Characteristics shorthand definitions
These definitions have been developed solely for the purpose of helping you to answer the survey questions.
| Age | AGE is a calculation of the length of time between a person’s birth and the point in time where their age is calculated. Approximate age may be estimated by the person themselves or by a clinician or other person involved in their care, where a precise date of birth is not known. |
| Disability | DISABILITY is a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out day-to-day activities. |
| Ethnicity | ETHNICITY describes a combination of concepts relating to a person’s physical appearance, cultural identity, nationality, ancestry and heritage, and association with a population group. Elements of a person’s ethnicity may be influenced by their genetic makeup, propensity to certain diseases, and risk factors related to social behaviour. |
| Gender identity | GENDER IDENTITY describes a person’s internal and individual experience of their own gender. |
| Gender reassignment | GENDER REASSIGNMENT is a process which may be undertaken by people for whom there is a mismatch between their gender identity and the sex to which they were assigned and formally registered with at birth. |
| Marriage and civil partnership | MARRIAGES and CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS are legal regimes undertaken to formalise and register the union of two PEOPLE. Both marriage and civil partnership may be between two PEOPLE of the same or the opposite SEX. |
| Pregnancy and maternity | PREGNANCY refers to the Antenatal period of time from conception/identification of pregnancy, through to the eventual outcome of the pregnancy, including miscarriage (before 24 weeks gestation). MATERNITY is the Postnatal period of time following a live or still birth (after 24 weeks gestation) of one or more babies. |
| Religion or belief | RELIGION or BELIEF relates to the association which a person feels with a specific religion; or another belief system; or with a spiritual way of living or philosophical or moral code which guides their behaviour. |
| Sex | SEX of a person refers to the different biological and physiological characteristics of the person, such as chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs. |
| Sexual orientation | SEXUAL ORIENTATION describes a person’s individual experience of the sexual or romantic attraction which they feel toward other people of the same SEX, the opposite sex or both sexes. |
Data item definitions – Sex
Sex Assigned at Birth | The sex of the patient, which was originally registered on their birth certificate. |
Phenotypic Sex (Birth Registration) | Observed by clinician (e.g. midwife when registering a birth on the Birth Notification Service). Options to include suspicion of an intersex variation/DSD (differences in sex development) condition. |
Phenotypic Sex (Observed) | Assessment of phenotypic sex observed by a clinician on examination of the patient. |
Intersex Variation (differences in sex development) Diagnosis | Suspected, discounted or confirmed clinical diagnosis of an intersex variation/DSD (differences in sex development) condition(s). |
Intersex Variation (differences in sex development) Diagnosis Qualifier | Whether an intersex variation/DSD (differences in sex development) diagnosis was confirmed, preliminary, excluded etc. |
Basis of Intersex Variation (differences in sex development) Diagnosis
| How the intersex variation/DSD (differences in sex development) diagnosis was confirmed – clinical observation, laboratory result etc. |
Intersex Variation (differences in sex development) Surgery Procedure | A procedure relating to an intersex variation/DSD (differences in sex development) which is required or has been undertaken. |
Intersex Variation (differences in sex development) surgery date |
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Data item definitions – Gender
Gender Identity (Stated) | The person’s current stated gender. |
Gender Identity (Observed) | Clinical observations relating to a person’s gender identity, collected during direct contact between clinician and patient. |
Gender Category (Observed) | Clinical observation of the alignment between the patient’s current gender identity and their sex assigned at birth (e.g. cis, trans). |
Pronouns |
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Gender Transition Observations | Clinical observations about the patient’s gender transition, where relevant, (e.g. living in chosen gender, considering surgery, undecided). |
Gender Affirming Surgical Procedure | Details of any surgical procedures planned or undergone by the patient, related to gender affirming care. Could include patient-reported surgery which was not undertaken by the NHS. |
Gender Affirming Surgical Procedure Date |
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