Atención quirúrgica en hombres y mujeres ¿Diferente o desigual?

Explorar la posible existencia de sesgos de género en procedimientos quirúrgicos (PQ) frecuentes y en sus estancias medias (EM) postquirúrgicas es objetivo del presente trabajo, mediante su comparación entre sexos en el Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva del Hospital General de Alicante (2000-2004). Se intervienen más hombres que mujeres en 4 de los 7 PQ estudiados, apuntando posibles sesgos de género en el patrón quirúrgico, como por apendicectomías agudas (1,36 Hombres/1 Mujer) y complicadas (1,79/1). La estancia postapendicectomías, a igual edad y comorbilidad, es de 2 días más en hombres (9,49) que en mujeres (7,5). No detectar diferencias por sexo en colecistectomías por colecistitis (más frecuentes en mujeres), puede indicar colelitiasis evolucionadas por no sospecha diagnóstica en hombres.

Inequality in analgesic prescription in Spain: a gender development issue

Objectives: It is well known that sex differences in analgesic prescription are not merely the logical result of greater prevalence of pain in women, since this therapeutic variability is related to factors such as educational level or social class. This study aims to analyse the relationship between analgesic prescription and gender development in different regions of Spain. Methods: Cross-sectional study of sex-differences in analgesic prescription according to the gender development of the regions studied. Analgesic prescription, pain and demographic variables were obtained from the Spanish Health Interview Survey in 2006. Gender development was measured with the Gender Development Index (GDI). A logistic regression analysis was conducted to compare analgesic prescription by sex in regions with a GDI above or below the Spanish average. Results: Once adjusted by pain, age and social class, women were more likely to be prescribed analgesics than men, odds ratio (OR) = 1.74 (1.59-1.91), as residents in regions with a lower GDI compared with those in region with a higher GDI: ORWomen = 1.26 (1.12-1.42), ORMen = 1.30 (1.13-1.50). Women experiencing pain in regions with a lower GDI were more likely than men to be treated by a general practitioner rather than by a specialist, OR = 1.32 (1.04-1.67), irrespective of age and social class. Conclusions: Gender bias may be one of the pathways by which inequalities in analgesic treatment adversely affect women's health. Moreover, research into the adequacy of analgesic treatment and the possible medicalisation of women should consider contextual factors, such as gender development.

Gender-sensitive reporting in medical research

Sex and gender differences influence the health and wellbeing of men and women. Although studies have drawn attention to observed differences between women and men across diseases, remarkably little research has been pursued to systematically investigate these underlying sex differences. Women continue to be underrepresented in clinical trials, and even in studies in which both men and women participate, systematic analysis of data to identify potential sex-based differences is lacking. Standards for reporting of clinical trials have been established to ensure provision of complete, transparent and critical information. An important step in addressing the gender imbalance would be inclusion of a gender perspective in the next Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guideline revision. Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals, as a set of well-recognized and widely used guidelines for authors and biomedical journals, should similarly emphasize the ethical obligation of authors to present data analyzed by gender as a matter of routine. Journal editors are also promoters of ethical research and adequate standards of reporting, and requirements for inclusion of gender analyses should be integrated into editorial policies as a matter of urgency.