Gender disparities on the editorial boards of high-impact Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine journals.

Abstract

Gender disparities in academia remain a significant concern. This study aims to evaluate gender inequality in leadership positions within the editorial boards of most prestigious Oral Pathology/Medicine journals. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in November and December 2024. Six journals were selected based on the Top 100 highest impact factor journals in the Journal Citation Reports: Head and Neck Pathology, Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine, Medicina Oral, Patología Oral y Cirugía Bucal, Oral Diseases, Oral Oncology, and Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology. Editorial board data were extracted from official journal websites and editors' online profiles (ORCID, LinkedIn, ResearchGate, or institutional websites). Sex was determined based on publicly available information, including photos, pronouns, and biographical data. A total of 410 editorial board members were identified, with 68% being male. Women were underrepresented across all journals, ranging from 19.19% to 47.19% of the overall proportion of editorial staff. Among all journals investigated, one woman was found as Editor-in-Chief. Fisher's test associated a lower prevalence of females, especially in Oral Oncology (p=0.002). Women mostly occupied Associate Editor and editorial board member positions, while senior leadership remained predominantly male (PR=0.38, p=0.445). The number of female editorial board members was significantly lower in Asia (p=0.005). These findings emphasize the importance of advancing gender equality in science within Oral Pathology/Medicine. Fostering inclusivity and diversity in academic publishing, journal editorials, and leadership positions is essential to overcoming this challenge.