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Women participants in research: assessing progress
K G Low1, M R Joliceour, R A Colman
1Bates College, Department of Psychology, Lewiston, ME 04240.
Women & Health
|January 1, 1994
Summary
Medical research continues to underrepresent women. A review of major journals found the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published the fewest female subjects, despite modest increases over time.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Clinical psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Inclusion of women in clinical research is crucial for generalizability.
- Historical underrepresentation of female subjects in medical studies is a persistent concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the representation of women in high-impact medical and psychological journals over a decade.
- To identify trends in the inclusion of female participants in published research.
Main Methods:
- A content analysis of 1,050 articles published in 1982 and 1991/92.
- Journals reviewed: New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP), and Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (JCCP).
- Statistical analysis including one-way ANOVA and t-tests to compare subject demographics.
Main Results:
- The NEJM consistently included the lowest percentage of female subjects (26.6% in 1982, 36.5% in 1991/92).
- In 1991/92, the NEJM had significantly fewer women participants than the AJP or JCCP (p < .001).
- While the NEJM increased its overall percentage of women participants over the decade (p = .001), the proportion of studies featuring women did not increase.
Conclusions:
- Efforts to enhance female subject inclusion in health research have yielded modest success.
- Medical research, particularly in journals like the NEJM, continues to underrepresent women in published studies.
- Further interventions are needed to ensure equitable representation of women in clinical research.