Disaggregation of Medical Research Data Reveals Outcome Differences in Demographic Groups and Presents Opportunity to Improve Patient Care

Abstract

Disaggregation, in the medical literature, means separation into demographic groups. This results in an opportunity to discover differences in outcomes by group, which could improve future treatments and provide outcome data, by group, that could be included in future systematic reviews. In research, the term disaggregation is most often used in reference to addressing inequities. We support the Sex and Gender Equity Research (SAGER) guidelines and encourage authors to examine how sex and gender are taken into account in their study and ensure adequate representation by sex and gender. (We respect that not all studies can or are designed to capture data by sex and gender, and that gender is “complex” and “fluid.”) Disaggregation is encouraged, when possible, for other demographic variables allowing evaluation of all marginalized (as well as nonmarginalized) populations, so that we can better care for patients.