FIGURE 1.

Complex interplay of sex and gender influencing health outcomes. a) Animal models of pulmonary fibrosis are exclusively performed in male mice; b) genetic and epigenetic determinants of sex and/or gender differences in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs); c) environmental and occupational exposures are highly gendered; d) healthcare utilisation and access are gendered and impact outcomes; e) sex and gender needs to be incorporated in the ILD fellowship training towards a more patient-centred medicine; f) clinical research needs to be stratified on sex/gender in order to avoid missing possible gender/sex effect modification on outcomes.