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Social Sciences
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Gender Differences and Inequalities in Social and Health Sciences Research
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Gender Differences and Inequalities in Social and Health Sciences Research

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Gender Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 7713

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anália Maria Cardoso Torres

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Guest Editor
The Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP), University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: gender sociology; gender inequality; feminist gender studies; contemporary families
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Paula Campos Pinto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP), University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: gender sociology; gender inequality; feminist gender studies; disability and health; human rights
Dr. Diana Maciel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP), University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: gender sociology; gender inequality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological differences were for long time the leitmotiv to ground inequalities between women and men. Women and gender studies and feminist scholarship, a very rich lively and innovative field of studies, have been building, over the last decades, a strong scientific framework providing research findings that show how culture shapes behavior and how inequalities have much more to do with the distribution of power and resources than with biology.

Yet, this is not to assert that there are no biological differences between men and women or that they do not play a role in human life. Bodies matter; material and cultural dimensions interact and shape personal life, social relations, and societies. In addition to the social sciences and humanities, gender lens has gained ground in the health sciences, medicine, and medical research, opening new research strands and stimulating an ever-growing literature.

This special issue of Social Science is dedicated to exploring the relations between gender and health, addressed through a diversity of disciplinary and methodological perspectives. Topics may include gendered health behaviors, gender bias among health professionals, gender norms and health, gender differences and inequalities in health, and gender and medical research among others.  

Prof. Dr. Anália Maria Cardoso Torres
Prof. Dr. Paula Campos Pinto
Dr. Diana Maciel
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 double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences 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 1800 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
  • gender bias
  • health sciences
  • medical research
  • gender
  • health and migration
  • health inequalities
  • gender and social inequalities
  • gender differences
  • health inequities
  • health and intersectionality

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Surfacing Gender: Designing Care Homes for Women in All Their Diversity
by Pat Armstrong and Susan Braedley
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 669; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120669 - 12 Dec 2024
Viewed by 952
Abstract
Reflecting on findings from over ten years of research, four studies, and a focused two-day workshop, this article argues that it is past time to surface gender as a critical consideration in reimagining care homes to create conditions of dignity and respect for [...] Read more.
Reflecting on findings from over ten years of research, four studies, and a focused two-day workshop, this article argues that it is past time to surface gender as a critical consideration in reimagining care homes to create conditions of dignity and respect for residents, workers, and families in all their diversity. Considering care homes as an indicator of equity in welfare states, we deploy a concept of gender that acknowledges the relationship between bodies and social relations, and an inclusive concept of women that interrogates the differences among women. We outline the reasons that make care homes a women’s issue, explaining why women are the majority of care home residents and staff across jurisdictions in high-income countries. We draw insights from our workshop and research studies to discuss how gender is both ignored and embedded in care home design and offer considerations and possibilities for designing care homes for women in all their diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Differences and Inequalities in Social and Health Sciences Research)
18 pages, 283 KiB  
Article
“Someone Who Is Going to Preserve Your Surname and Clan Name”: A Sesotho Cultural Perspective on Male Partner Involvement in Maternal and Newborn Care in the Free State, South Africa
by Ngwi N. T. Mulu and Michelle Engelbrecht
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(10), 540; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13100540 - 12 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1470
Abstract
In the global public health discourse, involving men in maternal and neonatal health is regarded as crucial for positive outcomes in both health and development. In South Africa, health interventions designed to promote male partner involvement among low-income indigenous populations have been framed [...] Read more.
In the global public health discourse, involving men in maternal and neonatal health is regarded as crucial for positive outcomes in both health and development. In South Africa, health interventions designed to promote male partner involvement among low-income indigenous populations have been framed within social constructivist notions of masculinities and have produced mixed outcomes. This has necessitated calls to explore alternative approaches, including the need to decolonise men and masculinities studies in Africa. As part of one phase of formative research for a mixed-method project aimed at adapting a male involvement intervention for the context of Sesotho-speaking men and women in the Free State, we applied a multi-site case study research design and collected qualitative data using focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Verbatim-recorded transcripts were translated, transcribed, and thematically analysed with NVIVO 14. The results indicate that customary practices in pregnancy, delivery, and newborn care are not static and vary between families based on belief systems, socioeconomic status, geographical setting (peri-urban/rural), and kinship networks of care. Therefore, these practices and beliefs should be understood, affirmed, and contested within the complex African-centred material and immaterial worldviews on personhood in which they were generated, transmitted, rejected, or adopted. It is recommended that a decolonised approach to male partner involvement in this context must be cognisant of the intersections of racial and gendered power relations, contestations in beliefs and practices, the resilient effect of colonialism on indigenous gender systems, as well as contemporary global entanglements that inform North–South power relations on the best practices in maternal and newborn health in the public health sector in South Africa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Differences and Inequalities in Social and Health Sciences Research)
13 pages, 1241 KiB  
Article
Exploring Cultural Factors in the “Systemic Revictimization” of Rape Survivors in Mwenga (DRC)
by Buuma Maisha, Janelle Anglin, Timothee Mwindo, Carolanne Tomsine and Sandrine M’Bassé Florent
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(8), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13080411 - 7 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1495
Abstract
This study builds on past research noting the psychosocial challenges women face in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as survivors of rape. There is an interpretation of rape in these communities as a sexual taboo and as a danger to the families and [...] Read more.
This study builds on past research noting the psychosocial challenges women face in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as survivors of rape. There is an interpretation of rape in these communities as a sexual taboo and as a danger to the families and communities of the survivors. The participants in this study described how these social norms and beliefs lead to isolation, feelings of shame, interpersonal difficulties, and hesitancy to seek medical and psychological treatment. In this study, we used a qualitative research methodology to investigate the subjective experiences of survivors and what support they thought to be the most useful in their families and communities. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: general social practices and beliefs, social reactions and consequences of rape, and the ideal social reaction to rape. The participants shared insights into two sets of values. On the one hand, there are relationship-focused values with the potential to influence revictimizing social reactions. On the other hand, there are person-focused values with the potential to rally the community in solidarity and support for survivors. These results suggest that local communities and families are key stakeholders in creating a safe and supportive social environment necessary for the survivors’ journey to recovery. Prioritizing efforts to mitigate the conflict between relationship-focused and person-focused values is recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Differences and Inequalities in Social and Health Sciences Research)
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19 pages, 1991 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Urban Flooding on Gender in a Slum of Bangladesh
by Zarin Subah, Sujit Kumar Bala and Jae Hyeon Ryu
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13050248 - 30 Apr 2024
Viewed by 2947
Abstract
Urban flooding is a frequent disaster during the monsoon period (June–October), hindering the daily lives of city dwellers, especially slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study assessed the impact of urban flooding on the lives of Baganbari slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh using [...] Read more.
Urban flooding is a frequent disaster during the monsoon period (June–October), hindering the daily lives of city dwellers, especially slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study assessed the impact of urban flooding on the lives of Baganbari slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh using Moser analytical tools to explore how urban flooding affects individuals of different genders. Participatory and survey methods involving 50 slum dwellers (25 men, 25 women) were carried out to collect feedback and comments. Additionally, focus group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured and key informant interviews (KII) were also conducted to express gender-related discrimination (e.g., men vs. women). Women are usually involved in “double day” roles (100% in reproductive and 72% in productive roles) while 92% of men are found to have no contribution in those roles. Moreover, women’s participation in community roles is significantly affected during urban flooding (almost 100%) as it imposes a compulsion for them to stay home and carry out their reproductive work. Thus, women encounter numerous challenges in meeting their practical and strategic needs, including ensuring food supplies, managing diseases and menstrual health, upholding sanitation, restricted movement, education obstacles, and more. The result shows that women in the Baganbari slum are found to have only 35% access and 6% control over resources, benefits, health facilities, and decision-making power during urban flooding. The significant decline in the access and control profile of women during urban flooding aggregates their difficulties and drives them into vulnerable positions in their own households. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Differences and Inequalities in Social and Health Sciences Research)
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