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Previous research suggests that underrepresentation in medical curricula perpetuates inequities in healthcare. This study aimed to quantify the prevalence of human phenotypic diversity (e.g., skin tone, sex, body size, and age) across 11 commonly used anatomy atlases and textbooks in pre‐clerkship medical education, published from 2015 to 2020. A systematic visual content analysis was conducted on 5001 images in which at least one phenotypic attribute was quantifiable. Anatomy images most prevalently portrayed light skin tones, males, persons with intermediate body sizes, and young to middle‐aged adults. Of the 3883 images in which there was a codable skin tone, 81.2% (n = 3154) depicted light, 14.3% (n = 554) depicted intermediate, and 4.5% (n = 175) depicted dark skin tones. Of the 2384 images that could be categorized into a sex binary, 38.4% (n = 915) depicted females and 61.6% (n = 1469) depicted males. A male bias persisted across all whole‐body and regional‐body images, including those showing sex organs or those showing characteristics commonly associated with a specific sex (e.g. for males, facial hair and/or muscle hypertrophy). Within sex‐specific contexts, darker skin was underrepresented, but male depictions displayed greater overall skin tone variation. Although most images could not be assigned to a body size or age category, when codable, these images overwhelmingly depicted adults (85.0%; 482 of 567) with smaller (34.7%; 93 of 268) or intermediate (64.6%; 173 of 268) body sizes. Ultimately, these outcomes provide reference metrics for monitoring ongoing and future efforts to address representation inequalities portrayed in anatomical imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth in the online survey market may be increasing response burden and possibly jeopardizing higher response rates. This meta‐analysis evaluated survey trends over one decade (2011–2020) to determine: (1) changes in survey publication rates over time, (2) changes in response rates over time, (3) typical response rates within health sciences education research, (4) the factors influencing survey completion levels, and (5) common gaps in survey methods and outcomes reporting. Study I estimated survey publication trends between 2011 and 2020 using articles published in the top three health sciences education research journals. Study II searched the anatomical sciences education literature across six databases and extracted study/survey features and survey response rates. Time plots and a proportional meta‐analysis were performed. Per 2926 research articles, the annual estimated proportion of studies with survey methodologies has remained constant, with no linear trend (p > 0.050) over time (Study I). Study II reported a pooled absolute response rate of 67% (95% CI = 63.9–69.0) across 360 studies (k), totaling 115,526 distributed surveys. Despite response rate oscillations over time, no significant linear trend (p = 0.995) was detected. Neither survey length, incentives, sponsorship, nor population type affected absolute response rates (p ≥ 0.070). Only 35% (120 of 339) of studies utilizing a Likert scale reported evidence of survey validity. Survey response rates and the prevalence of studies with survey methodologies have remained stable with no linear trends over time. We recommend researchers strive for a typical absolute response rate of 67% or higher and clearly document evidence of survey validity for empirical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is considerable variation in the gross morphology and tissue properties among the bones of human infants, children, adolescents, and adults. Using 18 known‐age individuals (nfemale = 8, nmale = 9, nunknown = 1; birth to 21 years old), from a well‐documented cemetery collection, Spitalfields Christ Church, London, UK, this study explores growth‐related changes in cortical and trabecular bone microstructure. Micro‐CT scans of mid‐shaft middle thoracic ribs are used for quantitative analysis. Results are then compared to previously quantified conventional histomorphometry of the same sample. Total area (Tt.Ar), cortical area (Ct.Ar), cortical thickness (Ct.Th), and the major (Maj.Dm) and minor (Min.Dm) diameters of the rib demonstrate positive correlations with age. Pore density (Po.Dn) increases, but age‐related changes to cortical porosity (Ct.Po) appear to be non‐linear. Trabecular thickness (Tb.th) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) increase with age, whereas trabecular bone pattern factor (Tb.Pf), structural model index (SMI), and connectivity density (Conn.D) decrease with age. Sex‐based differences were not identified for any of the variables included in this study. Some samples display clear evidence of diagenetic alteration without corresponding changes in radiopacity, which compromises the reliability of bone mineral density (BMD) data in the study of past populations. Cortical porosity data are not correlated with two‐dimensional measures of osteon population density (OPD). This suggests that unfilled resorption spaces contribute more significantly to cortical porosity than do the Haversian canals of secondary osteons. Continued research using complementary imaging techniques and a wide array of histological variables will increase our understanding of age‐ and sex‐specific ontogenetic patterns within and among human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objectives Normal human bone tissue changes predictably as adults get older, but substantial variability in pattern and pace remains unexplained. Information is needed regarding the characteristics of histological variables across diverse human populations. Methods Undecalcified thin sections from mid-thoracic ribs of 213 skeletons (138 M, 75 F, 17-82 years, mean age 48 years), are used to explore the efficacy of an established age-at-death estimation method and methodological approach (Cho et al.: J Forensic Sci 47 (2002) 12-18) and expand on it. The ribs are an age-balanced sample taken from skeletonized cadavers collected from 1967 to 1999 in South Africa, each with recorded sex, age, cause of death and government-defined population group (129 'Colored,' 49 'Black,' 35 'White'). Results The Ethnicity Unknown equation performs better than those developed for European-Americans and African-Americans, in terms of accuracy and bias. A new equation based solely on the study sample does not improve accuracy. Osteon population densities (OPD) show predicted values, yet secondary osteon areas (On.Ar) are smaller than expected for non-Black subgroups. Relative cortical area (Ct.Ar/Tt.Ar) is low among non-Whites. Conclusions Results from this highly diverse sample show that population-specific equations do not increase estimate precision. While within the published range of error for the method (±24.44 years), results demonstrate a systematic under-aging of young adults and over-aging of older adults. The regression approach is inappropriate. The field needs fresh approaches to statistical treatment and to factors behind cortical bone remodeling. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:137-147, 2016. © 2016 The Authors American Journal of Physical Anthropology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]