Positional Disparity Research Articles

A 12-Year North American Longitudinal Study of Gender Equity and Equality in Gastroenterology

A 12-Year North American Longitudinal Study of Gender Equity and Equality in Gastroenterology

Life course socioeconomic position and DNA methylation age acceleration in mid-life

BackgroundAgeing biomarkers can help us better understand how well-established socioeconomic position (SEP) disparities in ageing occur. A promising new set of DNAm methylation (DNAm)-based ageing biomarkers indicate through their age...

Female authorship of covid-19 research in manuscripts submitted to 11 biomedical journals: cross sectional study

ObjectiveTo describe prominent authorship positions held by women and the overall percentage of women co-authoring manuscripts submitted during the covid-19 pandemic compared with the previous two years.DesignCross sectional study.SettingNine specialist...

Diversity in Selected Leadership Positions in United States Academic Pediatric Gastroenterology Programs: A Review and Call to Action.

Women and minorities are underrepresented in leadership positions in academic specialties. We investigated representation of women and minorities in selected leadership positions and in fellowships in North American academic pediatric gastroenterology programs (PGP) via voluntary surveys. We also assessed for factors influencing diversity. We found that 45.8% of Program Directors (PD), 75% of division chiefs (DC), and 71% of Pediatrics department chairs were men. Sixty-three percentage of the PG fellows were women. Most DCs were male professors. Most PDs, DCs, and department chairs were White (70%, 80%, and 88.3%), with Blacks being the least represented group in leadership and also among fellows. We found a higher likelihood of having a White PD if the department chair was White. We found gender and racial disparities in all PGP leadership positions. This data can serve as a guide in efforts to support diversity for both gender and race at all positions and academic ranks.

The Persistent Publication Glass Ceiling: An Analysis of Female Authorship Trend in Vascular Surgery

Prior research in vascular surgery has identified significant gender disparities in leadership positions. Publication serves as an indicator of academic performance, which is an important factor in promotions, salaries, grants, and tenure. This study aims to evaluate female authorship in vascular surgery literature.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO GENDER DISPARITIES IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS: EVIDENCE FROM SOME SELECTED HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS IN TANZANIA

The role of women in the development of nations has continued to gain its attention all over the world. That is why, issues concerning with gender disparities are often addressed. In Tanzania, gender inequality, especially the dominance of men is well reflected in leadership positions in higher learning institutions. This study, therefore, investigated factors contributing to gender disparities in leadership and managerial positions in the selected higher learning institutions in Tanzania. The study employed a mixed method and design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and interview. Quantitative data were analysed through descriptive statistics and qualitative data through thematic analysis. The study revealed that family commitment, patriarchy culture, motherhood and men tending to be decision makers contribute to gender disparity in leadership positions in higher learning institutions. The study is significant to women because it addresses the factors that are pushing them back from holding leadership positions and their solutions. Also it is significant to policy makers because it will direct them towards making policies that touch gender inclusion in all levels as well as institutions to improve their efforts towards woman empowerment at working place.

How to Promote Career Advancement and Gender Equity for Women in Gastroenterology: A Multifaceted Approach

How to Promote Career Advancement and Gender Equity for Women in Gastroenterology: A Multifaceted Approach

Adopting a "Compound" Exposome Approach in Environmental Aging Biomarker Research: A Call to Action for Advancing Racial Health Equity.

Background:In June 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a virtual workshop focused on integrating the science of aging and environmental health research. The concurrent COVID-19 pandemic and national attention on racism exposed shortcomings in the environmental research field’s conceptualization and methodological use of race, which have subsequently hindered the ability of research to address racial health disparities. By the workshop’s conclusion, the authors deduced that the utility of environmental aging biomarkers—aging biomarkers shown to be specifically influenced by environmental exposures—would be greatly diminished if these biomarkers are developed absent of considerations of broader societal factors—like structural racism—that impinge on racial health equity.Objectives:The authors reached a post-workshop consensus recommendation: To advance racial health equity, a “compound” exposome approach should be widely adopted in environmental aging biomarker research. We present this recommendation here.Discussion:The authors believe that without explicit considerations of racial health equity, people in most need of the benefits afforded by a better understanding of the relationships between exposures and aging will be the least likely to receive them because biomarkers may not encompass cumulative impacts from their unique social and environmental stressors. Employing an exposome approach that allows for more comprehensive exposure–disease pathway characterization across broad domains, including the social exposome and neighborhood factors, is the first step. Exposome-centered study designs must then be supported with efforts aimed at increasing the recruitment and retention of racially diverse study populations and researchers and further “compounded” with strategies directed at improving the use and interpretation of race throughout the publication and dissemination process. This compound exposome approach maximizes the ability of our science to identify environmental aging biomarkers that explicate racial disparities in health and best positions the environmental research community to contribute to the elimination of racial health disparities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8392

Anthropology’s Prophecy for #MeToo: From Hollywood to Hong Kong

AbstractMore than fifty years before the #MeToo movement, anthropologist Hortense Powdermaker provided ethnographic insights into patterns of masculine aggression and gender disparities in positions of power in Hollywood. Contextualizing contemporary #MeToo news reports with Powdermaker’s study and my own ethnographic research in the Hollywood and Hong Kong film industries, I examine what I call the globalization of Hollywood patriarchy through the East Asian business operations of US film producer–distributor Harvey Weinstein. Connecting anthropologist Sherry Ortner’s conceptualization of US neoliberal patriarchy with Powdermaker’s insights offers a unique perspective on contemporary and racialized expressions of power in global mass media industries.

Life Course Socioeconomic Position, Intergenerational Social Mobility, and Hypertension Incidence in ELSA-Brasil.

Life course epidemiology is a powerful framework to unravel the role of socioeconomic position (SEP) disparities in hypertension (HTN). This study investigated whether life course SEP is associated with HTN incidence. Specifically, to test whether cumulative low SEP throughout life and unfavorable intergenerational social mobility increased HTN incidence. Longitudinal analysis of 8,754 ELSA-Brasil participants without HTN or cardiovascular in visit 1 (2008-2010). The response variable was the incidence of HTN between visits 1 and 2 (2012-2014). The explanatory variables were childhood, youth, and adulthood SEP, cumulative low SEP, and intergenerational social mobility. Associations were estimated by incidence rate ratios (IRRs) obtained by generalized linear models, with Poisson distribution and logarithmic link function, after adjustment for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health factors. The incidence of HTN was 43.2/1,000 person-years, being higher in males, elderly (70-74 years), self-declared black, and low SEP individuals. After considering sociodemographic factors, low SEP in childhood, youth, and adulthood remained statistically associated with increased HTN incidence. Individuals in the third (IRR: 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.44) and fourth top quartiles (IRR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.11-1.49) of cumulative low SEP, vs. first, as well as those with low stable intergenerational trajectory (IRR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.16-1.43), vs. high stable, also had increased HTN incidence rates. Socioeconomic disparities at all phases of the life cycle appear to raise HTN incidence rates, being the individuals with greater accumulation of exposure to low SEP and with more unfavorable intergenerational mobility at greatest risk, even in a short follow-up time.

Employee Perceptions on Ethics, Racial-Ethnic and Work Disparities in Long-Term Care: Implications for Ethics Committees.

This study explored the perceptions of ethics among long-term care employees (N275) in order to test two hypotheses. A cohort cross-sectional survey examined employees’ perceptions of an ethics environment, racial-ethnic, and position disparities (HO1; ANOVA), and, secondarily, ethics in relationship to select, research-grounded work features measured as manage disagreements, effectiveness, work satisfaction, and opinions of care, the latter including intention to remain (HO2; Pearson Correlations). Established questionnaires with robust psychometrics were employed. Response rate was 51%. Non-significant differences between sample and population on key variables supported extrapolation of results. Statistically significant differences between racial–ethnic (p < 0.03; F 2.42) and work positions (p <0.0001; F 6.24) were revealed on ethics (3.16; HO1). Statistically significant relationships (p <0.0001; r = 0.26–0.68; HO2) between ethics and employees’ work features also were found, confirming both hypotheses. Perceptions of ethics based on racial-ethnic and position disparities, as well as the robust links with employee work features, offered potential avenues for decreasing disparities at work and improving the quality of long-term care. Noted further on ethics item scoring were relatively low scores indicating less involvement in, and access to, ethics discussions and decisions. In contrast, the literature review substantiated the importance of empowerment and retention, which were enhanced by employee involvement in work, notably, discussions and decisions. Thus, implications of ethics committees in long-term care sites as ways to potentially enhance employees’ work and quality of care, especially work satisfaction and retention, were explored; relevant concerns raised by the Covid pandemic were, briefly, discussed.

A unified model for binocular fusion and depth perception

We describe a new unified model to explain both binocular fusion and depth perception, over a broad range of depths. At each location, the model consists of an array of paired spatial frequency filters, with different relative horizontal shifts (position disparity) and interocular phase disparities of 0, 90, ±180, or −90°. The paired filters with different spatial profiles (non-zero phase disparity) compute interocular misalignment and provide phase-disparity energy (binocular fusion energy) to drive selection of the appropriate filters along the position disparity space until the misalignment is eliminated and sensory fusion is achieved locally. The paired filters with identical spatial profiles (0 phase disparity) compute the position-disparity energy. After sensory fusion, the combination of position and possible residual phase disparity energies is calculated for binocular depth perception. Binocular fusion occurs at multiple scales following a coarse-to-fine process. At a given location, the apparent depth is the weighted sum of fusion shifts combined with residual phase disparity in all spatial-frequency channels, and the weights depend on stimulus spatial frequency and stimulus contrast. To test the theory, we measured disparity minimum and maximum thresholds (Dmin and Dmax) at three spatial frequencies and with different intraocular contrast levels. The stimuli were Random-Gabor-Patch (RGP) stereograms consisting of Gabor patches with random positions and phases, but with a fixed spatial frequency. The two eyes viewed identical arrays of patches except that one eye’s array could be shifted horizontally and could differ in contrast. Our experiments and modeling reveal two contrast normalization mechanisms: (1) Energy Normalization (EN): Binocular energy is normalized with monocular energy after the site of binocular combination. This predicts constant Dmin thresholds when varying stimulus contrast in the two eyes; (2) DSKL model Interocular interactions: Monocular contrasts are normalized before the binocular combination site through interocular contrast gain-control and gain-enhancement mechanisms. This predicts contrast dependent Dmax thresholds. We tested a range of models and found that a model consisting of a second-order pathway with DSKL interocular interactions and a first-order pathway with EN at each spatial-frequency band can account for both the Dmin and Dmax data very well. Simulations show that the model makes reasonable predictions of suprathreshold depth perception.

Gender Bias in Academic Recruitment? Evidence from a Survey Experiment in the Nordic Region

Abstract Gender disparities in top-level academic positions are persistent. However, whether bias in recruitment plays a role in producing these disparities remains unclear. This study examines the role of bias in academic recruitment by conducting a large-scale survey experiment among faculty in Economics, Law, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology from universities in Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The faculty respondents rated CVs of hypothetical candidates—who were randomly assigned either a male or a female name—for a permanent position as an Associate Professor in their discipline. The results show that, despite the underrepresentation of women in all fields, the female candidates were viewed as both more competent and more hireable compared to their male counterparts. Having children or a stronger CV do not change the overall result. Consequently, biased evaluations of equally qualified candidates to Associate Professor positions do not seem to be the key explanation of the persistent gender gap in academia in the Nordic region.

Student Gender Bias in College Class Selection

The existing literature on instructor gender preferences by students has a glaring gap. Namely, when college students are faced with the real-life decision of choosing classes, does the gender of the instructor influence their decision? This research is the first to address this question. Enrollment data from 581 class sections at a regional university in the United States was analyzed. The main findings of this research show that there is a significant bias in favor of male instructors. Even more troubling is the finding that this male preference bias is more pronounced in sophomore classes than freshman classes. This elicits discussion of how gender disparities in tenured positions may perpetuate harmful stereotypes regarding gender and teaching ability. Furthermore, findings on math classes call into question some of the literature on gender bias and therefore point to the need for replication. The paper concludes by assessing the efficacy of potential solutions.

Area-level socioeconomic disparity trends in nutritional status among 5–6-year-old children in Israel

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess area-level socioeconomic position (SEP) disparities in nutritional status, to determine whether disparities differed by sex and to assess whether nutritional status and disparities changed over...

Is Academic Medicine Ready for Term Limits?

The use of term limits in politics and business has been proposed as a means to refresh leadership, encourage innovation, and decrease gender and racial disparities in positions of power. Many U.S. states and the executive boards of businesses have incorporated them into their constitutions and bylaws; however, studies in politics and business have shown that implementing term limits has had mixed results. Specifically, research in politics has shown that term limits have had a minimal effect on the number of women and minorities elected to office, while research in business indicates term limits do increase innovation. Additionally, term limits may have unintended negative consequences, including inhibiting individuals from developing deep expertise in a specific area of interest and destabilizing institutions that endure frequent turnover in leaders. Given this conflicting information, it is not surprising that academic medical centers (AMCs) in the United States have not widely incorporated term limits for those holding positions of power, including deans, presidents, provosts, and department heads. Notably, a few AMCs have incorporated such limits for some positions, and faculty have viewed these positively for their ability to shape a more egalitarian and collaborative culture. Drawing on studies from academic medicine, politics, and business, the author examines arguments both for and against instituting term limits at AMCs. The author concludes that despite strong arguments against term limits, they deserve attention in academic medicine, especially given their potential to help address gender and racial disparities and to encourage innovation.

Legal Writing as Office Housework?

This essay examines persistent status issues that legal writing faculty face through the lens of Joan Williams’s “office housework” paradigm. Office housework includes tasks that are not valuable for career advancement, even when they are necessary for an organization’s success. Williams’s research shows significant gender and racial disparities across industries in who carries disproportionate burdens of office housework. These disparities mirror the disparities seen when comparing the composition of legal writing faculties to the composition of law school faculties generally, as well as the salary and security of position disparities between the two groups. Applying this paradigm, the essay argues that legal writing faculty disproportionately bear the burden of three types of office housework: (1) important but undervalued assignments (e.g. providing detailed formative assessment); (2) emotional labor (e.g. dealing with student upset by providing grades before our colleagues do); and (3) work that sounds impressive but is undervalued for salary or promotion purposes (e.g. service obligations and directing legal writing programs). The essay then offers preliminary thoughts on strategic solutions that law schools could use to rectify persistent status disparities faced by legal writing faculty.

WOMENtorship: The #WomenInMedicine perspective

Mentorship is essential for career development, personal development, and job satisfaction for physicians in academic medicine. Women in academic medicine face unique challenges including significant gender disparities in positions of leadership as well as difficulty finding mentors. As leaders in academic medicine, we have collated several structured recommendations for physicians of both genders seeking to be better mentors to female trainees and early career physicians. We discuss each of these recommendations in detail including the following: acknowledging your own strengths and limitations as a mentor, addressing issues of work-life integration, helping your mentee set long-term career goals, and acting as a sponsor as well as a mentor. We hope these suggestions are helpful for current and aspiring mentors and provide a platform to improve career development for female physicians and reduce gender inequities in academic medicine.

Socioeconomic Position Disparities in Cardiovascular Health Before and After the Examination of Mechanisms of Exercise-Induced Weight Compensation Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: We examined socioeconomic position (SEP) disparities in cardiovascular health before and after an exercise intervention.Methods: Data were from the Examination of Mechanisms of Exercise-Induced Weight Compensation (E-MECHANIC) study. Cardiovascular health was measured through a composite score combining body mass index, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose. SEP was assessed using a single measure that combined income and education.Results: At baseline, there was no significant difference in cardiovascular health between high and low SEP participants. Post-intervention, this difference reached significance.Conclusion: Although cardiovascular health improved for exercise intervention participants, SEP disparities in cardiovascular health persisted during the trial.

FGF, BMP, and RA signaling are sufficient for the induction of complete limb regeneration from non-regenerating wounds on Ambystoma mexicanum limbs

Some organisms, such as the Mexican axolotl, have the capacity to regenerate complicated biological structures throughout their lives. Which molecular pathways are sufficient to induce a complete endogenous regenerative response in injured tissue is an important question that remains unanswered. Using a gain-of-function regeneration assay, known as the Accessory Limb Model (ALM), we and others have begun to identify the molecular underpinnings of the three essential requirements for limb regeneration; wounding, neurotrophic signaling, and the induction of pattern from cells that retain positional memory. We have previously shown that treatment of Mexican axolotls with exogenous retinoic acid (RA) is sufficient to induce the formation of complete limb structures from blastemas that were generated by deviating a nerve bundle into an anterior-located wound site on the limb. Here we show that these ectopic structures are capable of regenerating and inducing new pattern to form when grafted into new anterior-located wounds. We additionally found that the expression of Alx4 decreases, and Shh expression increases in these anterior located blastemas, but not in the mature anterior tissues, supporting the hypothesis that RA treatment posteriorizes blastema tissue. Based on these and previous observations, we used the ALM assay to test the hypothesis that a complete regenerative response can be generated by treating anterior-located superficial limb wounds with a specific combination of growth factors at defined developmental stages. Our data shows that limb wounds that are first treated with a combination of FGF-2, FGF-8, and BMP-2, followed by RA treatment of the resultant mid-bud stage blastema, will result in the generation of limbs with complete proximal/distal and anterior/posterior limb axes. Thus, the minimal signaling requirements from the nerve and a positional disparity are achieved with the application of this specific combination of signaling molecules.