Gender differences in scientific publications

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the representation of women in the German-speaking scientific publication landscape of otorhinolaryngology. Methods Authorship was analyzed based on articles published between 2013 and 2023 in the two largest otorhinolaryngology journals (Laryngorhinootologie, HNO) to determine the frequency and percentage of gender distribution among first and last authorships. Results A total of 2,631 articles were examined. Women were first authors in 699 articles (26.6%) and last authors in 384 articles (14.6%). Clear trends indicating an increase in the proportion of women were observed: First-author publications rose from 19.9% to 34.5% over the analyzed 10-year period, while last-author publications increased from 9.4% to 19.0%. Conclusion The proportion of women publishing as first or last authors in otorhinolaryngology is rising but remains low. Efforts to promote gender diversity could further increase the proportion of women among the authors in otorhinolaryngology literature.