Table 5.
Call for action—recommendations
| Recommended action | Justification and anticipated outcomes |
|---|---|
| Trainee (education) | |
| Emphasize the importance of sex and gender considerations in research | Research trainees should understand that sex and gender play a crucial role in shaping health outcomes and that ignoring these factors can lead to incomplete or inaccurate conclusions |
| Provide training on sex and gender concepts and methods | Trainees should receive training on the differences between sex and gender, how to incorporate these concepts into research design and analysis, and how to collect and analyze data that accounts for sex and gender |
| Encourage the use of SGBA+ tools | Trainees should be provided with tools such as SGBA+ checklists to ensure they have considered these factors in all aspects of their research |
| Facilitate collaboration with sex and gender experts | Trainees should be encouraged to collaborate with experts in sex and gender research, either within their own institution or through external partnerships, to improve the quality of their research |
| Foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity | Trainees should be taught to respect and value diverse perspectives, and to consider how social, cultural, and historical factors influence sex and gender dynamics in research |
| Faculty/scientists/researchers | |
| Foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity | Faculty, scientists, and researchers should actively work to promote a culture that values diverse perspectives and recognizes the importance of considering social, cultural, and historical factors that influence sex and gender dynamics in research |
| Provide ongoing education and training on sex and gender concepts and methods | Faculty, scientists, and researchers should provide ongoing training to their colleagues and trainees on how to incorporate sex and gender considerations into research design, analysis, and reporting. This can include workshops, seminars, and other educational opportunities |
| Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration | Faculty, scientists, and researchers should encourage collaboration across disciplines and with experts in sex and gender research to improve the quality of their research |
| Use SGBA+ tools and resources | Faculty, scientists, and researchers should use SGBA+ checklists and other resources to ensure that they have considered these factors in all aspects of their research |
| Publish and disseminate research findings that account for sex and gender | Faculty, scientists, and researchers should make a concerted effort to publish research findings that account for sex and gender, and to disseminate this information to the broader scientific community and to the public |
| Funding agencies | |
| Require SGBA+ considerations in all grant applications | Implement policy change to require the integration of sex and gender into all funding applications |
| Provide funding opportunities specifically for sex and gender research | Create funding opportunities for research projects which specifically address sex- and gender-based research |
| Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration across fields and disciplines | Improve the quality and comprehensiveness of sex and gender research |
| Foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity | Promote a culture that values diverse perspectives and recognizes the importance of considering social, cultural, and historical factors that influence sex and gender dynamics in research |
| Monitor and evaluate the integration of sex and gender considerations in research projects they fund | Provide feedback and support to researchers as needed to assure successful incorporation of SGBA+ into results and conclusions |
| Journals, societies, and conferences | |
| Provide guidance to authors on how to incorporate sex and gender considerations into their research | The use of SGBA+ should be included in checklists and other resources |
| Actively encourage the publication of research that incorporates sex and gender considerations | The importance of this research should be highlighted to their readership to improve awareness and knowledge translation |
| Require the use of appropriate sex and gender terminology in all research reporting | Standardization and familiarization of SGBA+ terminology will ensure clarity and accuracy |
| Evaluate the integration of sex and gender considerations in all submitted manuscripts/abstracts | Provide feedback to authors as needed to achieve this goal |
| Promote a culture that values diverse perspectives | Elevate the importance of social, cultural, and historical considerations that influence sex and gender dynamics in research |
| Patients/public | |
| Seek education | Become aware of the importance of sex and gender considerations in research and how these factors can affect health outcomes |
| Engage with researchers, health care providers, and policymakers | Communicate the importance of these factors |
| Participate in sex and gender research studies | Contribute directly, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of how these factors affect health outcomes |
| Share their experiences and perspectives | Shared experiences and perspectives of patient partners on how sex and gender affected their health and health care experiences will help inform and guide future research and policy decisions |
SGBA+, Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis Plus.