This report outlines the insights, potential lessons learned and ideas for ways forward for the pharmacy profession regarding the gender pain gap. The issues were discussed at the FIP insight board on the gender pain gap organised at the FIP Congress 2022 in Seville, Spain. The insight board collected views from experts on the following topics:
• Pharmacists’ awareness of gender inequalities in pain research;
• Pharmacists’ awareness of gender gaps in treatment offers for pain management;
• Pharmacists and unconscious bias towards women in pain management;
• Knowledge, attitudes and practices that pharmacists have to close the gender pain gap; and
• How pharmacists can be supported with, for example, training, tools to address gender inequalities in pain management, closing the gender pain gap and achieving behavioural change towards women. The participants considered various issues and questions during the meeting:
• Identifying pain symptoms and the influence of gender in pain management;
• Pharmacists’ knowledge and training status on unconscious bias towards women in pain management;
• Knowledge, attitudes and practices that pharmacists have and can develop further to close the gender pain gap; and
• How to support pharmacists to address gender inequalities in acute pain management, close the gender pain gap and change approaches towards pain in women.
The literature was evaluated beforehand and key available research findings were extrapolated. Then, discussions were focused on the areas above, recorded and reported in this document. Insights from the participants and any quotes published in this report remain anonymous and non-attributable.
The role of pharmacists in closing the gender pain gap: Report from an international insight board
