Operationalization of a multidimensional sex/gender concept for quantitative environmental health research and implementation in the KORA study: Results of the collaborative research project INGER.

Background: In environmental health research, sex and gender are not yet adequately considered. There is a need to improve data collection in population-based environmental health studies by comprehensively surveying sex/gender-related aspects according to gender theoretical concepts. Thus, within the joint project INGER we developed a multidimensional sex/gender concept which we aimed to operationalize and to test the operationalization for feasibility.

Lysmeral Exposure in Children and Adolescences Participating in the German Environmental Survey (2012-2015): Integrating Sex/Gender into Analysis.

Comprehensive consideration of the biological and social diversities of sex and gender as well as their interdependencies is mostly missing in human biomonitoring (HBM) studies. Using the INGER sex/gender concept as theoretical background, we analyzed differences in exposure to lysmeral, a compound commonly found as a fragrance in cosmetics, personal care, and household products, in 2294 children and adolescents in Germany using decision tree, regression, and mediation analysis. The variables "sex assigned at birth" and "age", as well as well as use of personal care products and fabric conditioner proved to have the highest explanatory value.