History

 

Gender Medicine is a worldwide field of research whose definition has shifted over time. The term was introduced in the 1990s and aimed to describe the study of how health and diseases may differ between women and men in terms of prevention, clinical manifestation, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, prognosis and access to care. The observed differences can be related to biological influences of genes, chromosomes, hormones and anatomy and to socio-cultural, or gender-related
influences such as gender norms, gender relations and gender identities. Currently the conceptual founding of this field of research and medicine, Gender Medicine, is to unite various strands of research bringing together the influences of sex, gender and intersecting factors on an individuals’ health and wellness.

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Aim

 

Integrating sex and gender related factors into (bio) medical research to diminish the health inequalities between women and men and to ensure that women and men receive equally good medical care.

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Scope

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Gender Medicine * is a worldwide movement, engaging many physicians, scientists and professionals from para medical fields internationally and encompassing numerous scientific societies in many countries. National and international science funding bodies have underscored the relevance of integrating sex and gender related factors in health research by including it in their funding conditions. International scientific journals have issued similar guidelines. The International Gender Medicine Society’s (IGM) scope is to further this international conversation by providing examples of best practices and encouraging continuing exploration in understanding sex’s and gender’s roles in human health and disease.

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Challenges

 

The field has moved beyond attention to sex and gender related factors individually now facing the challenge of studying the intersecting factors (i.e., age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and identity) that influence individual health outcomes. New challenges will be to determine how to study these intersecting factors as well as addressing the health needs and conditions of non-binary and gender diverse people.

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* also called Gender and Sex Conscious Medicine or Gender and Sex Specific Medicine or Sex and
Gender Sensitive Medicine