Abstract
Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Dec;21 Suppl 4:e106659. doi: 10.1002/alz70858_106659.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: As a leading cause of death worldwide, research into dementia-related diseases is crucial. Women represent two-thirds of people with dementia, yet women are underrepresented in dementia research leadership. To explore this, our gender-stratified study of dementia researchers investigated their motivations, role satisfaction, and perceived barriers to career progression and retention.
METHOD: Our global survey targeted early career dementia researchers (ECDRs) through social media and email lists. Multi-choice questions were used, often with an 'Other' write-in option. Descriptive statistics were compared using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate. For gender comparisons, women and men were included, given the low sample size of other genders.
RESULT: Three-hundred-and-nine respondents included undergraduates to full professors: 68% women, 30% men, and 1% genderqueer, non-binary, or self-described. Half of respondents were considering leaving dementia research, particularly women (57% vs. 46% of men, p = 0.07) and ECDRs (40% of undergraduates, 61% postgraduates, 63% postdocs, 30% assistant professors, 21% full professors, p = 0.009). One in five women, but no men, reported their gender as one of the most significant barriers to their career progression. Job availability/security and work-life balance were also considered career barriers by more women than men (70% vs. 47%, p <0.001; 62% vs. 49%, p = 0.034). Similarly, more women than men selected job security as one of the biggest challenges for ECDRs to stay in dementia research (90% vs. 79%, p = 0.04), whilst men more frequently cited the need for international experience (47% vs. 30%, p = 0.02). Eight female respondents had left academic dementia research, commonly because they could not find a job or funding. To return, they stated they would need longer contracts, funding opportunities and higher salaries.
CONCLUSION: The high proportion of ECDRs considering leaving threatens dementia research progress. Women are more likely than men to consider leaving; with more female than male dementia researchers claiming their career progress and retention is disadvantaged by insufficient job availability, security, funding and work-life balance. Targeted efforts to lessen these barriers will be essential for equitable representation and enhanced dementia research outcomes.
PMID:41452649 | DOI:10.1002/alz70858_106659