Variations in how medical researchers report patient demographics: a retrospective analysis of published articles.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The use of demographic variables in the medical literature has been a topic of much recent debate. Recent studies found that race and socioeconomic status (SES) are inconsistently reported. Best-practice use of sex and gender has been contentious. We aimed to characterise the state of medical demographic reporting in greater detail, especially regarding geography and specific terms used in articles.

Methods

Original articles were included from issues of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), JAMA, The Lancet, and the American Journal of Epidemiology (AJE) published from 1 January to 31 December 2020 (n = 640). Articles without human participants, case reports, or with only aggregate data were excluded, leaving 594 art

SUBMITTER: Lynn-Green EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10027500 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature