and number of errors between the two genders in the acute stress condition. The ERP results showed that the wave amplitudes of N2 and P3 decreased significantly in both genders in the acute stress state. The decrease in N2 amplitude was greater in females during the transition from neutral to stressful condition, while the difference in P3 amplitude was not statistically significant in both genders. The findings suggest that evoked acute stress can promote behavioral inhibitory control in both genders and that females are more sensitive to acute stress state.

How Do Women and Men Look at the Past? Large Scanpath in Women during Autobiographical Retrieval—A Preliminary Study

While research has consistently demonstrated how autobiographical memory triggers visual exploration, prior studies did not investigate gender differences in this domain. We thus compared eye movement between women and men while performing an autobiographical retrieval task. We invited 35 women and 35 men to retrieve autobiographical memories while their gaze was monitored by an eye tracker. We further investigated gender differences in eye movement and autobiographical specificity, that is, the ability to retrieve detailed memories. The analysis demonstrated shorter fixations, larger duration and amplitude of saccades, and higher autobiographical specificity in women than in men. The significant gender differences in eye movement disappeared after controlling for autobiographical specificity. When retrieving autobiographical memory, female participants generated a large scan with short fixation and high saccade amplitude, while male participants increased their fixation duration and showed poorer gaze scan. The large saccades in women during autobiographical retrieval may constitute an exploratory gaze behavior enabling better autobiographical memory functioning, which is reflected by the larger number of autobiographical details retrieved compared to men.

Exploring obesity, physical activity, and digital game addiction levels among adolescents: A study on machine learning-based prediction of digital game addiction.

Primary study aim was defining prevalence of obesity, physical activity levels, digital game addiction level in adolescents, to investigate gender differences, relationships between outcomes. Second aim was predicting game addiction based on anthropometric measurements, physical activity levels. Cross-sectional study design was implemented. Participants aged 9-14 living in Kirikkale were part of the study. The sample of the study consists of 405 adolescents, 231 girls (57%) and 174 boys (43%). Self-reported data were collected by questionnaire method from a random sample of 405 adolescent participants. To determine the physical activity levels of children, the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). Digital Game addiction was evaluated with the digital game addiction (DGA) scale. Additionally, body mass index (BMI) status was calculated by measuring the height and body mass of the participants. Data analysis were performed using Python 3.9 software and SPSS 28.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, United States) package program. According to our findings, it was determined that digital game addiction has a negative relationship with physical activity level. It was determined that physical activity level had a negative relationship with BMI. In addition, increased physical activity level was found to reduce obesity and DGA. Game addiction levels of girl participants were significantly higher than boy participants, and game addiction was higher in those with obesity. With the prediction model obtained, it was determined that age, being girls, BMI and total physical activity (TPA) scores were predictors of game addiction. The results revealed that the increase in age and BMI increased the risk of DGA, and we found that women had a 2.59 times greater risk of DGA compared to men. More importantly, the findings of this study showed that physical activity was an important factor reducing DGA 1.51-fold. Our prediction model Logit (P) = 1/(1 + exp(-(-3.384 + Age*0.124 + Gender-boys*(-0.953) + BMI*0.145 + TPA*(-0.410)))). Regular physical activity should be encouraged, digital gaming hours can be limited to maintain ideal weight. Furthermore, adolescents should be encouraged to engage in physical activity to reduce digital game addiction level. As a contribution to the field, the findings of this study presented important results that may help in the prevention of adolescent game addiction.

Diffusion tensor imaging reveals sex differences in pain sensitivity of rats.

Studies on differences in brain structure and function according to sex are reported to contribute to differences in behavior and cognition. However, few studies have investigated brain structures or used tractography to investigate gender differences in pain sensitivity. The identification of tracts involved in sex-based structural differences that show pain sensitivity has remained elusive to date. Here, we attempted to demonstrate the sex differences in pain sensitivity and to clarify its relationship with brain structural connectivity. In this study, pain behavior test and brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed in male and female rats and tractography was performed on the whole brain using fiber tracking software. We selected eight brain regions related to pain and performed a tractography analysis of these regions. Fractional anisotropy (FA) measurements using automated tractography revealed sex differences in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)-, prefrontal cortex (PFC)-, and ventral posterior thalamus-related brain connections. In addition, the results of the correlation analysis of pain sensitivity and DTI tractography showed differences in mean, axial, and radial diffusivities, as well as FA. This study revealed the potential of DTI for exploring circuits involved in pain sensitivity. The behavioral and functional relevance's of measures derived from DTI tractography is demonstrated by their relationship with pain sensitivity.

Sex differences in antipsychotic efficacy and side effects in psychosis

AbstractThere are a lot of studies investigating gender differences in the side effects of first and second-generation antipsychotic drugs. Even though some side effects are seen at higher rates in women, it is not determined yet the influence of gender on the efficacy and side effects of antipsychotic agents is still not well clear. In this review, we give a brief overview of antipsychotic side effects leading probably to distinguished clinical outcomes in both sexes.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Gender inequality in the one percent: A look under the hood of high incomes in Germany.

Gender differences in economic outcomes are important topics in social science research. However, the study of gender differences among economic elites-"the top one percent"-has received surprisingly little attention, likely also due to a lack of empirical data. This paper investigates gender differences in individual and household income among the top one percent of individual monthly net incomes and top two percent of net household incomes using data from the German Microcensus from 2006 to 2016 covering more than 3.3 million individuals. I find that women account for only around 14% of the one percent in individual incomes. Additionally, regarding the household level, women's incomes are sufficient to achieve two percent status in fewer than 10% of all households. Both numbers did hardly change over the decade from 2006 to 2016. Furthermore, women's pathways to belonging to a high-income household are far more dependent on their partner's education and employment status than men's. Overall, the findings thus show dramatic gender differences among the German economic elite that do not narrow over time.

Education and Geriatric Depression in Vietnam: Investigating Gender Differences Using Path Analysis

Education and Geriatric Depression in Vietnam: Investigating Gender Differences Using Path Analysis