Network Analysis of Women in Otolaryngology and Demographic Trends
Publication type
journal article
Publication date
September 25, 2024
Author(s)
Publisher
Wiley
Language
English
View point(s)
Global
Discipline(s)
Abstract
Objective
This study analyzes gender disparities between men and women otolaryngology faculty in the top 20 otolaryngology departments ranked by research output and discusses the implications of these disparities.
Methods
This was a cross‐sectional study of all articles published by faculty from January 2020 to December 2021 at the top 20 otolaryngology departments as ranked by Doximity's 2022 research output report. Integrated data from Web of Science, faculty directories, and NIH RePORT were used to collect data on faculty. Social network analysis was performed using ORA‐LITE. Student's and Welch's t‐tests and Pearson chi‐squared tests were used to evaluate gender differences in academic metrics.
Results
The findings revealed significant gender disparities, with men holding higher academic positions (men = 3.16, women = 2.69, p < 0.0001), higher H‐indices (22.4, 13.8, p < 0.0001), more NIH grants (0.15, 0.07, p = 0.0032), and greater total degree centrality (3.98E‐4, 2.4E‐4, p < 0.0001) and betweenness centrality (4.47E‐3, 3.00E‐3, p = 0.0021). Men also had more publications (9.8, 6.8, p < 0.0001) with more distinct co‐authors, both within (4, 3.1, p = 0.0074) and across (38.1, 25.8, p < 0.0001) institutions. Disparities persisted after accounting for career length. Notably, total degree centrality differences between men and women were statistically significant from 1991 to 2017 (p < 0.0001), but not from 2018 to 2022 (p = 0.83).
Conclusions
This study highlights gender inequities in otolaryngology, encouraging mentors to foster new collaborations with female peers. Importantly, it identifies a trend toward narrowing the gender gap within the specialty, particularly over the past 5 years, emphasizing the need to sustain these positive changes for enhanced gender equity.
Level of Evidence
NA Laryngoscope, 135:1039–1045, 2025
Part of
The Laryngoscope
Volume
135
Issue
3