Skills building seminar: How to do (and not to do) gender in health research: methods developments and lessons from the field
Authors:   Organised by: Bielefeld University Chair persons: Celine Miani - Germany, Melanie Boeckmann - Germany
Published: November 2019

There is a growing awareness of the role of gender in the production of health inequalities. Gender, as a social construct, is built on culturally constructed roles, behaviours, expectations, opportunities and responsibilities that individuals experience throughout their lives in societies. It is also a reflection of relations to others, and of the power -or disadvantages- that fall upon individuals. The main channels through which gender influences health status, independently and in relation to a person’s biological sex or sexual orientation, include differences in exposure to behavioural and environmental risk factors, differences in use of health services and access to treatment, in relationships that form between care providers and patients, and structural determinants such as the design and implementation of public policies and laws.

Despite efforts to adopt a gender-sensitive approach in public health research, gender remains too often an afterthought in the research process, or gender differences an accidental finding. Investigating the complexity of gender-related influences on health status comes with methodological challenges, considering the multiple dimensions of gender and gender identities and their interactions with the social environment. Grasping the realities of gender-related inequalities in health calls for interdisciplinary approaches and multi-level analyses.

In this workshop, we present methodological developments and lessons from the field that highlight the role of gender as a social determinant of health, and suggest ways to operationalise it in health research. Drawing from intersectionality theory, which examines how multiple social identities (e.g. sex/gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic position, sexuality, age, (dis)ability) intersect at the level of the individual and the structural factors that underpin them, Mena & Bolte develop a conceptual framework for intersectionality-based gender sensitivity in multivariable analysis. Focussing on the intersection between gender and migration, Wandschneider et al. identify best practice for the conceptualisation and operationalisation of gender in migration-related epidemiological research. Batram-Zantvoort et al. aim to demonstrate the value of identifying discrimination and imbalance of power in obstetric care at different levels of analysis, looking at structural, organisational and individual level factors. Jähn et al. critically examine the theoretical foundations and measurement methods of gender roles. Finally, Böckmann et al. reflect back on a smoking cessation intervention in South Asia and on discovering discrepancies between researchers’ assumptions and realities of gender roles and behaviours. Between them, presenters will cover several stages of the research process (conceptualisation, measurement, data collection) and cover a range of disciplines, providing a unique opportunity for dialogue and a platform for the development of best practice.

Key messages

This workshop will highlight the role of gender as a social determinant of health, and suggest ways to operationalise gender in health research. It will also provide a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary dialogue and a platform for the development of gender-sensitive research best practice.