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NIH is funding research that considers the roles sex and gender play in COVID-19 outcomes, health care access, and more.
NIH is funding research that considers the roles sex and gender play in COVID-19 outcomes, health care access, and more.
What you need to know
The NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), the NIH Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office, and several NIH institutes and centers are funding new research projects that examine how sex and gender influence health, safety, and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What will the researchers do?
Awardees of the research funding will study the influence of sex and gender on many different aspects of human health. For example, research projects may focus on how hormones affect a person’s risk for disease, how gender roles relate to caretaking responsibilities and other work at home, or how people of different genders are treated by health care professionals.
One major area of research interest is the COVID-19 pandemic. NIH is encouraging researchers to study factors like how sex and gender may affect a person’s risk of catching the virus, their access to health care, or the way their body responds to vaccines and treatments. NIH is also calling for research on how the pandemic is affecting mental health, communities, and careers.
Why is this research important?
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many health care gaps and social inequalities, including between genders. Understanding the roots of these inequalities can help researchers find ways to address them.
Where can I go to learn more?
Notice of Special Interest: Administrative Supplements for Research on Sex and/or Gender Influences
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ORWH announced the availability of support for research highlighting the impact of sex and/or gender influences in human health and illness.
Women, Science, and the Impact of COVID-19
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ORWH details NIH’s commitment to consider sex and gender in COVID-19 research and support women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) throughout the pandemic.
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ORWH explains the differences between sex and gender, as well as the importance of studying the effects of these factors on biology and health.
Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women’s Health Research
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NIH shares its strategic plan for women’s health research from 2019 to 2023.
News and Stories
Read stories about the efforts underway to prevent, detect, and treat COVID-19 and its effects on our health.