A Guide for the Inclusion of Sex and Gender Considerations in Clinical Practice Guidelines

Despite increasing understanding of sex and gender as important determinants of health, there has been a lack of consideration regarding sex, gender, and other intersectional factors in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to date, and little support for guideline developers to address these shortcomings. The development of a guide for guideline developers to facilitate the systematic uptake of sex and gender considerations may enhance the uptake and consistency of sex and gender considerations in CPGs. Informed by a comprehensive programme of work that included an umbrella review of the global literature, extensive expert consultation and input from individuals with living experience, the resultant guide provides practical step-by-step strategies for CPG developers to systematically integrate sex and gender considerations throughout the guideline development process. Aligning with key global guideline development steps, this guide addresses an important clinical need to translate sex and gender-specific evidence into tailored clinical action, where relevant, and provides recommended pathways to improve guideline quality and equity. The integration of sex and gender into CPGs is a global imperative, and whilst acknowledging that guidelines are developed and disseminated differently across different countries and contexts, this guide has international relevance.