How to integrate sex and gender into research

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. Download Sex and Gender Infographic.

• 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.

Applicants

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)

Date modified:

2019-08-21