AIHW logo

METEOR logo

Our sites
AIHW GEN Aged Care Data Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Health Performance Framework
Indigenous Mental Health and
Suicide Prevention Clearinghouse
Australian Mesothelioma Registry Housing data Regional Insights for Indigenous Communities
Contact FAQs

Site Navigation

  • Find metadata
    • Find metadata
    • Getting started
    • Data set specifications
    • Indicator sets
    • Data quality statements
    • Data dictionary archives
  • Metadata management
    • Metadata management
    • Data standards
    • Registration authorities
    • Registration statuses
  • How to use METEOR
    • How to use METEOR
    • First steps
    • Using My Page
    • Downloading and printing
    • FAQs
    • About METEOR
  • Learn about metadata
    • Learn about metadata
    • Metadata explained
    • How to create metadata
    • Metadata development resources
Your session is about to end!
Your session will expire at [TIME]
Select Extend at the top right corner or you will be logged out

Person—gender, code X

Data Element Attributes

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Help on this termData Element
Short name:Help on this termGender of a person
METEOR identifier:Help on this term741842
Registration status:Help on this term

Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 09/08/2023

Health, Standard 15/02/2022

Definition:Help on this term

How a person describes their gender, as represented by a code.

Data Element Concept:Help on this termPerson—gender
Value Domain:Help on this termGender code X

Value domain attributes

Representational attributes

Representation class:Help on this termCode
Data type:Help on this termString
Format:Help on this termX
Maximum character length:Help on this term1
  ValueMeaning
Permissible values:Help on this term1Man, or boy, or male
  2Woman, or girl, or female
  3Non-binary
  4Different term
  5Prefer not to answer
Supplementary values:Help on this term9
 
Not stated/inadequately described
 

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

This Value Domain is based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics Standard for sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation variables (ABS 2021). The values are defined as follows:

CODE 1     Man, or boy, or male

A person who describes their gender as man, or boy, or male.

CODE 2     Woman, or girl, or female  

A person who describes their gender as woman, or girl, or female.

CODE 3     Non-binary

A person who describes their gender as non-binary.

CODE 4     Different term

A person who describes their gender as a term other than man/boy/male, woman/girl/female or non-binary.

CODE 5     Prefer not to answer

A person who prefers not to respond on how they describe their gender.

 

Alternative Codes

The ABS Standard also allows for the following Alternative Code system, which can be mapped to the Codes specified above:

CODE M     Man, or boy, or male

CODE F     Woman, or girl, or female  

CODE X     Non-binary

CODE T     Different term

CODE Z     Prefer not to answer

 

Mapping Codes

The ABS Standard also allows for the categories for gender to be mapped as follows:

  • Man, or boy

Includes CODE 1

  • Woman, or girl

Includes CODE 2

  • Non-binary

Includes CODES 3 and 4 

  • Not stated

Includes CODES 5 and 9.

 

CODE 9     Not stated/inadequately described

This supplementary value is used to code inadequately described responses and non-responses for gender. 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.

Comments:Help on this term

Former versions of this Value Domain contained only three permissible values:

CODE 1   Male

CODE 2   Female

CODE 3   Other (formerly 'Gender other/diverse')

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this term
Department of Health and Aged Care
Origin:Help on this term

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2021. Standard for sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation variables. Canberra: ABS, viewed 6 October 2021 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release 

AGD (Attorney-General's Department) 2015. Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender, viewed 6 October 2021 https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/australian-government-guidelines-recognition-sex-and-gender 

Data element attributes Help on this term

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

Gender is a social and cultural concept. It is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience as a man, boy, woman, girl, or non-binary person. Non-binary is an umbrella term describing gender identities that are not exclusively male or female.

Gender includes the following concepts:

  • Gender identity is about who a person feels themself to be
  • Gender expression is the way a person expresses their gender. A person's gender expression may also vary depending on the context, for instance expressing different genders at work and home
  • Gender experience describes a person's alignment with the sex recorded for them at birth i.e. a cis experience or a trans experience.

The terms sex and gender are interrelated, and are often used interchangeably, however they are distinct concepts:

  • Sex is understood in relation to sex characteristics. Sex recorded at birth refers to what was determined by sex characteristics observed at birth or in infancy
  • Gender is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience. 

While they are related concepts, caution should be exercised when comparing counts for sex with those for gender.

"The preferred Australian Government approach is to collect and use gender information. Information regarding sex would ordinarily not be required and should only be collected where there is a legitimate need for that information and it is consistent with Australian Privacy Principle 3.” (AGD 2015)

Collection methods:Help on this term

Standard Question Module

The following standard question module is based on that recommended in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Standard for sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation variables (ABS 2021):

How [do/does] [you/Person's name/they] describe [your/their] gender?

Gender refers to current gender, which may be different to sex recorded at birth and may be different to what is indicated on legal documents.

 

Please [tick/mark/select] one box:
[ ] Man, or boy, or male
[ ] Woman, or girl, or female
[ ] Non-binary
[ ] [I/They] use a different term (please specify)
[ ] Prefer not to answer


Mandatory elements
The following elements must be included:

  • The word 'gender' in the question to clearly articulate the concept being collected
  • Label the response options "Man, or boy, or male", "Woman, or girl, or female", "Non-binary", "[I/they] use a different term (please specify)", and "Prefer not to answer"
  • A write-in facility is available when the "[I/they] use a different term (please specify)" response option is selected
  • Including a note to respondents that "Gender refers to current gender, which may be different to sex recorded at birth and may be different to what is indicated on legal documents"
  • Only one response is permitted
  • If this question is interviewer administered, the question must always be asked as written and no assumptions made by the interviewer.

Recommended elements

The following elements are recommended for inclusion:

  • Use inclusive language (e.g. "they" or "their" rather than "he/she" or "his/her")
  • If both sex and gender questions are included, ask the sex question first and note that a separate question on gender is also asked 
  • If both sex and gender questions are included, ask both on the same page if practical.

The Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender recommend "departments and agencies should refrain from making assumptions about a person's sex and/or gender identity based on indicators such as their name, voice or appearance" (AGD 2015.)

The inclusion of the write-in facility for 'Different term' as a response option recognises that there are a range of terms used to describe gender which is neither male nor female, and enhances data quality. Where the "Different term" code has been selected for gender, the data element Person—gender, text X[X(99)] may be used to capture any further (optional) specification of gender descriptors.

Note: Where written responses for CODE 4 (T) 'Different term' indicate a variation of one of 'Man, or boy, or male', 'Woman, or girl, or female' or 'Non-binary', those responses may be coded to the associated label.

 

Comments:Help on this term

A person's gender may stay the same or can change over the course of their lifetime. The gender response option chosen will reflect a person's gender at that point in time. Some people may not identify with a specific gender or with the concept of gender at all.

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this term
Department of Health and Aged Care
Origin:Help on this term

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2021. Standard for sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation variables. Canberra: ABS, viewed 6 October 2021 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release

AGD (Attorney-General's Department) 2015. Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender, viewed 6 October 2021 https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/australian-government-guidelines-recognition-sex-and-gender

Relational attributes

Related metadata references:Help on this term
Supersedes Person—gender, code X

        Health, Superseded 15/02/2022

See also Person—gender, text X[X(99)]

        Health, Standard 15/02/2022

See also Person—sex, code X

        Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023

        Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 09/08/2023

        Health, Standard 15/02/2022

        Indigenous, Standard 27/08/2023

        Youth Justice, Standard 15/02/2022

See also Person—sexual orientation, code N[N]

        Health, Qualified 03/06/2022

See also Person—variations of sex characteristics indicator, code N

        Health, Qualified 03/06/2022

Implementation in Data Set Specifications:Help on this term
All attributes +
Admitted patient care NMDS 2022–23

        Health, Superseded 20/12/2022

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2022
Implementation end date: 30/06/2023
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.
 


Admitted patient care NMDS 2023–24

        Health, Superseded 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2023
Implementation end date: 30/06/2024
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.
 


Admitted patient care NMDS 2024–25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.
 


Aged care person cluster

        Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X . Data must be collected for at least one of the two elements, either sex or gender.

Where both sex and gender are known, both should be collected. 


Alcohol and other drug treatment services NBEDS 2022–23

        Health, Superseded 09/12/2022

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2022
Implementation end date: 30/06/2023

Alcohol and other drug treatment services NBEDS 2023–24

        Health, Superseded 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2023
Implementation end date: 30/06/2024

Alcohol and other drug treatment services NBEDS 2024–25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025

Australian Sports Injury Data Dictionary

        Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 09/08/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either sex or gender.

Where both sex and gender are known, both should be collected.


Community mental health care NMDS 2024–25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Dementia NBPDS

        Health, Standard 05/10/2022

DSS specific attributes +
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Emergency service care NBEDS 2022–23

        Health, Superseded 07/02/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2022
Implementation end date: 30/06/2023
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Emergency service care NBEDS 2023–24

        Health, Superseded 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2023
Implementation end date: 30/06/2024
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Emergency service care NBEDS 2024–25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


National elder abuse helpline DSS

        Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 26/10/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Conditional obligation:

Conditional on a CODE 1 'Yes' response to Service provider contact—initial contact flag, yes/no/unknown/not stated/inadequately described code N

DSS specific information:

In the National elder abuse helpline DSS this data element should be recorded for each case

The data element records the gender of the older person who is the subject of concern during a service provider contact.  

One value should be recorded for each unique older person of concern.

A service provider contact may refer to multiple persons.

This data element should be recorded during an initial contact, where an older person, who is the subject of a report or concern of abuse, is discussed with the helpline for the first time.

Note, the gender recorded will be the gender reported by the person making a report or concern of abuse. It may not necessarily be the same as the gender the older person concerned identifies with.

Where the person making a report or concern of abuse does not know the gender of the older person concerned, record CODE 9 'Not stated/inadequately described.'


National Outcomes and Casemix Collection NMDS 2024-25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Non-admitted patient emergency department care NMDS 2022–23

        Health, Superseded 07/02/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2022
Implementation end date: 30/06/2023
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Non-admitted patient emergency department care NMDS 2023–24

        Health, Superseded 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2023
Implementation end date: 30/06/2024
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Non-admitted patient emergency department care NMDS 2024–25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Non-admitted patient NBEDS 2022–23

        Health, Superseded 20/12/2022

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2022
Implementation end date: 30/06/2023
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Non-admitted patient NBEDS 2023–24

        Health, Superseded 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2023
Implementation end date: 30/06/2024
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Non-admitted patient NBEDS 2024–25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Person related data elements (TDLU) cluster (Private Hospitals)

        Tasmanian Health, Standard 20/11/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2023
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025

Prison clinic contact NBEDS 2022

        Health, Recorded 24/04/2023

DSS specific attributes +
DSS specific information:

This data element corresponds to the following question of the Clinic form:

6b. How do you describe your gender?


Prison dischargee NBEDS 2022

        Health, Recorded 24/04/2023

DSS specific attributes +
DSS specific information:

This data element corresponds to the following question of the Prison Dischargee Form: 

9b. How do you describe your gender? 


Prison entrants NBEDS 2022

        Health, Recorded 24/04/2023

DSS specific attributes +
DSS specific information:

This data element corresponds to the following questions of the Prison Entrants Form:

8b. How do you describe your gender?


Prisoners in custody prescription medications NBEDS 2022

        Health, Recorded 30/03/2023

DSS specific attributes +
DSS specific information:

This data element corresponds to the following question of the Prisoners in Custody—Repeat Medications form:

5b. How do you describe your gender?


Residential mental health care NMDS 2024–25

        Health, Standard 06/12/2023

DSS specific attributes +
Implementation start date: 01/07/2024
Implementation end date: 30/06/2025
Conditional obligation:

This data element is collected on a Conditional basis with the element Person—sex, code X. Data must be reported for at least one of the two elements, either Sex or Gender.

Data may be reported for both elements.


Surveillance of healthcare associated infection: Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection NBPDS

        Health, Standard 09/12/2022


<Title>

<body>
<footer>

View

  • Show more
  • Print view

Download

  • Word
  • PDF
  • Advanced options

Review

  • Compare items
Help
Downloading

The download may take a while, please wait.

Do not refresh the screen until the download is complete.

Terms & Conditions
Do you agree with the Terms and Conditions?

<Title>

<body>
<footer>
Loading...

Navigation

  • Find metadata
  • Metadata management
  • How to use METEOR
  • Learn about metadata

Resources

  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Freedom of Information
  • Privacy policy
  • Vulnerability and disclosure policy

Quick Links

  • Contact
  • FAQs
  • Search
AIHW logo
© Australian Insitute of Health and Welfware, 2023