Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30196796›Full record

ArticleCritical care (London, England)2018

Women in Intensive Care study: a preliminary assessment of international data on female representation in the ICU physician workforce, leadership and academic positions.

Bala Venkatesh, Sangeeta Mehta, Derek C Angus, Simon Finfer, Flavia R Machado, John Marshall, Imogen Mitchell, Sandra Peake, Janice L Zimmerman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Critical care (London, England), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The gender gap in academic anesthesiology and critical care medicine: a systematic review.Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Article
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  5. Well-being in intensive care: reflections from a multinational survey.Journal of anesthesia, analgesia and critical care · 2026
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  19. The role of women as critical care physicians.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2023
    Article
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Bala VenkateshIntensive Care, Wesley and Princess Alexandra Hospitals, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. bmvenkat@bigpond.net.au.
Sangeeta MehtaDepartment of Medicine and Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, Sinai Health System, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Derek C AngusThe Clinical Research, Investigation, and Systems Modeling of Acute illness [CRISMA] Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Simon FinferThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Flavia R MachadoAnesthesiology, Pain and Intensive Care Department, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
John MarshallDepartment of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Imogen MitchellAustralian National University Medical School, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Sandra PeakeDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Janice L ZimmermanWorld Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite increasing female enrolment into medical schools, persistent gender gaps exist in the physician workforce. There are limited published data on female representation in the critical care medicine workforce.

methodsTo obtain a global perspective, societies (n = 84; 79,834 members (40,363 physicians, 39,471 non-physicians)) registered with the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine were surveyed. Longitudinal data on female trainee and specialist positions between 2006-2017 were obtained from Australia and New Zealand. Data regarding leadership and academic faculty representation were also collected from national training bodies and other organisations of critical care medicine.

resultsOf the 84 societies, 23 had a registered membership of greater than 500 members. Responses were received from 27 societies (n = 55,996), mainly high-income countries, covering 70.1% of the membership. Amongst the physician workforce, the gender distribution was available from six (22%) participating societies-mean proportion of females 37 ± 11% (range 26-50%). Longitudinal data from Australia and New Zealand between 2006 and 2017 demonstrate rising proportions of female trainees and specialists. Female trainee and specialist numbers increased from 26 to 37% and from 13 to 22% respectively. Globally, female representation in leadership positions was presidencies of critical care organisations (0-41%), representation on critical care medicine boards and councils (8-50%) and faculty representation at symposia (7-34%). Significant gaps in knowledge exist: data from low and middle-income countries, the age distribution and the time taken to enter and complete training.

conclusionsDespite limited information globally, available data suggest that females are under-represented in training programmes, specialist positions, academic faculty and leadership roles in intensive care. There are significant gaps in data on female participation in the critical care workforce. Further data from intensive care organisations worldwide are required to understand the demographics, challenges and barriers to their professional progress.

Indexed as

AdultAustraliaFaculty, MedicalFemaleHealth WorkforceHumansIntensive Care UnitsInternationalityLeadershipLongitudinal StudiesNew ZealandPhysicians, WomenStudents, MedicalSurveys and QuestionnairesCritical careFemaleGenderIntensive careRepresentationWomenWorkforce

Identifiers

PMID30196796
PMCPMC6130077

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.