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How to integrate sex and gender into research

The following tools are available to help researchers:

Distinguish between and define sex and gender in health research;

Identify sex and gender differences in the mechanism, disease or treatment under study;

Identify methods for integrating sex and gender variables in health research contexts; and

Assess a research protocol or publication based on the integration or omission of sex and/or gender.

Definitions

Sex

Sex

refers to a set of biological attributes in humans and animals. It is primarily associated with physical and physiological features including chromosomes, gene expression, hormone levels and function, and reproductive/sexual anatomy. Sex is usually categorized as female or male but there is variation in the biological attributes that comprise sex and how those attributes are expressed.

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.

Gender

Gender

refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender diverse people. It influences how people perceive themselves and each other, how they act and interact, and the distribution of power and resources in society. Gender is usually conceptualized as a binary (girl/woman and boy/man) yet there is considerable diversity in how individuals and groups understand, experience, and express it.

Download Sex and Gender Infographic

.

Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA)

Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA)

is an approach that systematically examines sex-based (biological) and gender-based (socio-cultural) differences between men, women, boys, girls and gender-diverse people. The purpose of SGBA is to promote rigorous science that considers sex and gender and therefore has the potential to expand our understanding of health determinants for all people. SGBA is meant to be applied within the context of a diversity framework that considers the ways in which determinants such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, migration status, age and geography interact with sex and/or gender to contribute to exposures to various risk factors, disease courses and outcomes. Applying SGBA brings these considerations into focus and can help formulate health research, policies and programs that are relevant to the diversity of the Canadian population.

Below are some guidelines, tools and resources to help researchers and reviewers better account for sex and gender in health research. CIHR expects that all research applicants will integrate sex and gender into their research designs, methods and analyses and interpretation and/or dissemination of findings when appropriate.

Whether you are an applicant or a peer reviewer, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the training resources available to help you perform your important work. A series of FAQs will be available soon.

<h2>Applicants</h2> <p class="mrgn-tp-lg"><strong>To continue to support applicants' efforts</strong> to learn more about how and why to consider sex and gender in their research, the following tools, which are available on our website: </p> <ul class="lst-spcd"> <li><a href="48642.html">What is Gender? What is Sex?</a></li> <li><a href="49347.html">Online training modules</a>: <ul> <li>Sex and Gender in Biomedical Research </li> <li>Sex and Gender in Primary Data Collection with Humans</li> <li>Sex and Gender in the Analysis of Data from Human Participants</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="50835.html">Criteria for the appropriate integration of sex and gender in research</a> <span class="badge">New<span class="wb-inv"> New</span></span></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5073798/">How to study the impact of sex and gender in medical research: a review of resources</a></li> <li><a href="https://researchintegrityjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41073-016-0007-6">Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) Guidelines (European Association of Science Editors)</a></li> <li><a href="49957.html">Checklist for Integrating Sex and Gender in Biomedical Research</a></li> <li><a href="49958.html">Checklist for Integrating Sex and Gender in Research with Human Participants</a></li> <li><a href="49347.html"><em>Other learning resources</em></a> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/applications-submissions/guidance-documents/clinical-trials/considerations-inclusion-women-clinical-trials-analysis-data-sex-differences.html">Considerations for Inclusion of Women in Clinical Trials and Analysis of Sex Differences(Health Canada)</a></li> <li><a href="49933.html">Sex, Gender and Knowledge Translation</a></li> <li><a href="http://nccdh.ca/resources/entry/rising-to-the-challenge">Rising to the Challenge: Sex- and gender-based analysis for health planning, policy and research in Canada</a></li> <li><a href="49932.html">The Ethical Imperative of Sex and Gender Considerations in Health Research</a></li> <li><a href="49335.html">Sex/Gender-Responsive Assessment Scale for Health Research</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul>

Applicants

All Applicants

To continue to support applicants' efforts

to learn more about how and why to consider sex and gender in their research, the following tools are available:

What is Gender? What is Sex?

Online training modules

:

Sex and Gender in Biomedical Research

Sex and Gender in Primary Data Collection with Human Participants

Sex and Gender in the Analysis of Secondary Data from Human Participants

Video: Assessing Sex and Gender in Peer Review

Video: Learning about Sex and Gender

Video: Shaping science for a healthier world

Webinar: Accounting for Sex and Gender in Research with Cells or Animals

Webcast: The X Factor: Accounting for Sex in Biomedical Research

Why Do We Need an Institute of Gender and Health?

Key considerations for the appropriate integration of sex and gender in research

Better science with sex and gender: Facilitating the use of a sex and gender-based analysis in health research

How to study the impact of sex and gender in medical research: a review of resources

Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) Guidelines (European Association of Science Editors)

ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) Guidelines (NCR3)

Reviewer Guidance to Evaluate Sex as a Biological Variable (U.S. National Institutes of Health)

Strategies and methods to study sex differences in cardiovascular structure and function: a guide for basic scientists

Other learning resources

Sex and Gender Champions

Considerations for Inclusion of Women in Clinical Trials and Analysis of Sex Differences(Health Canada)

Sex, Gender and Knowledge Translation

Rising to the Challenge: Sex- and gender-based analysis for health planning, policy and research in Canada

The Ethical Imperative of Sex and Gender Considerations in Health Research

Sex/Gender-Responsive Assessment Scale for Health Research

Biomedical

Guidance documents

Studying both sexes: a guiding principle for biomedicine

(U.S. National Institutes of Health)

ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) Guidelines [ PDF (36 KB) - external link ]

(NCR3)

Rigor and Reproducibility in Grant Applications

(U.S. National Institutes of Health)

Considering sex as a biological variable in preclinical research

(U.S. National Institutes of Health)

Sexing 101 (sexing rats and mice)

(American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association)

GISTeR Cell Database

Key articles and reports

Female mice liberated for inclusion in neuroscience and biomedical research

Female rats are not more variable than male rats: a meta-analysis of neuroscience studies

Perspective: Equality need not be painful

Sex bias in neuroscience and biomedical research

SeXX matters in immunity

Do you know the sex of your cells? Table of the most commonly used cell lines appearing in AJP-Cell Physiology

Sex Matters for Mechanism

The role of sex in the genomics of human complex traits

Clinical

Guidance documents

Reporting Sex, Gender, or Both in Clinical Research?

Considerations and guidance in designing equity-relevant clinical trials

When is a randomised controlled trial health equity relevant? Development and validation of a conceptual framework

Gender Sensitive Aspects of 21st Century Health Care (for health care professionals and the public) (Gender in coronary artery disease in Europe)

(GenCAD)

Considerations for Inclusion of Women in Clinical Trials and Analysis of Sex Differences

(Health Canada)

Key articles and reports

Essential metrics for assessing sex & gender integration in health research proposals involving human participants

Sex as a Biological Variable in Emergency Medicine Research and Clinical Practice: A Brief Narrative Review

Sex and gender considerations in Canadian clinical practice guidelines: a systematic review

Sex and gender influence on pharmacological response: an overview

Sex Versus Gender-Related Characteristics: Which Predicts Outcome After Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Young?

Older men with dementia are at greater risk than women of serious events after initiating antipsychotic therapy

Gender role affects experimental pain responses: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Sex differences in pain: A brief review of clinical and experimental findings

Health Systems and Services

Guidance documents

Measuring gender when you don't have a gender measure: constructing a gender index using survey data

Essential metrics for assessing sex & gender integration in health research proposals involving human participants

Gender Sensitive Aspects of 21st Century Health Care (for health care professionals and the public) (Gender in coronary artery disease in Europe)

(GenCAD)

Key articles and reports

How to do (or not to do)…gender analysis in health systems research

Why sex and gender matter in implementation research

Rising to the Challenge: Sex- and gender-based analysis for health planning, policy and research in Canada

How can gender equality be addressed through health systems? [ PDF (327 KB) - external link ]

Ten arguments for why gender should be a central focus for universal health coverage advocates

Does a change in health research funding policy related to the integration of sex and gender have an impact?

Population Health

Guidance documents

Measuring gender when you don't have a gender measure: constructing a gender index using survey data

Essential metrics for assessing sex & gender integration in health research proposals involving human participants

Development and Evaluation of ‘Briefing Notes’ as a Novel Knowledge Translation Tool to Aid the Implementation of Sex/Gender Analysis in Systematic Reviews: A Pilot Study

Gender Sensitive Aspects of 21st Century Health Care (for health care professionals and the public) (Gender in coronary artery disease in Europe)

(GenCAD)

Key articles and reports

Incorporating intersectionality theory into population health research methodology: challenges and the potential to advance health equity

Why sex and gender matter in implementation research

A new method for estimating race/ethnicity and associated disparities where administrative records lack self-reported race/ethnicity

Sex Versus Gender-Related Characteristics: Which Predicts Outcome After Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Young?

Peer reviewers

To continue to support peer reviewers efforts, CIHR has developed a framework for thinking through whether gender and/or sex are appropriately integrated into CIHR applicants' proposed research designs. These tools are available on our website:

Online training modules

:

Course 1: Sex and Gender Considerations in Biomedical Research

Course 2: Sex and Gender in Primary Data Collection with Human Participants

Course 3: Sex and Gender in the Analysis of Secondary Data from Human Participants

Other Resources:

Key considerations for the appropriate integration of sex and gender in research

(CIHR College of Reviewers)

Video: Assessing Sex and Gender in Peer Review

Sex and Gender Champions

Learning for participants in Peer Review

Reviewer Guidance to Evaluate Sex as a Biological Variable [ PDF (228 KB) - external link ]

(U.S. National Institutes of Health)

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Date modified:

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2019-08-21

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