ADEA’s Drs. Sinkford and Smith Discuss Breaking Gender Equality Barriers in Women’s Global Health Care Leadership

AdobeStock_128979149_600 px wA recent publication in Research Features by Sonya G. Smith, Ed.D., J.D., M.Ed., M.A., ADEA Chief Diversity Officer, and Jeanne C. Sinkford, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., FACD, FICD, Professor Emerita and Dean Emerita of Howard University College of Dentistry and ADEA Senior Scholar-in-Residence Emerita, highlighted gender inequality in recent evaluations of the global health and social care workforce. The article, “Breaking gender equality barriers in women’s global healthcare leadership,” was based on a research article published in the September 2022 issue of the Journal of Dental Education, “Gender equality in the 21st century: Overcoming barriers to women’s leadership in global health.”

Drs. Smith and Sinkford analyzed a range of sources, including data from the United Nations and World Health Organization (WHO), which indicated global gender inequality in our health care systems. Globally, women make up 70% of the workforce in the health and social care industry but hold only 25% of leadership positions.

Using the WHO Women in Global Health Ecological Model’s five factors (e.g., public policy, community, institutional, interpersonal, and individual) as guidance, the researchers highlight important persistent barriers to achieving gender equality and gender equity in global health leadership positions.

Read more about these factors in the full Research Features article.

Do you prefer to listen to the article? If so, listen to the ResearchPod podcast episode here. The podcast episode is also available on Spotify, Apple iTunes, Google Podcasts or other top podcast platforms by simply searching for “ResearchPod” (type as one word).

Published on April 12, 2023