U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Measuring Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

About this resource:

Non-Systematic Review

Source: National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Last Reviewed: 2022

Workgroups: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Workgroup

In this consensus study report, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recommends that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) adopt new practices for collecting data on sex, gender, and sexual orientation. The report recommends standardized language to be used in survey questions that ask about a respondent's sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 

NASEM states that better measurements will improve data quality, as well as the NIH's ability to identify LGBTQI+ populations and understand the challenges they face.

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Objectives related to this resource (4)

Increase the number of national surveys that collect data on lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations — LGBT‑01
Baseline only
Increase the number of national surveys that collect data on transgender populations — LGBT‑02
Baseline only
Increase the number of states, territories, and DC that include sexual orientation and gender identity questions in the BRFSS — LGBT‑03
Improving
Increase the number of states, territories, and DC that use the standard module on sexual orientation and gender identity in the BRFSS — LGBT‑04
Little or no detectable change

Suggested Citation

1.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2022). Measuring Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation. Retrieved from https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26424/measuring-sex-gender-identity-and-sexual-orientation.