Gender issues in Italian catheterization laboratories: The gender-cath study

BACKGROUND: Women represent an increasing percentage of interventional cardiologists in Italy compared with other coun-tries. However, gaps exist in understanding and adapting to the impact of these changing demographics. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a national survey to analyze demographics, gender-based professional difference, needs in terms of catheterization laboratory (Cath-Lab) abstention, and radiation safety issues in Italian Cath-Lab settings. A survey supported by the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology (Società Italiana di Cardiologia Interventistica–Gruppo Italiano di Studi Emodinamici SICI-GISE) was mailed to all SICI-GISE members. Categorical data were compared using the χ2 test. P<0.05 was considered significant. There were 326 respondents: 20.2% were <35 years old, and 64.4% had >10 years of Cath-Lab experience. Notably, 26.4% were women. Workload was not gender-influenced (women performed “on-call” duty 69.8% versus men 68.3%; P=0.97). Women were more frequently unmarried (22.1% women versus 8.7% men; P=0.002) and childless (43.9% versus 56.1%; P<0.001). Interestingly, 69.8% of women versus 44.6% of men (P<0.001) argued that preg-nancy/breastfeeding negatively impacts professional skill development and career advancement. For Cath-Lab abstention, 38.9% and 69.6% of respondents considered it useful to perform percutaneous coronary intervention robotic simulations and "refresh-skill" sessions while they were absent or on return to work, respectively, without gender differences. Overall, 80% of respondents described current radioprotection counseling efforts as inadequate and not gender specific. Finally, 26.7% faced some type of job discrimination, a significantly higher proportion of whom were women. CONCLUSIONS: Several gender-based differences exist or are perceived to exist among interventional cardiologists in Italian Cath-Labs. Joint strategies addressing Cath-Lab abstention and radiation exposure education should be developed to pro-mote gender equity in interventional cardiologists.