Sex/Gender, Race/Ethnicity and Health

Course overview

Sex/Gender, Race/Ethnicity and Health highlights the fact that the contributions of these variables are not monolithic, and that fundamental individual traits can change their meaning and health impact in different contexts. These complex traits are multifaceted, and the goal is to tease apart the facets at different levels of organization in order to identify which of them directly modulate health. The differences between the constructs of sex and gender are explored. The independent dimensions of sex and gender are contrasted, as are their variants. Health disparities based on race are discussed, as are genetic variations based on race. The importance of ancestral origin to health is emphasized. This course is based upon material published by the National Academies Press for the National Academy of Sciences and is available as an open access article. This course on health outcomes based on sex, gender, race, and ethnicity is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their understanding of sex, gender, race, and ethnicity impacts on health. The course material includes information related to sex, gender, race, and ethnicity, including their relationship to health outcomes. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require clinical continuing education courses for license renewal. Authors: Lyla M. Hernandez and Dan G. Blazer (Eds) Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding sex, gender, race, and ethnicity impacts on health. Specifically, a professional will: • Describe the difference between sex and gender • Identify the importance of ancestral origin to health • Recognize health disparities related to race Citation: Genes, Behaviors, and the Social Environment: Moving Beyond the Nature-Nurture Debate (2006). Committee on Assessing Interactions among Social, Behavioral, and Genetic Factors in Health. Lyla M. Hernandez and Dan G. Blazer, Editors. ISBN 0309660459. Visit us online for a full year of unlimited online CEUs.