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Cited by 386Sex and Gender in HealthcareHealth Policy Implementation ScienceDiversity and Career in Medicine

Why sex and gender matter in implementation research

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Tannenbaum, Cara, Greaves, Lorraine, Graham, Ian D.·2016·BMC Medical Research Methodology
DOI 10.1186/s12874-016-0247-7PMC PMC5084413
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: There has been a recent swell in activity by health research funding organizations and science journal editors to increase uptake of sex and gender considerations in study design, conduct and reporting in order to ensure that research results apply to everyone. However, examination of the implementation research literature reveals that attention to sex and gender has not yet infiltrated research methods in this field. DISCUSSION: The rationale for routinely considering sex and gender in implementation research is multifold. Sex and gender are important in decision-making, communication, stakeholder engagement and preferences for the uptake of interventions. Gender roles, gender identity, gender relations, and institutionalized gender influence the way in which an implementation strategy works, for whom, under what circumstances and why. There is emerging evidence that programme theories may operate differently within and across sexes, genders and other intersectional characteristics under various circumstances. Furthermore, without proper study, implementation strategies may inadvertently exploit or ignore, rather than transform thinking about sex and gender-related factors. Techniques are described for measuring and analyzing sex and gender in implementation research using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The present paper describes the application of methods for integrating sex and gender in implementation research. Consistently asking critical questions about sex and gender will likely lead to the discovery of positive outcomes, as well as unintended consequences. The result has potential to strengthen both the practice and science of implementation, improve health outcomes and reduce gender inequities.

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  • Symbolic contexts of who is valued and afforded dignity, such as bodily autonomy, reflect inequitable gender norms whereby AGYW are largely targets of violence perpetrated by men.

    “In this way, symbolic contexts of who is valued and afforded dignity -such as bodily autonomy -re fl ect inequitable gender norms whereby AGYW are largely targets of violence perpetrated by men (Tannenbaum et al . 2016).”

    From Water insecurity and sexual and gender-based violence among refugee youth: qualitative insights from a humanitarian setting in Uganda (2022) · cites this paper as Tannenbaum et al . 2016

    The Discussion section describes gendered power relations affecting women’s decisions and reports cases of spousal abuse. It does not address bodily autonomy or dignity, or establish that adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are largely targets of violence perpetrated by men. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Sorted by citations

Authors
Tannenbaum, C., Greaves, L., & Graham, I. D.
Affiliations
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CA)
  • British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (CA)
  • University of Ottawa (CA)
Corresponding author
Tannenbaum, Cara
ORCID
Venue
BMC Medical Research Methodology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2016-10-27
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
145-145
ISSN
1471-2288 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12874-016-0247-7
PMC
PMC5084413
OpenAlex
W2544651403
Cited by
386
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 62 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 8
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMC Medical Research Methodology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • uO Research (University of Ottawa) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
  • Bangor University
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (FDN# 143237, 143237)
  • Institute of Gender and Health
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Sex and Gender in Healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Diversity and Career in Medicine
Keywords
sex and gender, implementation research, gender roles, gender identity, gender relations, intersectionality, program theory, stakeholder engagement, gender inequity, sex differences in health
MeSH terms
Female, Humans, Male, Research Design, Sex Factors, Sex Distribution

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