Data element attributes  |
Collection and usage attributes |
| Guide for use: | The term 'sex' refers to a person's biological characteristics. A person's sex is usually described as being either male or female; some people may have both male and female characteristics, or neither male nor female characteristics, or other sexual characteristics. Sex is assigned at birth and is relatively fixed. However, a person's sex may change during their lifetime as a result of procedures commonly referred to as sex change, gender reassignment, gender affirmation, transsexual surgery, transgender reassignment or sexual reassignment. Throughout this process, which may be over a considerable period of time, sex may be recorded as either male, female or other. Collection of sex excludes gender information, which is interrelated but conceptually distinct. The concept of sex is based on the physical or biological aspects of a person's body while the concept of gender relates to the way a person feels, presents and is recognised within the general community and may refer to outward social markers such as their name, outward appearance, mannerisms and dress. Sexual orientation is a separate concept to sex and gender, involving a person's emotional or sexual attraction to another person, and is not covered in the collection of sex information. In general, both sex and gender should not be collected in a single collection instrument. The Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender recommends the preferred Australian Government approach of collecting and using gender information, with sex only being collected where there is a legitimate need to know the biological characteristics of the target population. It should be recognised that in some cases an individual may choose to report their gender when sex is being requested. Organisations should ensure when they collect sex and/or gender information they use the correct terminology for the information they are seeking. Male and female are predominantly associated with the set of biological attributes that define the different types of sexes, while masculine and feminine characteristics are predominantly associated with the set of factors that make up gender. However, it should be recognised that male/female and masculine/feminine are sometimes used interchangeably to refer to sex and/or gender. |
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| Collection methods: | Standard Question Module For the collection of sex, the following standard tick box question module could be used: What is your sex? Please [tick/mark/select] one box.
[] Male [] Female [] Other, please specify _______________
Mandatory elements The following elements should be included: - the word 'sex' in the question to clearly articulate the concept being collected;
- label the response options 'Male', 'Female' and 'Other'; and
- a note that only one response is permitted.
Optional elements The following elements may be included: - the response option for 'Other' is labelled 'Other, please specify'; and
- a write-in facility is available when the 'Other' response option is selected.
The inclusion of the write-in facility for 'Other' allows respondents the opportunity to describe their sex using a term they are comfortable with, whilst also maximising the potential for analysis of the responses provided. Where the 'Other' code has been selected for sex, the data element Person—sex, text X[X(99)] may be used to capture any further (optional) specification of sex descriptors. Allowable variations Minor variations to the question wording are allowed. For example: Which of the following describes your sex? Please [tick/mark/select] one box
or Sex, please [tick/mark/select] one box.
Optional inclusions Organisations should refrain from making assumptions about a person's sex based on indicators such as their name, voice or appearance. Respondents should be presented with all response options for sex. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Standard for Sex and Gender Variables recommends a standard script explaining the importance of the question. Refer to the ABS standard for explanatory information that can be included in self-completed questionnaires (e.g., web forms and paper forms), or read in face-to-face and telephone interviews. The inclusion of explanatory material is optional and at the discretion of those undertaking the collection. Supplementary values CODE 9 Not stated/inadequately described This supplementary value is used to code inadequately described responses and non-responses for sex. It is not to be used on primary collection forms. It is primarily for use in administrative collections when transferring data from data sets where the item has not been collected. |
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Source and reference attributes |
| Submitting organisation: | Australian Youth Justice Administrators (AYJA) |
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| Origin: | Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016. Standard for Sex and Gender Variables (Cat. no. 1200.0.55.012). Viewed 26 July 2016. Attorney-General's Department 2015. Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender. Viewed 26 July 2016. |
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| Reference documents: | AS4846 Health Care Provider Identification, 2014, Sydney: Standards Australia AS4590 Interchange of Client Information, 2008, Sydney: Standards Australia |
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Relational attributes |
| Related metadata references: | Supersedes Person—sex, code N
Children and Families, Standard 22/11/2016
Community Services (retired), Standard 25/08/2005
Disability, Standard 07/10/2014
Early Childhood, Superseded 24/07/2018
Health, Superseded 11/05/2017
Homelessness, Superseded 10/08/2018
Housing assistance, Standard 10/02/2006
Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Standard 01/11/2012
Indigenous, Superseded 16/10/2017
National Health Performance Authority (retired), Retired 01/07/2016
Youth Justice, Superseded 23/08/2022 |
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| Implementation in Data Set Specifications: |
Indigenous-specific primary health care NBEDS December 2020
Indigenous, Superseded 03/07/2022 Implementation start date: 01/07/2020 Implementation end date: 31/12/2020 DSS specific information: In the ISPHC NBEDS, this data element is provided to the AIHW twice: - for CODE 1 or CODE 2
- for CODE 9.
In the ISPHC NBEDS only aggregated data are provided to the AIHW.
Indigenous-specific primary health care NBEDS December 2021
Indigenous, Superseded 12/06/2023 Implementation start date: 01/07/2021 Implementation end date: 31/12/2021 DSS specific information: In the ISPHC NBEDS, this data element is provided to the AIHW twice: - for CODE 1 or CODE 2
- for CODE 9.
In the ISPHC NBEDS only aggregated data are provided to the AIHW.
Indigenous-specific primary health care NBEDS June 2021
Indigenous, Superseded 06/11/2022 Implementation start date: 01/01/2021 Implementation end date: 30/06/2021 DSS specific information: In the ISPHC NBEDS, this data element is provided to the AIHW twice: - for CODE 1 or CODE 2
- for CODE 9.
In the ISPHC NBEDS only aggregated data are provided to the AIHW.
Indigenous-specific primary health care NBEDS June 2022
Indigenous, Superseded 27/08/2023 Implementation start date: 01/01/2022 Implementation end date: 30/06/2022 DSS specific information: In the ISPHC NBEDS, this data element is provided to the AIHW twice: - for CODE 1 or CODE 2
- for CODE 9.
In the ISPHC NBEDS only aggregated data are provided to the AIHW.
Perinatal NMDS 2018-19
Health, Superseded 12/12/2018 Implementation start date: 01/07/2018 Implementation end date: 30/06/2019 DSS specific information: In the case of multiple births, this item should be recorded for each baby born.
Perinatal NMDS 2019–20
Health, Superseded 03/12/2020 Implementation start date: 01/07/2019 Implementation end date: 30/06/2020 DSS specific information: In the case of multiple births, this data element should be recorded for each baby born.
Perinatal NMDS 2020–21
Health, Superseded 03/12/2020 Implementation start date: 01/07/2020 Implementation end date: 30/06/2021 DSS specific information: In the case of multiple births, this data element should be recorded for each baby born.
Perinatal NMDS 2021–22
Health, Superseded 17/12/2021 Implementation start date: 01/07/2021 Implementation end date: 30/06/2022 DSS specific information: In the case of multiple births, this data element should be recorded for each baby born.
Prison clinic contact NBEDS 2018
Health, Recorded 22/12/2022 DSS specific information: This data element corresponds to the following question of the Clinic Visit Form: 6a. Sex. Code 3 (Other) is not collected in the Prison clinic contact NBEDS. Code 9 (Not stated/inadequately described) maps to code 9 (Unknown) in the Prison clinic contact NBEDS.
Prison dischargee NBEDS 2018
Health, Recorded 22/12/2022 DSS specific information: This data element corresponds to the following question of the Prison Dischargee Form: 9a. Sex. In the Prison dischargee data collection, Sex will be mapped to: Code 1 Male Code 2 Female Code 9 Unknown Code 3 'Other' is not collected.
Prison entrants NBEDS 2018
Health, Recorded 22/12/2022 DSS specific information: This data element corresponds to the following question of the Prison Entrants Form: 8a. Sex. The codes for Sex will be mapped to: - Code 1 Male
- Code 2 Female
- Code 9 Unknown
Prisoners in custody prescription medications NBEDS 2018
Health, Recorded 22/12/2022 DSS specific information: This data element corresponds to the following question of the Repeat Medications Form: 5a. Sex. Code 9 (Not stated/inadequately described) maps to Code 9 (Unknown) in the Prisoners in custody prescription medications NBEDS.
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| Implementation in Indicators: |
Used as Numerator
Used as Denominator
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