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Gadsden T, Hallam L, Carcel C, Norton R, Woodward M, Chappell L, Downey LE. Theory of change for addressing sex and gender bias, invisibility and exclusion in Australian health and medical research, policy and practice. Health Res Policy Syst 2024; 22:86. [PMID: 39010123 PMCID: PMC11251305 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-024-01173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex and gender are inadequately considered in health and medical research, policy and practice, leading to preventable disparities in health and wellbeing. Several global institutions, journals, and funding bodies have developed policies and guidelines to improve the inclusion of diverse participants and consideration of sex and gender in research design and reporting and the delivery of clinical care. However, according to recent evaluations, these policies have had limited impact on the inclusion of diverse research participants, adequate reporting of sex and gender data and reducing preventable inequities in access to, and quality provision of, healthcare. In Australia, the Sex and Gender Policies in Medical Research (SGPMR) project aims to address sex and gender bias in health and medical research by (i) examining how sex and gender are currently considered in Australian research policy and practice; (ii) working with stakeholders to develop policy interventions; and (iii) understanding the wider impacts, including economic, of improved sex and gender consideration in Australian health and medical research. In this paper we describe the development of a theory of change (ToC) for the SGPMR project. The ToC evolved from a two-stage process consisting of key stakeholder interviews and a consultation event. The ToC aims to identify the pathways to impact from improved consideration of sex and gender in health and medical research, policy and practice, and highlight how key activities and policy levers can lead to improvements in clinical practice and health outcomes. In describing the development of the ToC, we present an entirely novel framework for outlining how sex and gender can be appropriately considered within the confines of health and medical research, policy and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Gadsden
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Laura Hallam
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Australian Human Rights Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cheryl Carcel
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Robyn Norton
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Woodward
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Chappell
- The Human Rights Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Laura E Downey
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
- The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Graf J, Simoes E, Kranz A, Weinert K, Abele H. The Importance of Gender-Sensitive Health Care in the Context of Pain, Emergency and Vaccination: A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 21:13. [PMID: 38276801 PMCID: PMC10815689 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
So far, health care has been insufficiently organized in a gender-sensitive way, which makes the promotion of care that meets the needs of women and men equally emerge as a relevant public health problem. The aim of this narrative review was to outline the need for more gender-sensitive medical care in the context of pain, emergency care and vaccinations. In this narrative review, a selective search was performed in Pubmed, and the databases of the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Institute for Gender Equality and the German Federal Ministry of Health were searched. Study data indicate that there are differences between men and women with regard to the ability to bear pain. On the other hand, socially constructed role expectations in pain and the communication of these are also relevant. Studies indicate that women receive adequate pain medication less often than men with a comparable pain score. Furthermore, study results indicate that the female gender is associated with an increased risk of inadequate emergency care. In terms of vaccine provision, women are less likely than men to utilize or gain access to vaccination services, and there are gender-sensitive differences in vaccine efficacy and safety. Sensitization in teaching, research and care is needed to mitigate gender-specific health inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Graf
- Institute for Health Sciences, University Hospital Tuebingen, Midwifery Science, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (A.K.); (K.W.); (H.A.)
| | - Elisabeth Simoes
- Department for Women’s Health, University Hospital Tuebingen, Calwerstr. 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Angela Kranz
- Institute for Health Sciences, University Hospital Tuebingen, Midwifery Science, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (A.K.); (K.W.); (H.A.)
| | - Konstanze Weinert
- Institute for Health Sciences, University Hospital Tuebingen, Midwifery Science, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (A.K.); (K.W.); (H.A.)
| | - Harald Abele
- Institute for Health Sciences, University Hospital Tuebingen, Midwifery Science, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 9, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (A.K.); (K.W.); (H.A.)
- Department for Women’s Health, University Hospital Tuebingen, Calwerstr. 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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Dukelow T, Vassilev P, Lawrence EG, Jacobson L, Koychev I, Muhammed K, Kennelly SP. Barriers to brain health behaviours: results from the Five Lives Brain Health Ireland Survey. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1101514. [PMID: 37691817 PMCID: PMC10483831 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1101514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Modifiable risk factors for dementia remain prevalent in Ireland. A detailed examination of barriers to risk reduction behaviours in an Irish context has heretofore been lacking. Many existing studies examining barriers to brain health behaviours fail to examine how they might vary across different modifiable risk factors. This study undertook a detailed assessment of barriers to individual risk reduction behaviours. As existing research suggests that barriers may vary across sociodemographic factors, we sought to investigate the distribution of barriers across age, gender, educational status, and household income. The Five Lives Brain Health Ireland Survey is a cross-sectional survey that was distributed online amongst a non-patient population. The survey captured the following: (1) Sociodemographic factors; (2) Barriers to brain health behaviours; (3) Exposure to, and knowledge of, modifiable risk factors for dementia, namely diet, social interaction, exercise, hypertension, sleep, current low mood/depression, current smoking, alcohol consumption, cognitive stimulation, hearing impairment, diabetes, air pollution, and head injury; (4) Participants' perceptions regarding potential for dementia prevention, and risk reduction. Lack of motivation was the most prevalent barrier to consuming a healthy diet (64%, n = 213), physical activity (77.7%, n = 167), smoking cessation (68%, n = 85), and moderation of alcohol intake (56.3%, n = 67). Practical factors were the most prevalent barriers to addressing low mood (56.5%, n = 87), air pollution (30.1%, n = 58), hearing impairment (63.8%, n = 44), diabetes (11.1%, n = 5), and head injury (80%, n = 8). Emotional factors were the most prevalent barriers to engaging in mentally stimulating activity (56.9%, n = 66), social activity (54.9%, n = 302), and good sleep (70.1%, n = 129). Lack of knowledge was the most prevalent barrier to hypertension control (14.4%, n = 29). Distribution of barriers varied across age, gender, educational status, and household income. This study investigated barriers to lifestyle change to improve brain health in an Irish sample of adults aged 50 and above. Detailed subtyping of barriers, as well as examination of differences according to age, gender, education, and income were undertaken. The heterogeneity of barriers to brain health behaviours revealed in this study highlights the necessity to tailor public health interventions to their target population, taking into account the gender, age, educational status, and income of recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Dukelow
- Cork University Hospital (CUH), Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Erin Grace Lawrence
- Five Lives SAS, Tours, France
- Unit of Psychological Medicine, Centre for Psychiatry and Mental Health, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ivan Koychev
- Five Lives SAS, Tours, France
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
| | - Kinan Muhammed
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
| | - Sean P. Kennelly
- Department of Age Related Health Care, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Abstract
Integrating sex- and gender-related aspects into research and innovation content has become an urgent requirement of major science funding bodies as f.e. the European Commission, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the US NIH/Office of Women's Health Research.It was the only right response in reaction to the documented failure of the 'one size fits all' approach in traditional biomedical research practices. Attention to sex differences seems to be taken up by researchers quite well, however integrating a gender analysis has met with difficulties. Of prime importance here is to consider gender as a multidimensional concept, covering gender norms, gender identities and gender relations. A research design should clarify from the outset whether gender norms, identities or relations are of relevance to the research question at hand. This chapter provides an overview of international policies insisting on integrating a sex, gender and intersectional analysis into research and innovation with a focus on the the gender equality policy of the European Union. Next, more in depth, a collection of best practices, to be understood as a coherent set of processes and activities, corresponding to the starting points, theories and evidence of the field concerned of which it can be expected to contribute to the intended results in a particular context is described. Finally some challenges ahead are identified.
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Abstract
Sex and gender play a pivotal role in health and disease. Differences can be identified in symptoms, biomarkers, lifetime experiences of diseases, incidence, prevalence, therapeutic options, health-related behavior, and resiliency. However, awareness of sex and gender differences in medicine is still limited. Systematic implementation of sex and gender-sensitive research is not yet the norm, resulting in gaps in evidence especially in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in women. For decades research has predominantly included male persons and animals, leading to a lack of information about symptoms in female individuals or the classification of their symptoms as "atypical". Currently, the inclusion of female participants in clinical marketing access trials is mandatory. However, this does not automatically translate into sex-disaggregated analyses potentially limiting the discovery of sex-specific targeted therapeutic schemes. Consistent consideration of sex and gender in planning, conducting, analyzing, and dissemination of pharmacological research projects is an important prerequisite for closing the gender data gap. Targeted implementation strategies might help to include sex and gender aspects in different parts of the health system and thereby support the improvement of health care for all patients. Health economic aspects could be a further drive for the implementation of sex- and gender-sensitive medicine.The current chapter focuses on the role of sex and gender in biomedical research and, consequently, their potential role in pharmacology. We will explore the commonly used terminology in the field, the historical development of sex and gender-sensitive medicine (SGSM), the relevance of sex and gender to research and clinical practice and conclude with an outlook on future developments in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Becher
- Sex- and Gender-Sensitive Medicine Unit, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Sabine Oertelt-Prigione
- Sex- and Gender-Sensitive Medicine Unit, Medical Faculty OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
- Gender Unit, Departement of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Trentini A, Manfrinato MC, Castellazzi M, Bellini T. Sex-Related Differences of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs): New Perspectives for These Biomarkers in Cardiovascular and Neurological Diseases. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12081196. [PMID: 35893290 PMCID: PMC9331234 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12081196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now established that sex differences occur in clinical manifestation, disease progression, and prognosis for both cardiovascular (CVDs) and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. As such, a great deal of effort is now being put into understanding these differences and turning them into “advantages”: (a) for the discovery of new sex-specific biomarkers and (b) through a review of old biomarkers from the perspective of the “newly” discovered sex/gender medicine. This is also true for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), enzymes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, which play a role in both CVDs and CNS disorders. However, most of the studies conducted up to now relegated sex to a mere confounding variable used for statistical model correction rather than a determining factor that can influence MMP levels and, in turn, disease prognosis. Consistently, this approach causes a loss of information that might help clinicians in identifying novel patterns and improve the applicability of MMPs in clinical practice by providing sex-specific threshold values. In this scenario, the current review aims to gather the available knowledge on sex-related differences in MMPs levels in CVDs and CNS conditions, hoping to shed light on their use as sex-specific biomarkers of disease prognosis or progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Trentini
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
- University Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Manfrinato
- University Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.C.M.); (T.B.)
| | - Massimiliano Castellazzi
- University Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.C.M.); (T.B.)
- Interdepartmental Research Center for the Study of Multiple Sclerosis and Inflammatory and Degenerative Diseases of the Nervous System, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Tiziana Bellini
- University Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.C.M.); (T.B.)
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Herrera-Añazco P, Urrunaga-Pastor D, Benites-Zapata VA, Bendezu-Quispe G, Toro-Huamanchumo CJ, Hernandez AV. COVID-19 symptomatology and compliance with community mitigation strategies in Latin America early during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prev Med Rep 2021; 25:101665. [PMID: 34909370 PMCID: PMC8662838 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Community mitigation strategies (CMS) have demonstrated to be effective in the reduction of transmission and incidence of COVID-19, especially in the population with symptoms associated with the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the presence of COVID-19 symptoms and adherence to CMS in Latin American adults. Methods We carried out a secondary analysis of a database developed by the University of Maryland and Facebook social network during the COVID-19 pandemic. We included Latin American adults that used the Facebook platform and participated in a survey conducted from April 23 to May 23, 2020. The principal outcome variable was reported compliance with the three main CMS (physical distancing, use of face masks, and hand washing). The exposure variable included symptoms suspicious for COVID-19 defined as the presence of three or more symptoms of an acute clinical case of COVID-19. We performed generalized linear models of the Poisson family with a logarithmic link function to evaluate the association between the presence of COVID-19 symptoms and reported compliance with CMS. We calculated crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results We analyzed 1,310,690 adults from Latin America; 48.1% were male and 42.9% were under 35 years of age. The prevalence of suspicious symptoms of COVID-19 was 18.5% and reported compliance with the three CMS was 45.3%. The countries with the highest proportion of reported compliance with the three CMS were Peru, Bolivia and Panama, while those with the lowest reported compliance were Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. In the adjusted model, people with suspicious symptoms for COVID-19 had a 14% lower compliance with the three CMS (aPR = 0.86; 95%CI: 0.85-0.87; p < 0.001). Conclusions Less than half of the participants complied with the CMS, and those presenting suspicious symptoms for COVID-19 had lower reported compliance with the three CMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Percy Herrera-Añazco
- Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Lima, Peru.,Instituto de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud e Investigación - IETSI, EsSalud, Lima, Peru.,Red Internacional en Salud Colectiva y Salud Intercultural, México, Mexico
| | | | - Vicente A Benites-Zapata
- Red Internacional en Salud Colectiva y Salud Intercultural, México, Mexico.,Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Unidad para la Generación y Síntesis de Evidencias en Salud, Lima, Peru
| | - Guido Bendezu-Quispe
- Red Internacional en Salud Colectiva y Salud Intercultural, México, Mexico.,Universidad Privada Norbert Wiener, Centro de Investigación Epidemiológica en Salud Global, Lima, Peru
| | - Carlos J Toro-Huamanchumo
- Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru.,Clínica Avendaño, Unidad de Investigación Multidisciplinaria, Lima, Peru
| | - Adrian V Hernandez
- University of Connecticut/Hartford Hospital Evidence-based Practice Center, Hartford, CT, USA.,Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Unidad de Revisiones Sistemáticas y Metaanálisis, Guías de Práctica Clínica y Evaluaciones Tecnológicas Sanitarias, Lima, Peru
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Machluf Y, Chaiter Y, Tal O. Gender medicine: Lessons from COVID-19 and other medical conditions for designing health policy. World J Clin Cases 2020; 8:3645-3668. [PMID: 32953842 PMCID: PMC7479575 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i17.3645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gender-specific differences in the prevalence, incidence, comorbidities, prognosis, severity, risk factors, drug-related aspects and outcomes of various medical conditions are well documented. We present a literature review on the extent to which research in this field has developed over the years, and reveal gaps in gender-sensitive awareness between the clinical portrayal and the translation into gender-specific treatment regimens, guidelines and into gender-oriented preventive strategies and health policies. Subsequently, through the lens of gender, we describe these domains in detail for four selected medical conditions: Asthma, obesity and overweight, chronic kidney disease and coronavirus disease 2019. As some of the key gender differences become more apparent during adolescence, we focus on this developmental stage. Finally, we propose a model which is based on three influential issues: (1) Investigating gender-specific medical profiles of related health conditions, rather than a single disease; (2) The dynamics of gender disparities across developmental stages; and (3) An integrative approach which takes into account additional risk factors (ethnicity, socio-demographic variables, minorities, lifestyle habits etc.). Increasing the awareness of gender-specific medicine in daily practice and in tailored guidelines, already among adolescents, may reduce inequities, facilitate the prediction of future trends and properly address the characteristics and needs of certain subpopulations within each gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yossy Machluf
- Shamir Research Institute, University of Haifa, Kazerin 1290000, Israel
| | - Yoram Chaiter
- The Israeli Center for Emerging Technologies in Hospitals and Hospital-based Health Technology Assessment, Shamir (Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Zerifin 7030100, Israel
| | - Orna Tal
- The Israeli Center for Emerging Technologies in Hospitals and Hospital-based Health Technology Assessment, Shamir (Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Zerifin 7030100, Israel
- Shamir (Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Zerifin 7030100, Israel
- Department of Management, Program of Public Health and Health System Administration, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
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" Bridging the Gap" Everything that Could Have Been Avoided If We Had Applied Gender Medicine, Pharmacogenetics and Personalized Medicine in the Gender-Omics and Sex-Omics Era. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010296. [PMID: 31906252 PMCID: PMC6982247 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gender medicine is the first step of personalized medicine and patient-centred care, an essential development to achieve the standard goal of a holistic approach to patients and diseases. By addressing the interrelation and integration of biological markers (i.e., sex) with indicators of psychological/cultural behaviour (i.e., gender), gender medicine represents the crucial assumption for achieving the personalized health-care required in the third millennium. However, ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are often misused as synonyms, leading to frequent misunderstandings in those who are not deeply involved in the field. Overall, we have to face the evidence that biological, genetic, epigenetic, psycho-social, cultural, and environmental factors mutually interact in defining sex/gender differences, and at the same time in establishing potential unwanted sex/gender disparities. Prioritizing the role of sex/gender in physiological and pathological processes is crucial in terms of efficient prevention, clinical signs’ identification, prognosis definition, and therapy optimization. In this regard, the omics-approach has become a powerful tool to identify sex/gender-specific disease markers, with potential benefits also in terms of socio-psychological wellbeing for each individual, and cost-effectiveness for National Healthcare systems. “Being a male or being a female” is indeed important from a health point of view and it is no longer possible to avoid “sex and gender lens” when approaching patients. Accordingly, personalized healthcare must be based on evidence from targeted research studies aimed at understanding how sex and gender influence health across the entire life span. The rapid development of genetic tools in the molecular medicine approaches and their impact in healthcare is an example of highly specialized applications that have moved from specialists to primary care providers (e.g., pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic applications in routine medical practice). Gender medicine needs to follow the same path and become an established medical approach. To face the genetic, molecular and pharmacological bases of the existing sex/gender gap by means of omics approaches will pave the way to the discovery and identification of novel drug-targets/therapeutic protocols, personalized laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures (sex/gender-omics). In this scenario, the aim of the present review is not to simply resume the state-of-the-art in the field, rather an opportunity to gain insights into gender medicine, spanning from molecular up to social and psychological stances. The description and critical discussion of some key selected multidisciplinary topics considered as paradigmatic of sex/gender differences and sex/gender inequalities will allow to draft and design strategies useful to fill the existing gap and move forward.
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Chandra PS, Saraf G, Bajaj A, Satyanarayana VA. The current status of gender-sensitive mental health services for women-findings from a global survey of experts. Arch Womens Ment Health 2019; 22:759-770. [PMID: 31529275 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-019-01001-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Integrating gender in all aspects of health services is important and mental health is no exception. Despite several recommendations regarding the need for gender-sensitive mental health services, the actual availability of these is not clear, both in high and low-income countries. We sought to understand what aspects of gender-sensitive mental health care were considered a priority by global experts in women's mental health and how satisfied they were with the current availability of these services in their own place of work. A survey with 43 items under 7 domains of gender-sensitive mental health care for women was sent to 150 experts in women's mental health across the world, of whom 73 responded. Rating on each item was from 0 to 5. While majority of the experts rated most of the items as being very important (median score of 4 and above), some areas that were considered most important included training of mental health professionals in gender sensitivity, having private spaces for examination, using a life course approach to service planning and delivery, and assisting women who find it difficult to navigate the system and mother-baby units. However, satisfaction rates with available services were quite low overall and much lower among experts in low-income countries compared with those from high-income countries. Even in high-income countries, only 6 of the top 20 items were scored as satisfactory by at least 50% of experts. This expert survey method to arrive at consensus on top priorities for improving delivery of gender-sensitive mental health care indicates that at least 72% of the items provided in the survey were considered extremely important. Poor satisfaction of experts in both high- and low-income countries with availability of gender-sensitive services indicates the need for local and global strategic action and multilevel stakeholder engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabha S Chandra
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, 560029, India.
| | - Gayatri Saraf
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Aakash Bajaj
- Department of Biostatistics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, 560029, India
| | - Veena A Satyanarayana
- Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, 560029, India
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