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Trauma causes high levels of intergenerational substance use among Black women

A new study found that trauma leads to high levels of intergenerational substance use among Black women, with 30% increased odds of drug use and 40% increased odds of Child Protective Services cases. The researchers also highlighted the importance of understanding the prevalence and impacts of these issues among minority populations.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment·DateFeb 27, 2023

Working timelines for Swedish employees revealed over 15 years

A new analysis of Swedish workers' employment timelines highlights varying patterns of active work and work interruptions over 15 years. Women were found to be more likely to have longer periods of interruption due to parental leave and sickness-absence benefits, independent of socioeconomic factors.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 15, 2023

Chinese Medical Journal study highlights epilepsy trends in China between 1990 and 2019

A Chinese Medical Journal study analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution of epilepsy across China, finding significant increases in incidence and prevalence rates between 1990 and 2019. The study also showed a general decrease in age-standardized DALY rates with increasing socio-demographic index.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 15, 2023

How could we evolve such a huge brain?

A new study found that children in a modern forager society developed specialized foraging skills from an early age, which may have enabled the human species to afford larger brains. The research also showed gender-specific differences in foraging skills, with girls collecting tubers and boys climbing trees to collect fruits.

SourceGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig·JournalFrontiers in Ecology and Evolution·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 9, 2023

Algorithms for hiring: Bias in, bias out

Researchers tested three common techniques to make algorithms fairer and found that one approach didn't reduce social norm bias at all. They proposed a new technique: a formula to directly measure social norm bias in an algorithm so it can be corrected. This bias can persist even after overt discrimination is removed.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalData Mining and Knowledge Discovery·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 8, 2023

US college attendance appears to politicize students, per analysis of surveys since 1974, with female students in particular becoming more liberal through attending college

Analysis of surveys since 1974 shows US college attendance influences students' political orientation, particularly among females who tend to become more liberal. The study used a propensity score weighting approach to examine the effect of college on political orientation over four decades.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJan 18, 2023

Separation leads to significant but temporary gender differences in parent-child time

A study by sociologists from Trinity College Dublin and UNED Madrid found that parental separation results in significant but temporary increases in gender inequalities in parent-child time. After separation, mother-child time doubles while two-parent time declines threefold, with father-child time remaining low.

SourceTrinity College Dublin·JournalEuropean Journal of Population / Revue européenne de Démographie·TypeSurvey·DateJan 17, 2023

Will the airline industry ever steer away from gender conformity?

A recent study found that the airline industry maintains feminine cabin crews through strict appearance standards and grooming guidelines. Researchers discovered that female flight attendants are expected to maintain a slim body and adhere to traditional gender norms, with subtle forms of resistance occasionally employed.

SourceUniversity of Surrey·JournalAnnals of Tourism Research·TypeObservational study·DateJan 17, 2023

Aggressiveness of pet dogs is influenced by life history and owner’s characteristics, study suggests

A study of 665 pet dogs found that life history, owner gender, and breed can influence canine behavior. The results highlight the importance of environmental interactions in shaping animal behavior, suggesting that traits like weight, height, and cranial morphology impact the dog-owner relationship.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalApplied Animal Behaviour Science·TypeSurvey·DateJan 12, 2023

‘Soft laws’ see more women in the boardroom

Research by Anglia Ruskin University found that soft laws in over 14,000 companies across 99 nations led to a 20% average percentage of women on corporate boards. Quotas increased female directors by 11.7%, but only when sanctions were applied. Firms complied better with realistic targets and sufficient time.

SourceAnglia Ruskin University·JournalInternational Journal of the Economics of Business·TypeSurvey·DateJan 11, 2023

Characters’ actions in movie scripts reflect gender stereotypes

A new machine-learning framework analyzes scene descriptions in movie scripts to recognize character actions, revealing widespread gender stereotypes. Female characters tend to show more emotion and less agency than males, while males are less likely to display emotional vulnerability.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 21, 2022

COVID ‘motherhood penalty’ affects academic research productivity

A new study found that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in research productivity across various fields, but women between the ages of 35 and 49 experienced no detectable gain. The study revealed that younger professors and those in top-ranked departments saw substantial increases in research output.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalReview of Financial Studies·TypeLiterature review·DateDec 19, 2022

Some claim culture affects our basic visual perception. A UCLA study takes a fresh look

A UCLA study conducted by Zili Liu and Chéla R Willey found that white, Asian American, and recent Asian immigrant college students performed similarly on a well-known visual perception test, known as the rod-and-frame task. The results suggest that basic visual functions are largely independent of cultural variation.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 15, 2022

Fear of professional backlash may keep women from speaking up at academic conferences

A recent study published in Psychological Science found that women are less likely to participate in Q&A sessions at academic conferences due to anxiety about receiving professional backlash. Despite this, men were also found to hold back questions, but for different reasons, highlighting the need for structural changes to create a mor...

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 30, 2022

Egyptian mothers’ employment early in children’s life help their daughters stay in work

Research by Lancaster University found that Egyptian mothers' employment during their daughter's adolescence has a long-lasting impact on their daughters' employment stability in adulthood. Employed mothers are more effective role models and bolsters daughters' aspirations, leading to stable public sector employment.

SourceLancaster University·JournalSex Roles·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 29, 2022

CPR mannikins used in instructive social media posts lack diversity, influencing patient outcomes and disparities in training and care

A study found that CPR mannikins depicted in public social media accounts are predominantly white, lean men, lacking representation of diverse groups. The lack of diversity in these models may influence disparities in training and care for patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

SourceElsevier·JournalCanadian Journal of Cardiology·TypeObservational study·DateNov 21, 2022

Transgender youth, teens more likely to have sleep disorders

A Michigan Medicine-led study reveals that transgender youth are 5.4 times more likely to experience insomnia and three times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea compared to cisgender youth. Gender-affirming therapies may offer a protective effect against worsening sleep health, according to the researchers.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalJournal of Clinical Sleep Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateNov 21, 2022

Women healthcare workers faced heightened moral distress during pandemic: study

A recent study by Simon Fraser University researcher Julia Smith found that women healthcare providers experienced 'double distress' in both their workplaces and homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers listened to stories of women participants to understand the challenges they faced, including inadequate staffing, lack of c...

SourceSimon Fraser University·JournalNursing Ethics·TypeSurvey·DateOct 26, 2022

Systemic gender barriers mean going it alone may not be the answer for all new women entrepreneurs in Canada

A new study from the University of Waterloo and Statistics Canada finds that inexperienced Canadian women entrepreneurs see more success when partnering with experienced men than women or going solo. The research highlights significant barriers faced by women in business, including negative stereotypes and limited access to financing.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalSmall Business Economics·DateOct 20, 2022

Study: Stereotypes of middle-aged women as less ‘nice’ can hold them back at work

A new study reveals that middle-aged women are held back in their careers due to a perceived lack of 'niceness', with evaluations decreasing after the age of 40. The research, led by UC Berkeley's Jennifer Chatman, found that both men and women become more capable with age but only women are seen as less warm, leading to harsher judgme...

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley Haas School of Business·JournalOrganizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 20, 2022

Gender equity at the wilderness medical society: Driving change through transparency

A recent study published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine reveals a significant gender gap in leadership roles and publishing opportunities within the WMS and its journal. The findings show that women comprise only 10% of board presidents, 18% of recognition awards, and 20% of mainstage presenters.

SourceElsevier·JournalWilderness and Environmental Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 13, 2022

Yes, we can!

A study by physicists Fariba Karimi and her team has confirmed that women are underrepresented in physics, but found that the gender gap is largely due to a first-mover advantage enjoyed by men. The research suggests that women face higher entry barriers and structural inequalities, leading to differences in citation recognition.

SourceComplexity Science Hub·JournalCommunications Physics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 13, 2022

Career advancement slower for women in entomology, study finds

Women pursuing careers in entomology face persistent challenges in obtaining jobs compared to men. The study found that men published more research articles and were first authors on average, leading to higher H-index scores. Women are also less likely to hold industry positions as technical representatives and research scientists.

SourceEntomological Society of America·JournalAnnals of the Entomological Society of America·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 12, 2022

How do female CEOs affect corporate environmental policies?

Researchers analyzed 351 Chinese firms from 2006 to 2019, finding that female CEOs were associated with environmentally sustainable policies. The presence of female directors on the board strengthened this relationship. These findings suggest women's leadership can promote social and environmental benefits for stakeholders.

SourceWiley·JournalCorporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management·DateOct 5, 2022