Gender inequity: an issue for quality assessment researchers and managers.

This article explores the question of whether the issue of gender inequity can and should be included in the different models of quality assessment gaining ground internationally. The discussion is divided into three parts: reflections on some of the conceptual issues that justify research on gender equity in health services; a brief review of the literature that provides empirical data in this area; and comments on the challenges faced by researchers in this field, and possible ways to incorporate gender indicators into quality assessment research and management.