Evidence of Gender Disparities in Citations and Altmetric Attention Score in Oncology

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, we assess gender disparities in both citation rates and Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS) within oncology, utilizing a dataset comprising over 600,000 articles from the past 15 years. The analysis focuses on the differential impact of gender on citation metrics and AAS, the latter of which expands the evaluation of research impact beyond traditional citation analysis to include digital engagement metrics such as social media mentions, news coverage, and policy discussions.Methodologically, the study taps into the Altmetric database, using gender identification tools like the Gender Guesser API to classify articles by the gender composition of their first and last authors. Findings reveal a systemic over-citation of male-first and male-last author pairs (MM), with a mean citation difference (MCD) of +4.7. In stark contrast, female-first and female-last author pairs (WW) experience under-citation, with an MCD of -3.5.A detailed examination of the Altmetric Attention Score shows that female-first authors receive a 7.19% lower AAS compared to male-first authors, indicating significant gender biases in the broader academic and public engagement. Delving deeper into the components of AAS, specifically news media coverage, reveals that female-first authors are covered 10.9% less in news media, 20.4% less patent references and 33.4% in Weibo mentions than their male counterparts. This disparity is significant and suggests a broader trend of underrepresentation and undervaluation of female-led research in more public-facing and influential media outlets.These results underscore the persistent influence of gender on the recognition and valuation of scientific contributions within the field of oncology. They highlight the need for academia and publishing entities to implement more equitable practices to mitigate these disparities and ensure a balanced representation and recognition of scholarly work across genders.