Examining gender in alcohol research: A systematic review of gender differences in how men and women are studied in alcohol research

Abstract

Background

This systematic review examined differences in the way women and men have been studied in alcohol research over the past decade. In particular, it explored differences in methodology, discipline, country, subpopulation and age focus, to understand who is being studied and how.

Methods

Single-gender peer-reviewed studies on alcohol consumption published between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2023 were identified by searching Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus and CINAHL. Descriptive statistics and comparisons to Global Burden of Disease [GBD] estimates are presented to understand whether the studies’ gendered focus were proportionate to the distribution of alcohol-related harms. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022359103).

Results

A total of 11,235 studies were identified, with 1,267 studies included. Despite consuming more alcohol and experiencing more harms, only 44% (n=554) of single gender studies were on men. One in three studies on men were from medical disciplines, whereas studies on women were more likely to come from psychology, public health or sociology disciplines. In several countries, including Australia, the disparity in the number of studies on women compared with GBD estimates of harms from alcohol consumption were particularly pronounced.

Conclusions

The majority of single-gender studies on alcohol consumption in the last decade focused on women. There has been strong focus on men's health (medical focus), and on women's behaviour (psychology, public health and sociology focus). Researchers’ choices around study foci can differentially shape public discourse, policies and clinical practice, with important implications for gender equity and treatment outcomes.