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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 15187

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mª Angeles Rodríguez-Arenas

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Guest Editor

National School of Public Health, Health Institute Carlos III, Avda. Monforte de Lemos, 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Interests: public health and gender, violence against women, social determinants of health; hate violence; health of vulnerable populations; health interventions in humanitarian crises; human rights

Dr. Belén Sanz-Barbero

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Guest Editor

National School of Public Health, Health Institute Carlos III, Avda. Monforte de Lemos, 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Interests: social epidemiology; health inequalities; violence against women; gender and public health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our world allows and sustains hierarchical power relations that place women in a subordinate position to men, limiting their access to resources and decision-making, and determining all aspects of their life, including health. Societies encourage women and men to have behaviors that put them at different risks, which make them sick differently, and not only in the field of sexual and reproductive health.

Health research has maintained—and continues—an androcentric vision that causes significant gender biases in the way of studying diseases and caring for patients. So far, health policies and health systems still lack a gender perspective that allows them to plan, research, train their professionals, inform and treat women and men equally, and avoid unnecessary and unfair health inequalities. Understanding how gender-conditioning factors cause or cross the causal path of health problems and generate inequality is fundamental in a world whose objectives are to guarantee a healthy life and promote well-being for all people, to achieve equality among women and men, and eradicate violence against women and girls, and promote peace and justice.

We welcome all kinds of research to this Special Issue on the different behaviors, attitudes and health risks that people face according to their sex; the manifestations and consequences of all forms of violence against women; the ways in which women and men approach their own health; differentiated access to health and social health services; health care provided to women and men; and any other aspect relevant to health approached with a gender perspective. We will prioritize research carried out on especially vulnerable population groups, using an intersectional approach, studying the interaction between gender and other major axes of inequality such as origin, socioeconomic status or disability.

Dr. Mª Angeles Rodríguez-Arenas
Dr. Belén Sanz-Barbero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

gender determinants in health
gender inequity in health
women health
gender-based violence
gender health gap
femicide
gender and vulnerable populations

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 681 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Sexual Violence and the Health of Spanish Women—A National Population-Based Study

by Selene García-Pérez, Guadalupe Pastor-Moreno, Isabel Ruiz-Pérez and Jesús Henares-Montiel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043365 - 14 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1528

Abstract

Background: Health consequences are likely to be different when sexual violence is analysed independently from other types of violence. It is also likely that different health consequences will result in the cases of partner or ex-partner sexual violence, non-partner sexual violence and sexual harassment. Methods: This study is based on the 2019 Macro-survey of Violence against Women conducted by the Spanish Ministry of Equality on a sample of 9568 women aged 16 years or older. Odds ratios were calculated, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: The present study estimates that 4 out of 10 surveyed women had experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. Sexual harassment is the most frequently reported form of this violence, while intimate partner sexual violence is the form with the most unfavourable sociodemographic characteristics and the worst health impact indicators, such as a greater likelihood of suicidal behaviour. Conclusions: Sexual violence is a widespread, under-studied problem with negative health impacts. Women exposed to intimate partner violence are the most vulnerable and at risk. It is advised that responses and comprehensive care plans be developed that place special emphasis on the protection of victims’ mental health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Health)

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10 pages, 1430 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gender Inequalities in Publications about COVID-19 in Spain: Authorship and Sex-Disaggregated Data

by Marta Jiménez Carrillo, Unai Martín and Amaia Bacigalupe

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2025; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032025 - 22 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1768

Abstract

Gender inequalities in biomedical literature have been widely reported in authorship as well as the scarcity of results that are stratified by sex in the studies. We conducted a bibliometric review of articles on COVID-19 published in the main Spanish medical journals between April 2020 and May 2021. The purpose of this study was to analyse differences in authorship order and composition by sex and their evolution over time, as well as the frequency of sex-disaggregated empirical results and its relationship with the author sex in articles on COVID-19 in the main Spanish biomedical journals. We identified 914 articles and 4921 authors, 57.5% men and 42.5% women. Women accounted for 36.7% of first authors and for 33.7% of last authors. Monthly variation in authorship over the course of the pandemic indicates that women were always less likely to publish as first authors. Only 1.0% of the articles broke down empirical results by sex. Disaggregation of results by sex was significantly more frequent when women were first authors and when women were the majority in the authorship. It is important to make gender inequalities visible in scientific dissemination and to promote gender-sensitive research, which can help to reduce gender bias in clinical studies as well as to design public policies for post-pandemic recovery that are more gender-equitable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Health)

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18 pages, 406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gender Matters: Identity, Risk Perception and Preventive Interventions for Alcohol Consumption among Adolescents Using a Qualitative Approach

by Lucía Martínez-Manrique, Maitane Berasaluce, Xisca Sureda and María Sandín Vázquez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16435; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416435 - 7 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1929

Abstract

The epidemiological information available in Spain and the Community of Madrid highlights two relevant facts regarding alcohol consumption: an increase in binge drinking in teenagers and a reduction/reversal of the gender gap, particularly at young ages. This article aims to describe some of the factors related to alcohol use in teenagers, especially those related to gender and risk perception. A qualitative study was designed with semi-structured interviews and a discussion group with students from the city of Madrid aged 14 to 18 years. A descriptive analysis of the content of the replies of 28 teenagers was conducted. The results show that alcohol consumption has an identity component, both in terms of transition to adulthood and gender role performance. Consumption is also associated with risks, especially those determined by gender inequality, which teenagers learn to manage as a means of survival in nightlife. Preventive campaigns typically lack a gender perspective and a focus on risk prevention. To reduce the prevalence of consumption and associated risks, these strategies need to be reformulated with a gender perspective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Health)

13 pages, 950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimating Implicit and Explicit Gender Leadership Bias among Primary Healthcare Professionals in Saudi Arabia

by Fahad Alzahrani, Khalid Al-Mansour, Ghadah Alarifi, Saad Alyahya, Nasser AlMehaizie and Hanaa Almoaibed

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15871; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315871 - 29 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1972

Abstract

(1) Background: Women have become more influential and powerful; however, implicit bias continues to plague organizations when it comes to women in leadership positions. This study examines the implicit and explicit biases that favor men as leaders among Saudi Arabian primary healthcare professionals. (2) Methods: A secure, web-based survey was administered to primary healthcare professionals. The survey included questions about leadership as well as an Implicit Association Test (IAT) for implicit gender bias. (3) Results: Out of 690 eligible, 448 respondents completed the survey, representing a response rate of 65%. Male residents had a mean IAT score of 0.27 (SD 0.31) and females 0.12 (SD 0.29), both favoring males in leadership roles, and the difference was statistically significant. There was a significant association between gender and gender IAT. In the explicit bias, gender, education, gender of the current manager, and being manager were associated with the gender explicit bias. Explicit bias favoring males in leadership roles was associated with increased implicit bias favoring males in leadership roles. (4) Conclusions: This study found that explicit and implicit gender bias is present among primary healthcare professionals favoring men in leadership positions held by both men and women. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Health)

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13 pages, 370 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Disclosing Gender-Based Violence: A Qualitative Analysis of Professionals’ and Women’s Perspectives through a Discursive Approach

by Isabel Goicolea, Carmen Vives-Cases, Esther Castellanos-Torres, Erica Briones-Vozmediano and Belén Sanz-Barbero

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14683; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214683 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1899

Abstract

Supporting women to disclose gender-based violence (GBV) is a central feature of how healthcare and other welfare services address this problem. In this paper we take a discursive approach to analyse the process of disclosing GBV from the perspectives of young women who have been subjected to GBV and professionals working in the welfare system. Through a reflective thematic analysis of 13 interviews with young women who have been subjected to GBV and 17 with professionals working in different sectors of the welfare system, we developed four themes about how disclosure is perceived: (i) as a conversation between acquaintances; (ii) as ‘no solution’; (iii) as a possible prerequisite for action; and (iv) as difficult because GBV is normalised. Even if disclosure is not the solution per se, it makes it possible to respond institutionally to GBV on an individual basis through the figure of the expert professional who is alert to signs, knows how to support disclosure, and has the power to legitimate women’s claims of GBV. We acknowledge the possibilities that supporting disclosure brings for women subjected to GBV, but at the same time, problematise that it can re-centre expertise in the professional and place the responsibility on women. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Health)

15 pages, 1079 KiB

Open AccessArticle

It’s a Man’s World: A Qualitative Study of Gender and Sexuality amongst Australian Gay Men

by Jack Thepsourinthone, Tinashe Dune, Pranee Liamputtong and Amit Arora

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2092; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042092 - 14 Feb 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4894

Abstract

Currently, research explicitly examining masculinity and internalized homonegativity is sparse, and even sparser studies are those using qualitative methods. To address this, this study aims to explore: how gender norms are constructed and experienced amongst gay men; and how gender and sexual identity are experienced in relation to masculine norms amongst gay men. A sample of 32 self-identified gay men aged 22–72 years (M = 34.34, SD = 12.94) participated in an online semi-structured interview on masculinity and homosexuality. The study used Zoom to facilitate the online interviews as it offered privacy, accessibility, ease of use, and voice recording, among other benefits. Thematic analyses revealed gay men’s understandings of masculinity, femininity, and sources of pressure to conform. Furthermore, gay men emphasize the conflict experienced between heteronormative gender and sexuality norms, which highlights the term homosexual male as an oxymoron. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Health)

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