Intersectionality and Faculty Compensation in Academic Radiology in U.S.

BACKGROUND: The impact of intersectionality on academic radiology physician compensation is not well known. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess impact of intersectionality on academic radiology financial compensation, based on rank, gender and race/ethnicity in US medical schools. METHODS: Data were collected from the AAMC Faculty Salary Survey, which collects information for full-time faculty at U.S. medical schools. Financial compensation data for radiology faculty with MD or equivalent degree in diagnostic radiology (DR) as well as interventional radiology (IR) was collected for 2023, stratified by rank, gender, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: The AAMC Faculty Salary Survey data for 2023 included responses for 683 IR (138 women, 545 men) and 2431 DR (862 women, 1569 men) faculty. Men had a higher median compensation than women at all ranks, for both IR and DR, except DR instructors. The gender pay gap was greater in IR faculty compared to DR faculty of the same rank. All intersectional groups among IR faculty reported a lower median compensation compared to White men of the same rank. All intersectional groups among DR faculty, except Asian Men, had a lower median compensation than White men of the same rank. Among IR faculty, Asian women assistant professors faced the greatest disparity in median compensation, down to $75 K (15%) lower than White men. Among DR faculty, Black/African American women assistant professors faced the greatest disparity on median compensation, down to $48 K (10.5%) lower than White men. CONCLUSION: The study results raise important concerns about impact of intersectionality on faculty compensation in radiology which needs further study and should be addressed as part of broader drive to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic radiology.

Salary Equity in Academic Radiology Relative to Other Clinical Specialties.

BACKGROUND: Equity in faculty compensation in U.S. academic radiology physicians relative to other specialties is not well known. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess salary equity in U.S. academic radiology physicians at different ranks relative to other clinical specialties. METHODS: The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Salary Survey was used to collect information for full-time faculty at U.S. medical schools. Financial compensation data were collected for 2023 for faculty with MD or equivalent degree in medical specialties, stratified by gender and rank. RESULTS: The AAMC Faculty Salary Survey data for 2023 included responses for 97,224 faculty members in clinical specialties, with 5847 faculty members in Radiology departments. In radiology, compared to men (n = 3839), the women faculty members (n = 1763) had a lower median faculty compensation by 6% at the rank of Assistant Professor, 3% for Associate Professors, 4% for Professors and 6% for Section Chief positions. Surgery had the highest difference in median compensation with 21%, 24%, 22% and 19% lower faculty compensation, respectively, for women faculty members at corresponding ranks. Pathology had the lowest percent difference (<1%) in median compensation for all professor ranks. Salary inequity in radiology was lower compared to most other specialties. From assistant to full professors, all other clinical specialties except Pathology and Psychiatry, had a greater salary inequity than Radiology. CONCLUSION: The salary inequity in academic radiology faculty is lower than most other specialties. Further efforts should be made to reduce salary inequities as broader efforts to provide a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment. SUMMARY STATEMENT: Salary inequity in academic radiology faculty is lower than most other specialties.

Financial Conflicts of Interest Among Physician Authors of ACR Appropriateness Criteria.

BACKGROUND: The accuracy and completeness of self-disclosures by authors of imaging guidelines are not well known. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of financial disclosures by US authors of ACR appropriateness criteria. METHODS: We reviewed financial disclosures provided by US-based authors of all ACR-AC published in 2019, 2021 and 2023. For each US- based author, payment reports were extracted from the Open Payments Database (OPD) in the previous 36 months related to general category and research payments categories. We analyzed each author individually to determine if the reported disclosures matched results from OPD. RESULTS: A total of 633 authorships, including 333 unique authors were included from 38 ACR AC articles in 2019, with 606 authorships (387 unique authors) from 35 ACR-AC articles published in 2021, and 540 authorships (367 unique authors) from 32 ACR AC articles published in 2023. Among authors who received industry payments, failure to disclose any financial relationship was seen in 125/147 unique authors in 2019, 142/148 authors in 2021 and 95/125 unique authors in 2023. The proportion of nondisclosed total value of payments was 86.1% in 2019, 88.6% in 2021 and 56.7% in 2023. General category payments were nondisclosed in 94.1% in 2019, 89.7% in 2021 and 94.4% in 2023 by payment value. CONCLUSION: Industry payments to authors of radiology guidelines are common and frequently undisclosed.

Accuracy of Financial Disclosures in Radiology Journals.

PURPOSE: The accuracy and completeness of self-disclosures of the value of industry payments by authors publishing in radiology journals are not well known. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of financial disclosures by US authors in five prominent radiology journals. METHODS: Financial disclosures provided by US-based authors in five prominent radiology journals from original research and review articles published in 2021 were reviewed. For each author, payment reports were extracted from the Open Payments Database (OPD) in the previous 36 months related to general, research, and ownership payments. Each author was analyzed individually to determine if the reported disclosures matched results from the OPD. RESULTS: A total of 4,076 authorships, including 3,406 unique authors, were selected from 643 articles across the five journals; 1,388 (1,032 unique authors) received industry payments within the previous 36 months, with a median total amount received per authorship of $6,650 (interquartile range, $355-$87,725). Sixty-one authors (4.4%) disclosed all industry relationships, 205 (14.8%) disclosed some of the OPD-reported relationships, and 1,122 (80.8%) failed to disclose any relationships. Undisclosed payments totaled $186,578,350, representing 67.2% of all payments. Radiology had the highest proportion of authorships disclosing some or all OPD-reported relationships (32.3%), compared with the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (18.2%), the American Journal of Neuroradiology (17.3%), JACR (13.1%), and the American Journal of Roentgenology (10.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Financial relationships with industry are common among US physician authors in prominent radiology journals, and nondisclosure rates are high.

Depression, sleep, body image, and lifestyle: Prevalence and associated factors of depression among school-going adolescents in Delhi National Capital Region.

Background: Adolescents are known to be vulnerable to depression, which worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also exhibit poor sleep quality and body image issues (BIIs) which are considered risk factors for depression. There is a paucity of Indian studies regarding adolescent depression and its correlation with lifestyle. Aims: To detect the prevalence of depression in adolescents, and understand its association with sociodemographic variables, sleep quality, BIIs, and lifestyle factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 392 adolescents attending classes 8th-12th in two schools in Delhi National Capital Region. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic and lifestyle data. Depression anxiety stress scale-21 was used to detect depression. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Stunkard Figure Rating Scale were used to evaluate sleep quality and BIIs. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version-25. Results: Depression was present in 40.3% of students. It was more common in girls, older students, students in higher classes, who lacked siblings and whose mothers were engaged in professions as well as those with BIIs. However, after multivariate analysis, the association of depression with poor sleep quality, meal skipping, lack of exercise, family history of mental illness, and inverse association with open discussion of one's thoughts and worries with family remained significant. Conclusions: Depression is common among adolescents and shows associations with poor sleep quality and lifestyle choices. Awareness of these associations may enable better screening and early intervention for vulnerable adolescents.