TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender equity in academic rheumatology, current status and potential for improvement
T2 - a cross-sectional study to inform an EULAR task force
AU - Ovseiko, Pavel V.
AU - Gossec, Laure
AU - Andreoli, Laura
AU - Kiltz, Uta
AU - van Mens, Leonieke
AU - Hassan, Neelam
AU - van der Leeden, Marike
AU - Siddle, Heidi J.
AU - Alunno, Alessia
AU - McInnes, Iain B.
AU - Damjanov, Nemanja S.
AU - Apparailly, Florence
AU - Ospelt, Caroline
AU - van der Horst-Bruinsma, Irene E.
AU - Nikiphorou, Elena
AU - Druce, Katie L.
AU - Szekanecz, Zoltán
AU - Sepriano, Alexandre
AU - Avcin, Tadej
AU - Bertsias, George
AU - Schett, Georg
AU - Keenan, Anne-Maree
AU - Pololi, Linda H.
AU - Coates, Laura C.
N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by the EULAR (project number: EPI 024). LCC is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. PVO is supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement number: 872396). HS and A-MK are supported by the NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the UK National Health Service, the NIHR or the UK Department of Health and Social Care. Funding Information: This study was funded by the EULAR (project number: EPI 024). LCC is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. PVO is supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement number: 872396). HS and A-MK are supported by the NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the UK National Health Service, the NIHR or the UK Department of Health and Social Care Publisher Copyright: ©
PY - 2022/8/1
Y1 - 2022/8/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the current status of gender equity in academic rheumatology in Europe and potential for its improvement is limited. The EULAR convened a task force to obtain empirical evidence on the potential unmet need for support of female rheumatologists, health professionals and non-clinical scientists in academic rheumatology. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised three web-based surveys conducted in 2020 among: (1) EULAR scientific member society leaders, (2) EULAR and Emerging EULAR Network (EMEUNET) members and (3) EULAR Council members. Statistics were descriptive with significance testing for male/female responses assessed by χ2 test and t-test. RESULTS: Data from EULAR scientific member societies in 13 countries indicated that there were disproportionately fewer women in academic rheumatology than in clinical rheumatology, and they tended to be under-represented in senior academic roles. From 324 responses of EULAR and EMEUNET members (24 countries), we detected no gender differences in leadership aspirations, self-efficacy in career advancement and work-life integration as well as the share of time spent on research, but there were gender differences in working hours and the levels of perceived gender discrimination and sexual harassment. There were gender differences in the ranking of 7 of 26 factors impacting career advancement and of 8 of 24 potential interventions to aid career advancement. CONCLUSIONS: There are gender differences in career advancement in academic rheumatology. The study informs a EULAR task force developing a framework of potential interventions to accelerate gender-equitable career advancement in academic rheumatology.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the current status of gender equity in academic rheumatology in Europe and potential for its improvement is limited. The EULAR convened a task force to obtain empirical evidence on the potential unmet need for support of female rheumatologists, health professionals and non-clinical scientists in academic rheumatology. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised three web-based surveys conducted in 2020 among: (1) EULAR scientific member society leaders, (2) EULAR and Emerging EULAR Network (EMEUNET) members and (3) EULAR Council members. Statistics were descriptive with significance testing for male/female responses assessed by χ2 test and t-test. RESULTS: Data from EULAR scientific member societies in 13 countries indicated that there were disproportionately fewer women in academic rheumatology than in clinical rheumatology, and they tended to be under-represented in senior academic roles. From 324 responses of EULAR and EMEUNET members (24 countries), we detected no gender differences in leadership aspirations, self-efficacy in career advancement and work-life integration as well as the share of time spent on research, but there were gender differences in working hours and the levels of perceived gender discrimination and sexual harassment. There were gender differences in the ranking of 7 of 26 factors impacting career advancement and of 8 of 24 potential interventions to aid career advancement. CONCLUSIONS: There are gender differences in career advancement in academic rheumatology. The study informs a EULAR task force developing a framework of potential interventions to accelerate gender-equitable career advancement in academic rheumatology.
KW - epidemiology
KW - health services research
KW - qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135547779&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002518
DO - https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002518
M3 - Article
C2 - 35940824
SN - 2056-5933
VL - 8
JO - RMD OPEN
JF - RMD OPEN
IS - 2
M1 - e002518
ER -