Data, Dollars, and Diversity: Gender Views Across the Pay Grade in the Digital Health Workforce

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Workforce Research
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Gender inequities persist in the specialist digital health workforce, affecting education, pay, and career progression.
• Women form the majority of this workforce, yet gender pay disparities are underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the association between gender, remuneration, and equity perceptions in the Australian digital health workforce.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for career development influenced by gender and pay.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the 2023 Specialist Digital Health Workforce Census (n=425 Australian respondents).
• Examination of gender-related questions, remuneration data, and perceptions of equity.
• Statistical analysis to determine correlations between gender, remuneration, and equity perceptions.

Main Results:

• Women constituted 74.1% of respondents, with significant gender-based correlations in remuneration (p=0.006).
• Lower-earning women reported financial barriers and emphasized pay equity policies.
• Perceptions of organizational support for gender equity varied significantly by gender (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Structural inequities exist in the digital health sector, influenced by gender and remuneration.
• Targeted interventions like mentorship, sponsorship, and inclusive leadership are crucial.
• Policies for pay equity and culturally responsive career development are essential for advancing gender equity in digital health.