BRISMED GP medication review survey

[busybusybusy2015]

Has anyone else had this via their GP? A research project that aims to create an evidence-based model for best practice for medication reviews. I was happily completing the online survey form - I'm very obedient and awfully willing to help - but unfortunately the survey wants to know my gender rather than my sex. I'd be perfectly at ease telling them both my sex and my gender (I believe both are of interest when data-gathering) but I'm not responding to anything health-related that is collecting information on 'gender' only. Sloppy research design. Any thoughts?

I immediately doubt the intellect of anyone only collecting gender info.

When those people are involved in my medical care it makes me feel more vulnerable and less trusting.

They probably think they're being better people than you or I but actually they are ruining their own data set from which no dependable conclusions can be drawn.

Most research surveys include information about the research team and a contact email at the start. I’d complain.

I don’t respond to surveys asking for my gender. They are not interested in my opinion!

FFS what kind of stupid dangerous question is that? It's very important to know what biological sex people are as well as what their current gender identity is. If you're bio female and taking testosterone then you're going to be taking that medication for completely different reasons than if you're bio male, and the effects on you are going to be completely different, and your need for monitoring and regular health reviews is going to be completely different. And vice versa for oestrogen.

Definitely complain to whoever is running the research project if you can! They are missing vital information about medication reviews.

I've emailed both the PIs. I fear my complaint may well be dismissed as paranoid transphobia but at least I've tried to explain my reaction. Politely, too 😟

And these sorts of badly worded questions are very much to the detriment of trans people and bury their needs, so challenging their inappropriate questions has nothing to do with transphobia. They're not being kind to anyone.

I'm having one of those days. Using a vet's prescription online to get medication for the cat. And the veterinary pharmaceutical website wants to know the cat's gender. Need I say more 🙀

Aw.... just tell them your kitty identifies as a furry? Give the vet paws for thought!

(Sorry your cat's not well)

I haven't seen the research project (sounds interesting) and would be interested to know who is carrying it out. In fairness to the researchers, GP records do currently only record (self-identified) gender, so their data acquisition sounds in line with NHS practice.

Which is of course patently insane, outright dangerous and the opposite of evidence-based, but I do have hopes this will change for adults as it has for children.

I think my annoyance is partly about a missed opportunity - if respondents to the survey had been asked to specify both sex AND gender, the data might reveal useful information about how well/badly medication is being managed for trans patients. It's an anonymous survey, with responses not shared with the participating GP practices, so entirely 'safe' for trans people to effectively report their experiences around medication. As it stands, the survey will produce no information at all on the needs of trans patients at practice level, plus the researchers simply won't know that a particular cohort (i.e. anyone obstinate and exasperated) failed to respond.

Polite queries - always the way to go! I hope you get a reasonable reply.