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Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences 2021 Mar 11

DOI: 10.23736/S0390-5616.21.05330-3

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The gender impact in the era of COVID-19: an Italian neurosurgical perspective

Teresa SOMMA ¹ ✉, Ilaria BOVE ¹, Karol MIGLIORATI ², Maria Rosaria SCALA ¹, Tamara IUS ³, Giada GARUFI ⁴, Laura SANTI ⁵, Paolo CAPPABIANCA ¹

¹ Division of Neurosurgery, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy; ² Department of Neurosurgery, Spedali Civili University Hospital of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; ³ Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy; ⁴ Division of Neurosurgery, Policlinico G. Martino, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy; ⁵ Neurosurgical Unit of Sondrio ASST - Valtellina e alto Lario, Sondrio, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to understand the impact of SARS-COVID-19 disease on neurosurgeons and our profession; specifically, to trace the role of women, in particular young neurosurgeons, in addressing this health emergency.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated the impact of SARS-COVID-19 disease on Italian neurosurgeons stratified by gender [44 (49.9%) males and 49 (52,1%) females] enrolled through a questionnaire-based online survey.
RESULTS: Ninety-three Italian neurosurgeons were included in this study. The percentage of female participants was 52,1%(49) and 53%(50) were younger than 40 years. Men were significantly more affected than women by complications (14 versus 3), while there was no gender difference in the Covid infection rate. Furthermore the social impact of the Pandemia was the same between men and women.
CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis did not show significant differences between the two genders in the susceptibility, and mortality from COVID-19. The possible and immediate implementation of anti-COVID-19 measures and devices, associated with a lower risk of transmission in the treatment of neurosurgical pathologies, has likely, moderated and disregarded the socio-psychological "gender gap" of the Covid-19 pandemic.

KEY WORDS: Covid-19; Neurosurgery; Women