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

Sex

Glossary Item Attributes

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Help on this termGlossary Item
METEOR identifier:Help on this term750030
Registration status:Help on this term
  • Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023
  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 09/08/2023
  • Australian Teacher Workforce Data Oversight Board, Standard 30/08/2022
  • Health, Standard 15/02/2022
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 22/03/2023
  • Youth Justice, Standard 15/02/2022
Definition:Help on this term

Sex is understood in relation to sex characteristics, such as chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs.

Sex is often used interchangeably with gender, however they are distinct concepts and it is important to differentiate between them.

Collection and usage attributes

Comments:Help on this term

"A person's sex is based upon their sex characteristics, such as their chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs. While typically based upon the sex characteristics observed and recorded at birth or infancy, a person's reported sex can change over the course of their lifetime and may differ from their sex recorded at birth" (ABS 2021.)

 

"Sex refers to ... chromosomal, gonadal and anatomical characteristics" (AGD 2015.)

When comparing the concepts of sex and gender:

  • 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.

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this term

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

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
See also Gender
  • Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023
  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 09/08/2023
  • Australian Teacher Workforce Data Oversight Board, Standard 30/08/2022
  • Health, Standard 15/02/2022
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 22/03/2023
  • Youth Justice, Standard 15/02/2022
See also Sexual orientation
  • Health, Qualified 03/06/2022
See also Variations of sex characteristics
  • Health, Qualified 03/06/2022
Metadata items which use this glossary item:Help on this term
Admitted patient care NBEDS 2022–23
  • Health, Superseded 20/12/2022
Admitted patient care NBEDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 20/12/2022
Admitted patient care NBEDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Admitted patient care NMDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 20/12/2022
Admitted patient care NMDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2022–23
  • Health, Superseded 20/12/2022
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 20/12/2022
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Alcohol and other drug treatment services NBEDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 09/12/2022
Alcohol and other drug treatment services NBEDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Alcohol and other drug treatment services NMDS 2023-24
  • Health, Standard 09/12/2022
Alcohol and other drug treatment services NMDS 2024-25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Australian Teacher Workforce Data (ATWD) Collection DSS 2018–
  • Australian Teacher Workforce Data Oversight Board, Standard 30/08/2022
Community mental health care NMDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 09/12/2022
Community mental health care NMDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Dementia NBPDS
  • Health, Standard 05/10/2022
Emergency service care NBEDS 2022–23
  • Health, Superseded 07/02/2023
Emergency service care NBEDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 07/02/2023
Emergency service care NBEDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Gender
  • Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023
  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 09/08/2023
  • Australian Teacher Workforce Data Oversight Board, Standard 30/08/2022
  • Health, Standard 15/02/2022
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 22/03/2023
  • Youth Justice, Standard 15/02/2022
National Outcomes and Casemix Collection NBEDS 2023-24
  • Health, Standard 09/12/2022
National Outcomes and Casemix Collection NBEDS 2024-25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
National Outcomes and Casemix Collection NMDS 2023-24
  • Health, Standard 09/12/2022
National Outcomes and Casemix Collection NMDS 2024-25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Non-admitted patient emergency department care NMDS 2022–23
  • Health, Superseded 07/02/2023
Non-admitted patient emergency department care NMDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 07/02/2023
Non-admitted patient emergency department care NMDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Non-admitted patient NBEDS 2022–23
  • Health, Superseded 20/12/2022
Non-admitted patient NBEDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 20/12/2022
Non-admitted patient NBEDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Perinatal NBEDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 09/12/2022
Person—gender, code X
  • Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023
  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Recorded 09/08/2023
  • Health, Standard 15/02/2022
Person—gender, Tertiary Collection of Student Information code X
  • Australian Teacher Workforce Data Oversight Board, Standard 30/08/2022
Person—gender, text X[X(99)]
  • Health, Standard 15/02/2022
Person—sex
  • 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
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 21/03/2023
  • Youth Justice, Standard 15/02/2022
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
Person—sex, text X[X(99)]
  • Health, Standard 15/02/2022
Public dental waiting times NMDS 2022–
  • Health, Standard 08/02/2023
Residential mental health care NMDS 2023–24
  • Health, Standard 09/12/2022
Residential mental health care NMDS 2024–25
  • Health, Qualified 08/09/2023
Sex
  • 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
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 21/03/2023
  • Youth Justice, Standard 15/02/2022
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
Sexual orientation
  • Health, Qualified 03/06/2022
Tasmanian sex code X
  • Tasmanian Health, Qualified 22/03/2023
<Title>
<body>
<footer>

View

  • Print view

Download

  • Word
  • PDF
  • Advanced Download

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...
© Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Version 1.1.20230418.4