IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v10y2021i2p43-d487999.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Gender Matters: A Gender Analysis of Healthcare Workers’ Experiences during the First COVID-19 Pandemic Peak in England

Author

Listed:
  • Nina Regenold

    (Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW, UK)

  • Cecilia Vindrola-Padros

    (Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, Charles Bell House 43-45 Foley Street, London W1W 7TY, UK)

Abstract

The coronavirus (COVID-19) arrived in the United Kingdom (UK) in February 2020, placing an unprecedented burden on the National Health Service (NHS). Literature from past epidemics and the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of using a gender lens when considering policy, experiences, and impacts of the disease. Researchers are increasingly examining the experiences of healthcare workers (HCWs), yet there is a dearth of research considering how gender shapes HCWs’ personal experiences. As the majority of HCWs in the UK and worldwide are women, research that investigates gender and focuses on women’s experiences is urgently needed. We conducted an analysis of 41 qualitative interviews with HCWs in the British NHS during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring of 2020. Our findings demonstrate that gender is significant when understanding the experiences of HCWs during COVID-19 as it illuminates ingrained inequalities and asymmetrical power relations, gendered organizational structures and norms, and individual gendered bodies that interact to shape experiences of healthcare workers. These findings point to important steps to improve gender equality, the wellbeing of healthcare workers, and the overall strength of the NHS.

Suggested Citation

  • Nina Regenold & Cecilia Vindrola-Padros, 2021. "Gender Matters: A Gender Analysis of Healthcare Workers’ Experiences during the First COVID-19 Pandemic Peak in England," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-22, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:10:y:2021:i:2:p:43-:d:487999
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/2/43/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/2/43/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sophie Hennekam & Jawad Syed & Faiza Ali & Jean‐Pierre Dumazert, 2019. "A multilevel perspective of the identity transition to motherhood," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(7), pages 915-933, July.
    2. Sophie Harman, 2016. "Ebola, gender and conspicuously invisible women in global health governance," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 524-541, March.
    3. Connell, Raewyn, 2012. "Gender, health and theory: Conceptualizing the issue, in local and world perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(11), pages 1675-1683.
    4. Sophie Hennekam & Jawad Syed & Faiza Ali & Jean-Pierre Dumazert, 2019. "A multilevel perspective of the identity transition to motherhood," Post-Print hal-03232775, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Elena Andina-Díaz & María Isabel Ventura-Miranda & Enedina Quiroga-Sánchez & Ángela María Ortega-Galán & Isabel María Fernández-Medina & María Dolores Ruiz-Fernández, 2023. "Nursing Students’ Perception about Gender Inequalities Presented on Social Networks: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-11, January.
    2. Enedina Quiroga-Sánchez & Natalia Calvo-Ayuso & Cristina Liébana-Presa & Bibiana Trevissón-Redondo & Pilar Marqués-Sánchez & Natalia Arias-Ramos, 2023. "Life Habits of Healthcare Professionals during the Third Wave of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Spanish Hospital," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Neely, Eva, 2023. "Theorising mother-baby-assemblages: The vital emergence of maternal health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    2. Suttida Sangpoom & Femi Adesina & Chuthamat Kaewchandee & Kannika Sikanna & Natchima Noppapak & Sarunya Maneerattanasak & Shamarina Shohaimi & Charuai Suwanbamrung, 2023. "Levels and Predictors of Proactive Practical Experience to Solve COVID-19 among Public Health Officers in Primary Care Units in the Upper Southern Region, Thailand: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Approa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Gummerus, Johanna & O'Loughlin, Deirdre & Kelleher, Carol & Peñaloza, Lisa, 2021. "Shifting sands: Actor role and identity reconfigurations in service systems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 162-169.
    4. Eloisio Moulin de Souza, 2022. "Can Mothers Be Heroes? Maternity and Maternal Body Work in Military Firefighters," RAC - Revista de Administração Contemporânea (Journal of Contemporary Administration), ANPAD - Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Administração, vol. 26(sup2022), pages 210193-2101.
    5. Raquel Sánchez-Recio & Cristina García-Ael & Gabriela Topa, 2021. "Influence of Gender Determinants on Informal Care and Health Service Utilization in Spain: Ten Years after the Approval of the Equality Law," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Michael A. Stawnychy & Ercole Vellone & Valentina Zeffiro & Anne M. Teitelman & Maddalena De Maria & Barbara Riegel, 2023. "Dyad Gender and Relationship Quality Influence Heart Failure Self-Care," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 32(1), pages 29-39, January.
    7. Cristina Mocanu, 2020. "A Glimpse on Gender Inequality in Paid and Unpaid Works During Pandemic Times," Postmodern Openings, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 11(2), pages 105-112, July.
    8. Aleksanyan, Yeva & Weinman, Jason P., 2022. "Women, men and COVID-19," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    9. Richards, Esther & Theobald, Sally & George, Asha & Kim, Julia C. & Rudert, Christiane & Jehan, Kate & Tolhurst, Rachel, 2013. "Going beyond the surface: Gendered intra-household bargaining as a social determinant of child health and nutrition in low and middle income countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 24-33.
    10. Carmen de Paz & Miriam Muller & Ana Maria Munoz Boudet & Isis Gaddis, 2020. "Gender Dimensions of the COVID-19 Pandemic," World Bank Publications - Reports 33622, The World Bank Group.
    11. Phyllis Dako-Gyeke & Adolphina Addoley Addo-Lartey & Deda Ogum Alangea & Yandisa Sikweyiya & Esnat Dorothy Chirwa & Dorcas Coker-Appiah & Rachel Jewkes & Richard Mawuena Kofi Adanu, 2019. "'Small small quarrels bring about happiness or love in the relationships’: Exploring community perceptions and gendered norms contributing to male perpetrated intimate partner violence in the Central ," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-22, November.
    12. Emma Brulin & Sofie Bjärntoft & Gunnar Bergström & David M. Hallman, 2023. "Gendered Associations of Flexible Work Arrangement and Perceived Flexibility with Work–Life Interference: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Analysis on Office Workers in Sweden," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 571-588, June.
    13. Reczek, Corinne, 2012. "The promotion of unhealthy habits in gay, lesbian, and straight intimate partnerships," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(6), pages 1114-1121.
    14. Sevgi Çoban, 2022. "Gender and telework: Work and family experiences of teleworking professional, middle‐class, married women with children during the Covid‐19 pandemic in Turkey," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 241-255, January.
    15. Yosra AleAhmad, 2023. "We are both women and Kurd: An intersectional analysis of female Kolbars challenges in Iranian Kurdistan amid the COVID crisis," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 1104-1123, May.
    16. Miguel Roselló-Peñaloza & Lukas Julio & Izaskun Álvarez-Aguado & Maryam Farhang, 2024. "Abuse in Chilean Trans and Non-Binary Health Care: Results from a Nationwide Survey," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, April.
    17. Wenham, Clare & Abagaro, Camila & Arévalo, Amaral & Coast, Ernestina & Corrêa, Sonia & Cuéllar, Katherine & Leone, Tiziana & Valongueiro, Sandra, 2021. "Analysing the intersection between health emergencies and abortion during Zika in Brazil, El Salvador and Colombia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    18. Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky & Mariana Rulli, 2021. "Bretton Woods’ Pandemic Policies: A Gender Equality Analysis—Perspectives from Latin America," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 64(1), pages 97-106, June.
    19. Katharine J McCarthy & Ruchi Mehta & Nicole A Haberland, 2018. "Gender, power, and violence: A systematic review of measures and their association with male perpetration of IPV," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-27, November.
    20. Yamin, Alicia Ely & Bazile, Junior & Knight, Lucia & Molla, Mitike & Maistrellis, Emily & Leaning, Jennifer, 2015. "Tracing shadows: How gendered power relations shape the impacts of maternal death on living children in sub Saharan Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 143-150.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:10:y:2021:i:2:p:43-:d:487999. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.