J Vasc Surg. 2022 Nov 08. pii: S0741-5214(22)02473-9. [Epub ahead of print]
OBJECTIVES: Women and minorities remain underrepresented in academic vascular surgery. This underrepresentation persists in the editorial peer review process which may contribute to publication bias. In 2020, the Journal of Vascular Surgery (JVS) addressed this by diversifying the editorial board and creating a new Editor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The impact of a DEI editor on modifying the output of JVS has not yet been examined. We sought to determine the measurable impact of a DEI editor on diversifying perspectives represented in the journal, and on contributing to changes in the presence of DEI subject matter across published journal content.
METHODS: Authorship and content of published primary research manuscripts, editorials, and special articles in JVS were examined from November 2019 through July 2022. Publications were examined for the year prior to initiation of the DEI Editor ('pre'), the year following, ('post'), and from September 2021 to July 2022, accounting for the average 47-week time period from submission to publication in JVS ('lag'). Presence of DEI topics and women authorship were compared using Chi-squared tests.
RESULTS: During the period examined, the number of editorials, guidelines, and other special articles dedicated to DEI topics in the vascular surgery workforce or patient population increased from 0 in the year prior to 4 (16.7%) in the 11-month lag period. The number of editorials, guidelines, and other special articles with women as first or senior authors nearly doubled (24% pre, 44.4% lag, p=0.31). Invited commentaries and discussions were increasingly written by women as the study period progressed (18.7% pre, 25.9% post, 42.6% lag, p=0.007). The number of primary research manuscripts dedicated to DEI topics increased (5.6% pre, 3.3% post, 8.1% lag, p=0.007). Primary research manuscripts written on DEI topics were more likely to have women first or senior authors than non-DEI specific primary research manuscripts (68.0% of all DEI vs 37.5% of a random sampling of non-DEI primary research manuscripts, p<0.001). The proportion of distinguished peer reviewers increased (2.8% in 2020 to 21.9% in 2021, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: The addition of a DEI Editor to JVS significantly impacted the diversification of topics, authorship of editorials, special articles, and invited commentaries, and peer review participation. Ongoing efforts are needed to diversify subject matter and perspective in the vascular surgery literature and reduce publication bias.
Keywords: Diversity; Equity; Health Disparities; Inclusion; Peer Review; Publication Bias