Gender stereotypes about women in pharmacy leadership: evidence from a cross-sectional study in Lebanon

Gender-related stereotypes and inequities in career advancement and leadership recognition may persist in the pharmaceutical workforce. Evidence examining multiple domains of gender-related perceptions within the pharmaceutical sector remains limited. This study aimed to assess gender-related perceptions across distinct stereotype domains and to examine their associations with pharmacists' sociodemographic and professional characteristics.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 279 pharmacists. Participants rated agreement with statements reflecting gender-related perceptions. Composite scores were calculated for three domains: stereotypes of women's capabilities, gendered perceptions in career advancement, and recognition of women leaders, with higher scores indicating more negative perceptions or lower recognition.

Participants (62.7% women) mostly rejected negative stereotypes about women's capabilities (63.8-77.4% disagreement across items). Men reported significantly higher stereotype scores than women (p = 0.004), and graduates of public universities showed higher stereotype and career advancement scores than private university graduates (p < 0.05). Lower recognition of women leaders was observed among older participants (p = 0.019), married or divorced respondents (p = 0.026), those with higher perceived economic status (p = 0.001), pharmacists working in the pharmaceutical field (p = 0.043), and participants with ≥ 6 years of practice (p = 0.021).

While explicit gender stereotypes appear to be declining within the pharmaceutical sector, implicit biases related to career advancement and leadership recognition persist and vary across demographic, educational, and professional contexts. Addressing these disparities requires targeted educational, organizational, and policy interventions to promote equitable recognition and advancement of women. Pharmacy curricula and professional development programs should incorporate training on implicit bias, gender equity, and inclusive leadership to foster equitable workplace cultures.