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Gender Equity in Rheumatology Research: Global Analysis of Authors
Michael Girdwood1, Jean W Liew2, Ida K Haugen3,4
1La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia.
Arthritis & Rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Gender representation in rheumatology research shows parity in first authorship in top-tier journals, but a persistent gap exists in last authorship and in lower-ranked publications. This analysis covers a decade of rheumatology research.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology research
- Bibliometrics
- Gender studies in science
Background:
- Understanding gender representation in scientific fields is crucial for promoting equity.
- Previous studies have highlighted gender disparities in various medical specialties.
- Rheumatology research, a key area of musculoskeletal and autoimmune disease study, requires examination of its authorship demographics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the gender representation of authors in rheumatology research over the past decade (2015-2024).
- To analyze trends in gender distribution across different journal quartiles (Q1, Q2) and geographic regions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized metadata from 52,796 articles published between 2015-2024 in SCImago top 2 quartile rheumatology journals.
- Classified author gender using two public databases and obtained first-author affiliation for geographic analysis.
- Summarized trends by year, journal quartile, and geographic region.
Main Results:
- First authorship showed gender parity in Q1 journals (45% women vs. 43% men) but not in Q2 (34% women vs. 50% men).
- Men held more last authorship positions in both Q1 (55%) and Q2 (60%) journals.
- The ratio of women to men authors increased in Q1 journals but stagnated or decreased in Q2 journals; regional disparities were noted, particularly in last authorship for Asia and Europe.
Conclusions:
- While gender representation in rheumatology research is improving in some aspects, a significant gap persists.
- The gender gap is most evident in last authorship, articles from lower-ranked (Q2) journals, and research originating from Asian and European institutions.
- Further efforts are needed to achieve full gender equity across all levels and regions of rheumatology research.
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