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The Operationalisation of Sex and Gender in Quantitative Health–Related Research: A Scoping Review

Author

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  • Sophie Horstmann

    (Department of Social Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
    Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany)

  • Corinna Schmechel

    (Gender and Science Research Unit, Institute of History, Humboldt-University of Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Kerstin Palm

    (Gender and Science Research Unit, Institute of History, Humboldt-University of Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Sabine Oertelt-Prigione

    (Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Sex- and Gender-Sensitive Medicine Unit, University of Bielefeld, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany)

  • Gabriele Bolte

    (Department of Social Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
    Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany)

Abstract

Current trends in quantitative health research have highlighted the inadequacy of the usual operationalisation of sex and gender, resulting in a growing demand for more nuanced options. This scoping review provides an overview of recent instruments for the operationalisation of sex and gender in health-related research beyond a concept of mutually exclusive binary categories as male or masculine vs. female or feminine. Our search in three databases (Medline, Scopus and Web of Science) returned 9935 matches, of which 170 were included. From these, we identified 77 different instruments. The number and variety of instruments measuring sex and/or gender in quantitative health-related research increased over time. Most of these instruments were developed with a US-American student population. The majority of instruments focused on the assessment of gender based on a binary understanding, while sex or combinations of sex and gender were less frequently measured. Different populations may require the application of different instruments, and various research questions may ask for different dimensions of sex and gender to be studied. Despite the clear interest in the development of novel sex and/or gender instruments, future research needs to focus on new ways of operationalisation that account for their variability and multiple dimensions.

Suggested Citation

  • Sophie Horstmann & Corinna Schmechel & Kerstin Palm & Sabine Oertelt-Prigione & Gabriele Bolte, 2022. "The Operationalisation of Sex and Gender in Quantitative Health–Related Research: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:12:p:7493-:d:842226
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.

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