IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v7y2020i1d10.1057_s41599-020-00643-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sex and gender considerations in health research: a trainee and allied research personnel perspective

Author

Listed:
  • C. Z. Kalenga

    (Cumming School of Medicine
    Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta)

  • J. Parsons Leigh

    (Dalhousie University)

  • J. Griffith

    (Women’s College Hospital
    University of Toronto)

  • D. C. Wolf

    (Université de Montréal)

  • S. M. Dumanski

    (Cumming School of Medicine
    Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
    Alberta Kidney Disease Network)

  • A. Desjarlais

    (Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta)

  • L. Petermann

    (Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta)

  • S. B. Ahmed

    (Cumming School of Medicine
    Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
    Alberta Kidney Disease Network)

Abstract

The first step in precision health is the incorporation of sex and gender-based considerations and increasingly, a number of national organizations have instituted policies to support and encourage this practice. However, perspectives of trainees and allied research personnel on incorporation of sex and gender into research is lacking. We assessed trainee (undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, clinical trainees) and allied research personnel (study nurses, laboratory managers) perspectives on the barriers to incorporating sex and gender into their own university-based health research and recommendations to improve the process. Two separate focus groups were completed, and a qualitative analysis was employed to derive themes within perceived barriers and solutions. Participants described three overarching themes consistent with barriers including, lack of knowledge and skill, lack of applicability and feasibility, and lack of funding agency and institutional culture. Participants recommended: (1) increasing awareness and skill of incorporation of sex and gender considerations into health research; (2) implementing practical education curricula to facilitate understanding; and (3) fostering greater transparency and accountability by funding organizations and journal editors. Sex and gender considerations in research contribute to precision health, drive innovation and foster breakthroughs in science and medicine.

Suggested Citation

  • C. Z. Kalenga & J. Parsons Leigh & J. Griffith & D. C. Wolf & S. M. Dumanski & A. Desjarlais & L. Petermann & S. B. Ahmed, 2020. "Sex and gender considerations in health research: a trainee and allied research personnel perspective," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:7:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-020-00643-3
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-020-00643-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-020-00643-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-020-00643-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cara Tannenbaum & Robert P. Ellis & Friederike Eyssel & James Zou & Londa Schiebinger, 2019. "Sex and gender analysis improves science and engineering," Nature, Nature, vol. 575(7781), pages 137-146, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lin Zhang & Beibei Sun & Fei Shu & Ying Huang, 2022. "Comparing paper level classifications across different methods and systems: an investigation of Nature publications," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 7633-7651, December.
    2. Fosch-Villaronga, Eduard & Calleja, Carlos José & Drukarch, Hadassah & Torricelli, Diego, 2023. "How can ISO 13482:2014 account for the ethical and social considerations of robotic exoskeletons?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Lorraine Greaves, 2020. "Missing in Action: Sex and Gender in Substance Use Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-7, March.
    4. Venera R. Khalikova & Mushan Jin & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2021. "Gender in sustainability research: Inclusion, intersectionality, and patterns of knowledge production," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(4), pages 900-912, August.
    5. Jacopo Ambrosj & Kris Dierickx & Hugh Desmond, 2024. "Codes of conduct should help scientists navigate societal expectations," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-6, December.
    6. Michael O’Grady & Eleni Mangina, 2022. "Adoption of Responsible Research and Innovation in Citizen Observatories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-14, June.
    7. Alexander S. Long & Brian J. Reich & Ana‐Maria Staicu & John Meitzen, 2023. "A nonparametric test of group distributional differences for hierarchically clustered functional data," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 79(4), pages 3778-3791, December.
    8. repec:osf:osfxxx:3agxf_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Ballering, Aranka V. & Bonvanie, Irma J. & Olde Hartman, Tim C. & Monden, Rei & Rosmalen, Judith G.M., 2020. "Gender and sex independently associate with common somatic symptoms and lifetime prevalence of chronic disease," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    10. Matschegg, Doris & Carlon, Elisa & Sturmlechner, Rita & Sonnleitner, Andrea & Fuhrmann, Marilene & Dißauer, Christa & Strasser, Christoph & Enigl, Monika, 2023. "Investigation of individual motives and decision paths on residential energy supply systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    11. Oksenberg, Shai & Zehavi, Amos, 2025. "Consumption targeted innovation for women: From principle to practice?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(1).
    12. Perez-Brumer, Amaya & Valdez, Natali & Scheim, Ayden I., 2024. "The anti-gender threat: An ethical, democratic, and scientific imperative for NIH research/ers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 351(S1).
    13. Lucía Martínez-Manrique & Maitane Berasaluce & Xisca Sureda & María Sandín Vázquez, 2022. "Gender Matters: Identity, Risk Perception and Preventive Interventions for Alcohol Consumption among Adolescents Using a Qualitative Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Kim, Lanu & Smith, Daniel Scott & Hofstra, Bas & McFarland, Daniel A., 2022. "Gendered knowledge in fields and academic careers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).
    15. Sylvie Borau, 2025. "Deception, Discrimination, and Objectification: Ethical Issues of Female AI Agents," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 198(1), pages 1-19, April.
    16. Takuji Usui & Malcolm R Macleod & Sarah K McCann & Alistair M Senior & Shinichi Nakagawa, 2021. "Meta-analysis of variation suggests that embracing variability improves both replicability and generalizability in preclinical research," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(5), pages 1-20, May.
    17. Evelyne Bischof & Sabine Oertelt-Prigione & Rosemary Morgan & Sabra L. Klein & The Sex and Gender in COVID19 Clinical Trials Working Group (SGC) & Gender and COVID19 Working Group, 2020. "Towards Precision Medicine: Inclusion of Sex and Gender Aspects in COVID-19 Clinical Studies—Acting Now before It Is Too Late—A Joint Call for Action," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-5, May.
    18. Lori van den Hurk & Sarah Hiltner & Sabine Oertelt-Prigione, 2022. "Operationalization and Reporting Practices in Manuscripts Addressing Gender Differences in Biomedical Research: A Cross-Sectional Bibliographical Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, November.
    19. María del Pilar Montero López & Ana Isabel Mora Urda & Francisco Javier Martín Almena & Oscar Geovanny Enríquez-Martínez, 2022. "Changes in Eating Behaviors during the COVID-19 Lockdown and the Impact on the Potential Inflammatory Effects of Diet," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-17, July.
    20. Betzabé Torres-Cortés & Loreto Leiva & Katia Canenguez & Marcia Olhaberry & Emmanuel Méndez, 2023. "Shared Components of Worldwide Successful Sexuality Education Interventions for Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-23, February.
    21. Doerrenberg, Philipp & Duncan, Denvil & Li, Danyang, 2024. "The (in)visible hand: Do workers discriminate against employers?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:7:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-020-00643-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.