This new report from the Committee on National Statistics recommends that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) adopt new practices for collecting data on sex, gender, and sexual orientation – including collecting gender data by default, and not conflating gender with sex as a biological variable. The report also points to a lack of consistency in language used in surveys and studies, complicating data analysis and reporting, and making it difficult to compare data across different programs and studies. The report recommends standardized language to be used in survey questions that ask about a respondent’s sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Better measurements will improve data quality, as well as the NIH’s ability to identify LGBTQI+ populations and understand the challenges they face. The report also offers principles for data collection, guidelines for collecting sex and gender data, and criteria for selecting recommended measures for sexual orientation identity.
Download the Report