(854) Inclusive OBGYN journals have greater metrics of research influence compared to non-inclusive journals

Friday, February 10, 2023

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Objective: To evaluate the proportion of “inclusive” journals that have specific instructions about inclusive language in their author submission guidelines and to compare these journals to “non-inclusive” journals based on several metrics of research influence.

Study Design: We performed a cross-sectional study of all OBGYN journals that were indexed in Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and had 2020 journal impact factors (JIF) on 8 April 2022. One journal was indexed twice (due to a name change) and only the active journal was included. Author submission guidelines were searched for the terms “sex,” “gender,” and “inclus.” Journals that had specific instructions about inclusive language were categorized as “inclusive” journals. Journal metrics of influence were evaluated for inclusive and non-inclusive journals. Since journal metrics were not normally distributed, we calculated medians (interquartile ranges, IQR). We fit a quantile regression model to estimate the median difference between groups with 95% confidence interval based on 500 bias-corrected bootstrap resampling.

Results: Author submission guidelines were reviewed for all 83 OBGYN journals indexed in the JCR with 2020 JIF (TABLE 1). Overall, 34 (41.0%) journals had inclusive language instructions and were classified as inclusive. Compared to non-inclusive journals, inclusive journals had numerically higher impact metrics, including median JIF (3.4, IQR 2.2, 4.3, versus 2.5, IQR 1.9, 3.0) and median 5-year JIF (3.6 [IQR 2.8, 4.3] versus 2.6 [IQR 2.1, 3.2]). Inclusive journals also had higher normalized metrics and source metrics. Results of the full analysis are described in TABLE 2.

Conclusion: Fewer than half of OBGYN journals with 2020 JIF have inclusive language instructions in their author submission guidelines. This study underscores the need for a majority of OBGYN journals to update their author submission guidelines to ensure that people with diverse gender identities are appropriately represented in OBGYN research. This may also lead to higher metrics of research influence, but further study is warranted to characterize the association.

Primary Author(s)

Morgan C. Dunn, MD (she/her/hers)
Resident
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Presenting Author(s)

Morgan C. Dunn, MD (she/her/hers)
Resident
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Coauthor(s)

ER
Emily B. Rosenfeld, DO
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
CA
Cande V. Ananth, MPH, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Justin S. Brandt, MD (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States