Gender audit of health research--10 years of the South African Medical Journal.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the extent to which gender bias, which has been identified as a feature of medical research internationally, is present in medical research published in South Africa.


METHODS
A retrospective review was undertaken of 789 articles, 106 letters and 266 editorials in 10 years of the South African Medical Journal (1986-1995).


METHODS
These were gender of study subjects, proportion of women in the sample, and evidence of analysis of results according to gender of study subject.


RESULTS
Forty-eight per cent of articles (377) and 98% of letters (104) did not mention the gender of the sample. Samples that included both genders had significantly fewer women than men, with 80% (297) of such articles and 93% (14) of such letters not presenting a comparative analysis of results.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings, similar to those of the international literature, indicate a predominant 'gender blindness' in published works. This precludes investigation of differences in the ways men and women experience disease and differential access to care.
Hoosain
M
M
Centre for Epidemiological Research in Southern Africa, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, W Cape.
Jewkes
R
R
Maphumulo
S
S
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011287:Prejudice; D012106:Research; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013019:South Africa; D016387:Women's Health