Evaluating the Effectiveness of Interventions to Reduce Gender Disparities in Healthcare: An Overview of Literature Reviews
Author(s)
Fiona Stewart, MSc1, Evelyn Gomez Espinosa, BSc, PhD2, Maria Koufopoulou, MSc3, Serena Depalma, MD, MSc4.
1Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Madrid, Spain, 2Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Bishops Stortford, United Kingdom, 3Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Reading, United Kingdom, 4Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
1Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Madrid, Spain, 2Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Bishops Stortford, United Kingdom, 3Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Reading, United Kingdom, 4Global Consulting Services, Cencora, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
OBJECTIVES: Gender disparities in diagnosis, management, and health outcomes are well established; however, the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce these disparities remains unclear. This overview of reviews aims to summarize existing evidence from literature reviews focused on interventions that target reductions in gender disparities in health.
METHODS: Comprehensive searches were conducted in MEDLINE and Embase in June 2025 to identify literature reviews of interventions addressing gender bias in healthcare or aimed at reducing gender disparities in health outcomes. Eligible reviews included systematic or scoping analyses, with or without meta-analysis, that assessed the effectiveness of interventions or policies intended to mitigate these disparities. Gender was defined broadly, encompassing men, women, boys, girls, transgender individuals, and non-binary people. Reviews focused on LGBTQ+ minorities were included they reported data for transgender individuals separately.
RESULTS: The searches identified 498 citations, of which five met the inclusion criteria. One review was a scoping analysis of policies aimed at reducing gender inequalities in health, revealing that disparities persisted despite policy implementation. The remaining four studies focused on training interventions for healthcare professionals and students, demonstrating that these training programs generally led to short-term increases in knowledge and positive attitude changes; however, these effects were not consistently sustained over the long term. Notably, many reviews assessed the differential effects of existing interventions by gender, but these did not qualify for inclusion as they were not specifically designed to reduce disparities.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that current interventions primarily enhance knowledge and modify attitudes rather than effecting meaningful changes in clinical practice that reduce gender-based inequalities. While training initiatives may raise awareness and shift attitudes among healthcare providers, it remains unclear whether these changes translate into improved clinical outcomes. The limited success of policy initiatives highlights the need for innovative strategies to enhance healthcare outcomes for all genders.
METHODS: Comprehensive searches were conducted in MEDLINE and Embase in June 2025 to identify literature reviews of interventions addressing gender bias in healthcare or aimed at reducing gender disparities in health outcomes. Eligible reviews included systematic or scoping analyses, with or without meta-analysis, that assessed the effectiveness of interventions or policies intended to mitigate these disparities. Gender was defined broadly, encompassing men, women, boys, girls, transgender individuals, and non-binary people. Reviews focused on LGBTQ+ minorities were included they reported data for transgender individuals separately.
RESULTS: The searches identified 498 citations, of which five met the inclusion criteria. One review was a scoping analysis of policies aimed at reducing gender inequalities in health, revealing that disparities persisted despite policy implementation. The remaining four studies focused on training interventions for healthcare professionals and students, demonstrating that these training programs generally led to short-term increases in knowledge and positive attitude changes; however, these effects were not consistently sustained over the long term. Notably, many reviews assessed the differential effects of existing interventions by gender, but these did not qualify for inclusion as they were not specifically designed to reduce disparities.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that current interventions primarily enhance knowledge and modify attitudes rather than effecting meaningful changes in clinical practice that reduce gender-based inequalities. While training initiatives may raise awareness and shift attitudes among healthcare providers, it remains unclear whether these changes translate into improved clinical outcomes. The limited success of policy initiatives highlights the need for innovative strategies to enhance healthcare outcomes for all genders.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
HPR76
Topic
Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Health Disparities & Equity
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas