Systematic review and bibliometric analysis of studies on care and gender. The effect of the pandemic

This study systematically reviews the academic literature on unpaid care work during and after COVID-19, emphasizing gender dimensions. Using Web of Science (WOS) and SCOPUS, it analyzes 75 empirical articles published between 2020 and 2024 in English and Spanish. The selection focused on studies ad...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Domínguez Amorós, Màrius, Aparicio Chueca, Ma. del Pilar (María del Pilar), Maestro Yarza, Irene
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/221451
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/221451
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Ressenyes sistemàtiques (Investigació mèdica)
Estudis de gènere
Bibliometria
Pandèmia de COVID-19, 2020-
Systematic reviews (Medical research)
Gender studies
Bibliometrics
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-
Descripción
Sumario:This study systematically reviews the academic literature on unpaid care work during and after COVID-19, emphasizing gender dimensions. Using Web of Science (WOS) and SCOPUS, it analyzes 75 empirical articles published between 2020 and 2024 in English and Spanish. The selection focused on studies addressing unpaid care from multiple perspectives, particularly family dynamics. Quantitative analysis examined frequencies and percentages, while qualitative analysis explored content depth. Results reveal a dominant biomedical perspective on care, often neglecting emotional well-being and broader socioeconomic impacts. The present study also identifies a lack of critical reflection on care’s gendered nature and unequal caregiving responsibilities. Women, historically burdened with care duties, faced increased domestic demands during the pandemic, due to school closures and limited services, exacerbating gender inequality and reducing workforce participation. A bibliometric analysis of research on COVID-19, gender, and social care highlights limited collaboration, with studies fragmented across research groups and lacking international co-authorship. This study calls for governmental and international initiatives to foster cross-border collaboration, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of care that integrates emotional and socioeconomic aspects alongside health concerns. This would promote a more inclusive and reflective approach to unpaid caregiving research.