Is there gender bias in nursing research?
Using data from a consecutive sample of 259 studies published in four leading nursing research journals in 2005-2006, we examined whether nurse researchers favor females as study participants. On average, 75.3% of study participants were female, and 38% of studies had all-female samples. The bias favoring female participants was statistically significant and persistent. The bias was observed regardless of funding source, methodological features, and other participant and researcher characteristics, with one exception: studies that had male investigators had more sex-balanced samples. When designing studies, nurse researchers need to pay close attention to who will benefit from their research and to whether they are leaving out a specific group about which there is a gap in knowledge.
Polit
Denise F
DF
Humanalysis, Inc., 75 Clinton Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA.
Beck
Cheryl Tatano
CT
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001319:Authorship; D015706:Bibliometrics; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054588:National Institute of Nursing Research (U.S.) / Q000458:organization & administration; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009935:Organizational Affiliation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018579:Patient Selection; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011287:Prejudice; D011643:Publishing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013041:Specialties, Nursing; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health