Estimating Implicit and Explicit Gender Leadership Bias among Primary Healthcare Professionals in Saudi Arabia

Fahad Alzahrani, Khalid Al-Mansour (), Ghadah Alarifi, Saad Alyahya (), Nasser AlMehaizie and Hanaa Almoaibed
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Fahad Alzahrani: Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia
Khalid Al-Mansour: Department of Studies and Research, King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, Riyadh 13312, Saudi Arabia
Ghadah Alarifi: College of Business Administration, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
Saad Alyahya: Riyadh Third Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Riyadh 11622, Saudi Arabia
Nasser AlMehaizie: Department of Studies and Research, King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, Riyadh 13312, Saudi Arabia
Hanaa Almoaibed: King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Riyadh 12212, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: (1) Background: Women have become more influential and powerful; however, implicit bias continues to plague organizations when it comes to women in leadership positions. This study examines the implicit and explicit biases that favor men as leaders among Saudi Arabian primary healthcare professionals. (2) Methods: A secure, web-based survey was administered to primary healthcare professionals. The survey included questions about leadership as well as an Implicit Association Test (IAT) for implicit gender bias. (3) Results: Out of 690 eligible, 448 respondents completed the survey, representing a response rate of 65%. Male residents had a mean IAT score of 0.27 (SD 0.31) and females 0.12 (SD 0.29), both favoring males in leadership roles, and the difference was statistically significant. There was a significant association between gender and gender IAT. In the explicit bias, gender, education, gender of the current manager, and being manager were associated with the gender explicit bias. Explicit bias favoring males in leadership roles was associated with increased implicit bias favoring males in leadership roles. (4) Conclusions: This study found that explicit and implicit gender bias is present among primary healthcare professionals favoring men in leadership positions held by both men and women.

Keywords: implicit; gender bias; implicit association test; women leaders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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