Background & Aims
Over a decade, the scientific community has increasingly recognized the importance of gender equity. By understanding trends in gender representation, we can gain insights into the inclusivity and diversity of pain research, which is crucial for holistic patient care. by comparing the sex of first and last authors in articles published in the PAIN journal over two distinct periods. This comparison aims to understand the evolution of sex representation in pain medical literature, emphasizing the impact of equality policies and highlighting areas needing attention.
Methods
A retrospective analysis was conducted on articles published in Pain (the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain) during two 12-month periods, a decade apart (2012-2013 and 2022-2023). Data were extracted from the Web of Science, focusing on authorship (first and last), affiliations, and publication dates. The gender of authors was primarily identified based on names, supplemented by additional public sources when necessary. The study employed bibliometric analysis and ethical data collection practices.
Results
During the two study periods, a total of 634 papers were analyzed. In the first period (P1: 2012-2013), the sex of the primary author could not be identified in 32 articles (8.76%), whereas in the second period (P2: 2022-2023), this was the case for 17 articles (6.3%). There was an increase in female first authorship from 39.45% (n=144) in P1 to 49.44% (n=133) in P2, marking a 10% rise. Regarding the last authors, typically the research coordinators, the sex was indeterminable in 14 articles (3.83%) in P1 and in 5 articles (1.85%) in P2. Female authorship in this role increased from 26% (n=95) in P1 to 30.85% (n=83) in P2, showing a 4.85% increment. Among the top 10 most prolific authors, there was only one female in P1, increasing to two in P2.
Conclusions
Our analysis revealed a significant shift in the gender dynamics of pain research authorship. While there was a marked increase in female first authorship over the decade, reflecting positive changes towards inclusivity, the rise in female last authorship, indicative of seniority and leadership in research, was less pronounced. This disparity was particularly evident among the most prolific authors, where female representation remained disproportionately low.
This underscores the need for more effective gender equality policies in academic pain research.
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Presenting Author
Caroline Cruz Lorenzetti
Poster Authors
Caroline Lorenzetti
Instituto de ensino odontológico (IEO)
Lead Author
Juliana Stuginski-Barbosa
Bauru Orofacial Pain Group
Lead Author
Paulo Conti
University of São Paulo
Lead Author
Rafaela Salbego
Universidade de São Paulo
Lead Author
Dayana Elias
Instituto de Ensino Odontológico (IEO)
Lead Author
Debora Lopes
Instituto de ensino odontológico (IEO)
Lead Author
Topics
- Racial/Ethnic/Economic Differences/Disparities