Sex contextualism in laboratory research: Enhancing rigor and precision in the study of sex-related variables.
Cell
; 187(6): 1316-1326, 2024 Mar 14.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38490173
ABSTRACT
Understanding sex-related variation in health and illness requires rigorous and precise approaches to revealing underlying mechanisms. A first step is to recognize that sex is not in and of itself a causal mechanism; rather, it is a classification system comprising a set of categories, usually assigned according to a range of varying traits. Moving beyond sex as a system of classification to working with concrete and measurable sex-related variables is necessary for precision. Whether and how these sex-related variables matter-and what patterns of difference they contribute to-will vary in context-specific ways. Second, when researchers incorporate these sex-related variables into research designs, rigorous analytical methods are needed to allow strongly supported conclusions. Third, the interpretation and reporting of sex-related variation require care to ensure that basic and preclinical research advance health equity for all.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sex
/
Health Equity
/
Biomedical Research
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Cell
Year:
2024
Type:
Article