Gender Differences Research Articles

Sex and gender differences in hepatitis C virus risk, prevention, and cascade of care in people who inject drugs: systematic review and meta-analysis

People who inject drugs (PWID) are a priority population in HCV elimination programming. Overcoming sex and gender disparities in HCV risk, prevention, and the cascade of care is likely to be important to achieving this goal, but these have not yet been comprehensively reviewed. Systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched Pubmed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1 January 2012-22 January 2024 for studies of any design reporting sex or gender differences among PWID in at least one of: sharing of needles and/or syringes, incarceration history, injection while incarcerated, participation in opioid agonist treatment or needle and syringe programs, HCV testing, spontaneous HCV clearance, direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment initiation or completion, and sustained virological response (SVR). Assessment of study quality was based on selected aspects of study design. Additional data were requested from study authors. Data were extracted in duplicate and meta-analysed using random effects models. PROSPERO registration CRD42022342806. 9533 studies were identified and 92 studies were included. Compared to men, women were at greater risk for receptive needle and syringe sharing (past 6-12 months: risk ratio (RR) 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.23; <6 months: RR 1.38; 95% CI 1.09-1.76), less likely to be incarcerated (lifetime RR 0.64; 95% CI 0.57-0.73) more likely to be tested for HCV infection (lifetime RR 1.07; 95% CI 1.01, 1.14), more likely to spontaneously clear infection (RR1.58; 95% CI 1.40-1.79), less likely to initiate DAA treatment (0.84; 95% CI 0.78-0.90), and more likely to attain SVR after completing DAA treatment (RR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.04). There are important differences in HCV risk and cascade of care indicators among people who inject drugs that may impact the effectiveness of prevention and treatment programming. Developing and assessing the effectiveness of gender-specific and gender-responsive HCV interventions should be a priority in elimination programming. Réseau SIDA-MI du Québec.

Racial and Gender Disparities in Inpatient Outcomes of Patients With Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in the United States

Racial and Gender Disparities in Inpatient Outcomes of Patients With Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in the United States

Gender Disparities in Industry Payments Among Vascular Surgeons

Gender Disparities in Industry Payments Among Vascular Surgeons

Gender Stratification, Racial Disparities, and Student Debt Trajectories in the United States

In the United States, post-secondary educational outcomes are stratified by gender, with women attending college and completing their degrees at higher rates. At the same time, student loan debt has become an ubiquitous part of the college process for many pursuing higher education, increasing the financial risks associated with the pursuit of higher education while lessening the financial rewards. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) of young adults who ever attended a post-secondary institution and growth curve models, we estimate gender disparities in student debt trajectories throughout young adulthood. Building on work on the racialization of the student debt landscape (Houle & Addo 2022), we also investigate the intersection of race and gender, and include both within race gender analyses and within gender racial analyses. Gender differences in student debt at baseline, or at the age of first college enrollment, are large and the gender debt gap grows at 1.2% per year. We document evidence of a curvilinear relationship in student debt in young adulthood, with student debt accumulating at the beginning of the college enrollment period and the rate of increase declining over time as adults age. Women, who start the period with larger amounts of student debt, experience faster growth in their debt accumulation followed by lower declines relative to young adult men. These patterns are magnified among Black young adults, with the gender debt disparity between Black women and Black men growing 3.4% annually. We find no association between gender and student debt trajectories among Latinx and White young adults. Within-gender models highlight the prevalence of the student debt crisis among Black women and Black men. Additional analyses suggest gender differences in debt trajectories are a function of postsecondary and young adult socioeconomic characteristics, reflecting broader societal inequalities that stem from structural elements related to post-secondary schooling and economic status. These patterns may inhibit wealth-building among women and Black adults in the United States.

Empowering educators: A training for pre-service and in-service teachers on gender-sensitive STEM instruction

Starting early in life, children, especially girls, experience obstacles when it comes to developing interest in STEM. Although teachers face an important task in promoting girls (and boys) in STEM, they often encounter hurdles in doing so. A three-month-long training for pre- and in-service teachers in elementary education was developed to counter this phenomenon. An important training feature was teaching ideas for STEM classrooms. Teachers’ evaluation of the training and teaching ideas, changes in their self-concept, and elementary students’ assessment of the teaching ideas were investigated. Students rated the teaching ideas favorably, with no gender differences. Even though each idea incorporated relevant didactic features for gender-sensitive STEM instruction, the teachers rated certain ideas and contents more critically than others. Nevertheless, their assessments speak in favor of the training intervention, while also indicating gaps in teachers’ professional knowledge regarding gender-sensitive didactics. Implications for the design of STEM teacher education are outlined.

Survival of In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Arrest in Trauma Patients

IntroductionRelative to other hospitalized patients, trauma patients are younger with fewer comorbidities, but the incidence and outcomes of in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (IHCA) with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in this population is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate factors associated with survival in trauma patients after IHCA to test the hypothesis that compared to other hospitalized patients, trauma patients with IHCA have improved survival. MethodsRetrospective review of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program database 2017 to 2019 for patients who had IHCA with CPR. Primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital complications, hospital length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay, and ventilator days. Data were compared with univariate and multivariate analyses at P < 0.05. ResultsIn 22,346,677 admitted trauma patients, 14,056 (0.6%) received CPR. Four thousand three hundred seventy-seven (31.1%) survived to discharge versus 26.4% in a national sample of all hospitalized patients (P < 0.001). In trauma patients, median age was 55 y, the majority were male (72.2%). Mortality was higher for females versus males (70.3% versus 68.3%, P = 0.026). Multivariate regression showed that older age 1.01 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.02), Hispanic ethnicity 1.21 (95% CI 1.04-1.40), and penetrating trauma 1.51 (95% CI 1.32-1.72) were risk factors for mortality, while White race was a protective factor 0.36 (95% CI 0.14-0.89). ConclusionsThis is the first study to show that the incidence of IHCA with CPR is approximately six in 1000 trauma admissions and 31% survive to hospital discharge, which is higher than other hospitalized patients. Age, gender, racial, and ethnic disparities also influence survival.

Professionalism, gender, and inequality: An inquiry into the causes of gender disparity in Brazilian courts

Resumo Este artigo discute as causas da patente disparidade de gênero nos Tribunais brasileiros. Partindo do trabalho seminal de Maria da Glória Bonelli, atualizam-se os dados de composição por gênero do Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo (TJSP) e do Tribunal Regional Federal da 3ª Região (TRF3). Feito isso, compara-se a evolução dos dados nas justiças estadual e federal, e discute-se a tese proposta por Bonelli para explicá-los. Argumenta-se que sua tese, centrada no ideal do "profissionalismo", é falseada pela evolução recente dos dados, que mostram uma involução na justiça federal e um pequeno progresso no âmbito estadual. Além disso e por fim, discutem-se duas hipóteses para explicar os dados: (i) uma maior interferência do Poder Executivo na Justiça Federal; e (ii) o efeito de mecanismos sutis nas regras de seleção e promoção na carreira.

Comprehensive Study on the Impacts of Gender Disparities Over Life and Work Balance in IT Sector in Bangalore

This study is focusing on, especially in the workforce of the information technology sectors, to look into the work and family life balance of the employees in the IT sectors, mainly in Bangalore City. The objective of this study is to learn the relation of gender and employees’ personal and professional life balance in the IT sector of Bangalore and how marital status affects work and personal life balance in the IT sector of Bangalore. The aim of this study is to identify how organizational support, policies, management, and leadership can help employees balance their personal and work lives in the organization. Work-life balance is to find time for family and family functions, neighbourhood participation, friends and relatives’ functions, enriching self-care, and personal and spiritual growth by attending sessions, other personal activities. Basically, it is to understand the need and how to adjust time and fulfil additional demands of the workplace. The method has been used with the collection of responses from different IT companies in Bangalore, and the chi square tool has been used for analysis.

Epidemiology and demographic patterns of cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms deaths in Western Europe: a 1990–2019 analysis

ObjectivesCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and neoplasms have been considered as public health concerns worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the epidemiological patterns of death burden on CVDs and neoplasms and its attributable risk factors in Western Europe from 1990 to 2019 to discuss the potential causes of the disparities. Study design and methodsWe collected data on CVDs and neoplasm deaths in 24 Western European countries from the Global Burden of Disease Study. We analyzed patterns by age, sex, country, and associated risk factors. The results include percentages of total deaths, age-standardized death rates per 100,000 population, and uncertainty intervals (UIs). Time trends were assessed using annual percent change. ResultsIn 2019, CVDs and neoplasms accounted for 33.54% and 30.15% of Western Europe's total deaths, with age-standardized death rates of 128.05 and 137.51 per 100,000. Over 1990–2019, CVD rates decreased by 54.97%, and neoplasm rates decreased by 19.54%. Top CVD subtypes were ischemic heart disease and stroke; top cancers for neoplasms were lung and colorectal. Highest CVD death burdens were in Finland, Greece, Austria; neoplasm burdens in Monaco, San Marino, Andorra. The major risk factors were metabolic (CVDs) and behavioral (neoplasms). Gender differences revealed higher CVD death burden in males, while neoplasm burden varied by risk factors and age groups. ConclusionIn 2019, CVDs and neoplasms posed significant health risks in Western Europe, with variations in death burdens and risk factors across genders, age groups, and countries. Future interventions should target vulnerable groups to lessen the impact of CVDs and neoplasms in the region.

Appearance Anxiety and Loneliness among Young Adults

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the connection between young adults' feelings of loneliness and appearance anxiety . It also examines whether there is a gender difference in males and females when it comes to appearance anxiety and feeling of loneliness. However, there is an evident lack of relevant data in the Indian context. This is a quantitative study administered in 150 participants. Convenient sampling method was used to collect data. The participants for the current study were 72 males and 78 females of age between 18 to 25. Appearance anxiety was measured using the 10 item scale, the appearance anxiety inventory. Loneliness was measured using UCLA loneliness scale which has 20 items. The findings indicated a connection between young individuals' feelings of loneliness and appearance anxiety. Additionally, it demonstrates that there is no gender difference in loneliness and appearance anxiety in men and women.

Sensation Seeking and Impulsivity Among Young Adults: Predictors of Risky Behavior

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between sensation seeking, impulsivity, and engagement in risky behaviors among young adults. 220 individuals, aged 18 to 25, filled out self-report questionnaires measuring their , sensation seeking (Brief Sensation Seeking Scale), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale), and risky behavior engagement (Risk Taking Questionnaire). Correlation analysis and Regression were used to examine the predictive power of impulsivity and sensation seeking for engaging in risky behavior. Mann Whitney U Test was conducted to check the gender differences in sensation seeking and impulsivity. The results show strong positive associations between sensation seeking, impulsivity, and engaging in risky behaviors. Among young adults, sensation seeking and impulsivity are important predictors of engaging in risky behavior. indicating that a higher levels of sensation seeking and impulsivity is associated with a greater chance of young people engaging in risky behaviors. In contrast to females, males were more inclined to seek out sensations. Impulsivity, however, didn't show any apparent gender differences among Young Adults. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how personality factors influence behavior and provide guidance for focused interventions meant to lower risky behaviors in this population.

Relationship between Assertiveness and Self-Esteem among Young Indian Adults

Abstract: This quantitative study explores the relationship between assertiveness and self-esteem among young Indian adults aged 20 to 30 years. The research design employs a correlation approach to examine the statistical association between assertiveness and self-esteem without manipulating variables. The study aims to answer key questions regarding gender differences in assertiveness and self-esteem, the relationship between assertiveness and self-esteem, and the impact of self-esteem on assertiveness. Data from 131 participants (61 males, 70 females) from Assam and Karnataka were collected using Google Forms and social media advertising. The Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were used to measure assertiveness and self-esteem, respectively. Statistical analyses included independent sample t-tests, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results indicate no significant difference in assertiveness and self-esteem between males and females. However, a significant negative correlation was found between assertiveness and self-esteem, suggesting that as assertiveness increases, self-esteem tends to decrease, and vice versa. Regression analysis further confirms that self-esteem significantly impacts assertiveness among young adults, with approximately 8.9% of the variability in assertiveness scores explained by differences in self-esteem. These findings provide valuable insights into the dynamics of assertiveness and selfesteem among young Indian adults, highlighting the complex interplay between these psychological constructs and their implications for individual well-being and behavior.

The impact of proactive personality and self-esteem on career decision making self-efficacy of university students in Botswana: A mediation analysis

The university period is where students make career related decisions and preparations to transition from the school to professional settings, however, studies show that some students face some degree of career indecisiveness and decision making difficulties. Therefore, this study examined the impact of individual proactive personality and self-esteem on the career decision making self-efficacy (CDMSE) of students. Data was collected from a sample of 120 participants from 5 different universities across Botswana. The Rosenberg self-esteem scale, Career decision self-efficacy Short form (CDSE-SF) and the Proactive Personality (PP) scales were administered to assess the variables under study. The data collected was analyzed using the Pearson’s correlation, regression analysis and Hayes’ mediation model. The results indicate that proactive personality had a significant positive impact on the career decision making self-efficacy levels of students. Secondly, self-esteem had a significant positive correlation and impact with the career decision making self-efficacy of student. Moreover, mediation analysis indicate that proactive personality significantly mediated the relationship between self-esteem and career decision making self-efficacy of university students. Further analysis reveal a significant positive correlation of student’s age with their self-esteem levels but no gender disparities were found. In conclusion, students with higher levels of proactive personality and self-esteem are more likely to have higher levels of career decision making self-efficacy. Further results, implications and limitations are discussed.

Gender Differences in Authorship and Quality of Anesthesia Clinical Practice Guidelines From 2016 to 2020 Using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II Instrument.

Women continue to be underrepresented in academic anesthesiology. This study assessed guidelines in anesthesia journals over the past 5 years, evaluating differences in woman-led versus man-led guidelines in terms of author gender, quality, and changes over time. We hypothesized that anesthesia guidelines would be predominately man-led, and that there would be differences in quality between woman-led versus man-led guidelines. All clinical practice guidelines published in the top 10 anesthesia journals were identified as per Clarivate Analytics Impact Factor between 2016 and 2020. Fifty-one guidelines were included for author, gender, and quality analysis using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. Each guideline was assessed across 6 domains and 23 items and given an overall score, overall quality score, and overall rating/recommendation. Stratified and trend analyses were performed for woman-led versus man-led guidelines. Fifty out of 51 guidelines were included: 1 was excluded due to unidentifiable first-author gender. In total, 255 of 1052 (24%) authors were women, and woman-led guidelines (woman-first author) represented 12 of 50 (24%) overall guidelines. Eighteen percent (9 of 50) of guidelines had all-male authors, and a majority (26 of 50, 52%) had less than one-third of female authors. The overall number and percentage of woman-led guidelines did not change over time. There was a significantly higher percentage of female authors in woman-led versus man-led guidelines, median 39% vs 20% (P = .012), as well as a significantly higher number of female coauthors in guidelines that were woman-led median 3.5 vs 1.0, P = .049. For quality, there was no significant difference in the overall rating or objective quality of woman- versus man-led guidelines. However, there was a significant increase in the overall rating of all the guidelines over time (P = .010), driven by the increase in overall rating among man-led guidelines, P = .002. The overall score of guidelines did not increase over time; however, they increased in man-led but not woman-led guidelines. There was no significant correlation between the percentage of female authors per guideline and either overall score or overall rating. There is a substantial disparity in the number of women leading and contributing to guidelines which has not improved over time. Woman-led guidelines included more women and a higher percentage of women. There was no difference in quality of guidelines by first-author gender or percentage of female authors. Further systematic and quota-driven sponsorship is needed to promote gender equity, diversity, and inclusion in anesthesia guidelines.

A person-centered approach to characterizing longitudinal ambulatory impairment in Parkinson's disease

Loss of ambulation is common and highly variable in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and poorly understood from the perspectives of those with PD. Gaining insights to the anticipated perceived trajectories and their drivers, will facilitate patient-centered care. Latent class growth analysis, a person-centered mixture modelling approach, was applied to 16,863 people with PD stratified by early (N = 8612; < 3 years), mid (N = 6181; 3–10 years) and later (N = 2070; > 10 years) disease to discern clusters with similar longitudinal patterns of self-reported walking difficulty, measured by EuroQoL 5D-5L that is validated for use in PD. There were four clusters in early and mid-disease strata, with a fifth identified in later disease. Trajectories ranged from none to moderate walking difficulty, with small clusters with severe problems. The percentage of subjects with moderate (early = 17.5%, mid = 26.4%, later = 32.5%) and severe (early = 3.8%, mid = 7.4%, later = 15.4%) walking difficulty at baseline increased across disease duration groups. The trajectories tended to be stable with variability in moderate and severe groups. Across strata, clusters with moderate to severe problems were associated with more severe impairment, depression, anxiety, arthritis, higher BMI, lower income, and lower education, but no consistent race or gender differences. The findings reveal distinct longitudinal patterns in perceived difficulties in walking in PD.

National culture favouring gender equality, supervisor gender and supportive behaviours towards employees

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of the interplay between national culture and supervisor gender on supervisors’ supportive behaviours towards employees in Europe. Design/methodology/approach Based on Hofstede’s cultural scores for 34 European countries, two clusters of countries were identified, reflecting two cultural configurations: favouring versus not favouring gender equality (GE). For hypotheses testing, the authors used a sample of 21,335 native employees, obtained from the European Working Conditions Survey. Findings Women in supervisory positions, compared to men, provided more support to subordinates in terms of respect, recognition, encouraging development and providing feedback. In countries with cultures favouring progress towards GE (small power distance, weak uncertainty avoidance, individualism and indulgence), only respect and recognition were more prevalent. In countries with opposing cultural configurations, other supportive behaviours stood out: coordinating work, providing feedback and helping with work. Furthermore, the impact of supervisor gender on supportive behaviours was influenced by national culture. Gender differences were larger in countries with a culture favouring progress towards GE compared to countries not favouring such progress. Originality/value The authors present a pioneering study that delves into national values as they relate to progress towards GE to understand the differences between male and female supervisors in the display of six supportive behaviours towards their subordinates. Their cultural approach nuances some of the predictions of social role theory.

Substances use among a sample health care workers in Iran: prevalence, pattern of use and gender differences

ABSTRACT Background Substance use (SU) among HCWs leads to reduced productivity and overall health and, moreover, is a negative role to promote SU reduction. Aim This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SU and assess its determinants among HCWs. Methods The study analyzed data related to the first phase of the SHAHWAR Cohort study which included 1177 university employees. Results The prevalence of current tobacco use is 11.6% (2.7% in women, and 24.5% in men), and the prevalence of lifetime tobacco use was 19.8 (6.3% in women, and 39.3% in men). The ratio of hookah: cigarette use in women is about seven times that of men. The self-reported current tobacco, alcohol and opium use were 11.6% (M: F ratio > 9), 2.6% (M: F ratio > 6) and 1.4% (M: F ratio > 7) of total subjects. There was a significant difference in substance or alcohol users based on gender, job position, working schedule, employment status, marital status and education levels. There was a negative correlation between job security and stability in terms of work status among workers with substance or alcohol use. Conclusion Since implementation of preventive interventions knowing the high-risk groups and occupational risk factors, the results of the present study may meet this need.

Transgressive incidents targeted on staff in forensic psychiatric healthcare: a latent class analysis

Transgressive incidents directed at staff by forensic patients occur frequently, leading to detrimental psychological and physical harm, underscoring urgency of preventive measures. These incidents, emerging within therapeutic relationships, involve complex interactions between patient and staff behavior. This study aims to identify clusters of transgressive incidents based on incident characteristics such as impact, severity, (presumed) cause, type of aggression, and consequences, using latent class analysis (LCA). Additionally, variations in incident clusters based on staff, patient, and context characteristics were investigated. A total of 1,184 transgressive incidents, reported by staff and targeted at staff by patients between 2018-2022, were extracted from a digital incident reporting system at Fivoor, a Dutch forensic psychiatric healthcare organisation. Latent Class Analysis revealed six incident classes: 1) verbal aggression with low impact; 2) verbal aggression with medium impact; 3) physical aggression with medium impact; 4) verbal menacing/aggression with medium impact; 5) physical aggression with high impact; and 6) verbal and physical menacing/aggression with high impact. Significant differences in age and gender of both staff and patients, staff function, and patient diagnoses were observed among these classes. Incidents with higher impact were more prevalent in high security clinics, while lower-impact incidents were more common in clinics for patients with intellectual disabilities. Despite limitations like missing information, tailored prevention approaches are needed due to varying types of transgressive incidents across patients, staff, and units.

Bevacizumab as Adjuvant Therapy in the Treatment of Keloid: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background. Despite the availability of numerous therapies, keloid treatment remains a challenging clinical issue. Intralesional triamcinolone has been established as an effective corticosteroid treatment for keloids, while sporadic reports suggest the efficacy of intralesional verapamil. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab as an adjuvant therapy for keloid treatment. Methods. This randomized controlled trial involved 38 patients diagnosed with keloid according to clinical criteria. The study compared the effects of intralesional triamcinolone combined with bevacizumab injections with intralesional triamcinolone alone. Patients were randomly assigned to either the combination treatment group, which received intralesional triamHEXAL® (20 mg/ml, every two weeks for three months) plus Avastin® (2.5 mg/ml, every two weeks for two months), or the single treatment group, which received intralesional triamHEXAL® alone. The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used for serial photographic records of scar evaluation, with differences in VSS scores considered the primary outcome, and changes in height and patient satisfaction visual analog score (VAS) were secondary outcomes. Results. A total of 38 patients participated, with a mean age (SD) of 35.32 (14.02) years and 50% male. No significant differences in age, BMI, disease duration, gender, causing, family history, or site were observed between the two groups. The single treatment group exhibited a mean reduction of 0.60 (95% CI: (−1.18, −0.01); P=0.045) in pigmentation score and a mean decrease of 1.37 (95% CI: (−2.68, −0.07); P=0.039) in total score compared to the combination treatment group after three months of treatment. There was a significant reduction in keloid height in the combination group after the end of the treatment (P=0.024). No significant differences in side effects were observed between the two groups. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates that bevacizumab can be considered an effective and safe adjuvant therapy option for keloid treatment, suggesting its potential as a promising treatment for the management of keloids. This trial is registered with IRCT20131119015455N5.

Impact of employment policies on disabled individuals in silvicultural activities

AbstractThe prevalence of disability within societies necessitates empowering disabled individuals for their social and economic contributions. This study evaluates the impact of employment policies on the economy and well-being of disabled individuals in Turkey’s silvicultural sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on physically disabled individuals engaged in silvicultural tasks from 2018 to 2021 in the Western Black Sea region it reveals an increase in their involvement despite a decrease in income, attributed to fewer workdays. The data collectively indicates that there was a minimum increase of 210% in the number of physically disabled individuals employed in silvicultural roles by private forestry companies between 2018 and 2021. The 3rd group, characterized by a 40–60% working capacity reduction, exhibited the highest employment rate, increasing from 56 individuals in 2018 to 137 in 2021. In contrast, the 2nd group (60–80% working capacity reduction) showed variable trends, reaching 11 employed individuals in 2020 before declining to 6 in 2021. Legal obligations often lead to employment in lowincome roles, hindering economic contributions. Male employment is higher, highlighting gender disparities. Education levels are generally low with recent increases in primary and secondary school graduates due to compulsory education. To create more inclusive opportunities disabled individuals could be trained for roles like planning and monitoring in forestry requiring specialized training.