Improving health care outcomes through sex and gender policies in health and medical research
Background
- There is a long-standing assumption that medicine, and the research underpinning medical interventions, is sex and gender neutral, however there is a growing body of evidence describing sex and gender differences in disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and health outcomes.
- Despite this, much research continues to be done without taking sex and gender into account, leading to gaps in the evidence base informing our health care policy and practice
Aims
- To address gaps in the collection, analysis and reporting of sex and gender in health and medical research in Australia.
- To build capacity among researchers, scientists and clinicians, and drive change in this area
Method
The project involves three phases:
- Surveys, interviews, web-based searches;
- Development and evaluation of policy frameworks and training materials; and
- Health economic analysis.
Potential Impact
- Each stakeholder within the health and medical research sector in Australia encourages and supports the collection, analysis and reporting of sex and gender.
- Improving the safety and quality of research will result in greater equality in health care outcomes for all
Fast Facts
- In a 2019 review of sex and gender policies of funding agencies and medical journals in Australia, only two funders and six medical journals had such policies.
- Policies on inclusion of sex and gender in health and medical research enables the inclusion of sex and gender-related phenomena in analysis, thereby promoting better targeted treatments and improved health outcomes.
