Determinants of hospitalization among Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

The adequate treatment of pain is a fundamental component of medical ethics and, particularly in emergency medical practice and represents one of the primary therapeutic goals []. Sex- and gender-specific differences in medical care have become an increasingly recognized topic in health research. Especially in pain management, studies have shown that women and men not only experience pain differently, but are being offered diverse treatment [–]. A recent study, addressing the frequency and intensity of pain therapy in emergency departments, revealed that pain in women was treated less frequently and less intensively []. In prehospital emergency medicine, where clinical assessment and decision making are to be made under pressure and in a time sparing manner, gender-based differences could unintentionally lead to disparities in care [, ]. However, there is a lack of systematic investigations into whether, and to what extent, a patient’s and an emergency physician’s gender influences pain management [, ]. The term “gender pain gap” originates from public health research and refers to differences in healthcare provision between men and women with chronic pain. These disparities are not limited to Germany, but have been observed across much of Europe in varying forms [, ]. Whether these differences can be extrapolated to the treatment of acute pain in emergencies remains uncertain and is the subject of this study. The objective of the study is to systematically capture and analyze gender-specific difference in prehospital pain management by emergency physicians across various medical and trauma-related conditions. This study will examine whether male and female patients receive different care in terms of the implementation and intensity of pain treatment during emergency deployments.