About this Research Topic
Gender disparity is common in healthcare. While women’s participation in decision-making, career advancement, leadership and management roles, and promotion opportunities has been widely acknowledged and despite increasing awareness of the importance of this topic, decision-making in healthcare continues to be dominated by men.
Gender disparity within healthcare, like in many other areas, is impacted by external elements such as religion and culture. These factors can result in disparities in power and access to or control over resources and are reinforced by socially constructed gender norms, roles, and relations. Evidence has been mounting in recent years that gender balance can have wide-reaching positive results including heightened productivity, greater innovation, better decision-making, and enhanced patient care outcomes. More work is necessary to shift to a culture that embraces the principles of justice, equality, integrity, and transparency.
This Research Topic aims to investigate the multifaceted aspects of gender disparity impacting those working within healthcare, particularly in the Middle East, and to propose evidence-informed, multipronged strategies to address these gaps. We seek robust research into the drivers and potential solutions to gender disparity, recognizing that gender balance can lead to enhanced productivity, innovation, impactful decision-making, and positive patient care outcomes.
Areas to be covered in this research topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Fundamental causes contributing to the gender gap in healthcare.
• Efficacy of recent developments in addressing gender disparities.
• Gender-inclusive healthcare strategies and accessibility patterns.
• Gender bias training and advocacy for gender equity.
• Disparities in leadership roles, promotion opportunities, and research grants, and ways to mitigate this.
• Preventing burnout and empowering healthcare workers.
Gender disparity within healthcare, like in many other areas, is impacted by external elements such as religion and culture. These factors can result in disparities in power and access to or control over resources and are reinforced by socially constructed gender norms, roles, and relations. Evidence has been mounting in recent years that gender balance can have wide-reaching positive results including heightened productivity, greater innovation, better decision-making, and enhanced patient care outcomes. More work is necessary to shift to a culture that embraces the principles of justice, equality, integrity, and transparency.
This Research Topic aims to investigate the multifaceted aspects of gender disparity impacting those working within healthcare, particularly in the Middle East, and to propose evidence-informed, multipronged strategies to address these gaps. We seek robust research into the drivers and potential solutions to gender disparity, recognizing that gender balance can lead to enhanced productivity, innovation, impactful decision-making, and positive patient care outcomes.
Areas to be covered in this research topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Fundamental causes contributing to the gender gap in healthcare.
• Efficacy of recent developments in addressing gender disparities.
• Gender-inclusive healthcare strategies and accessibility patterns.
• Gender bias training and advocacy for gender equity.
• Disparities in leadership roles, promotion opportunities, and research grants, and ways to mitigate this.
• Preventing burnout and empowering healthcare workers.
Keywords: gender disparity, gender equality, gender equity, healthcare, leadership, empowerment
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
