Harnessing the power of FAIR data to advance sex/gender insights in psychotraumatology

Abstract

Background: Sex and gender impact trauma exposure, as well as trauma-related outcomes and treatment efficacy. Still, knowledge about the extent of these sex/gender differences, as well as the distinct mechanisms that contribute towards these differences in psychotraumatology, is limited. Objective: This article outlines how the use of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) research data can further enhance our insights into sex and gender aspects in trauma research. Method and Results: We present and discuss four ways in which FAIR trauma data can facilitate sex/gender-sensitive trauma research: (1) FAIR trauma data may overcome the current lack of sex/gender-sensitive reporting in our field by enabling secondary sex-stratified analyses; (2) FAIR trauma data may facilitate data pooling across studies and thereby increase the statistical power of sex/gender-related analyses into trauma-related outcomes and its underlying mechanisms; (3) FAIR trauma data may promote the reliability and robustness of sex/gender-related trauma research; and (4) FAIR trauma data may aid in creating an evidence base for currently understudied sex and/or gender minorities by means of data pooling across studies. Additional benefits, potential challenges, and further considerations are discussed. Conclusions: FAIR data provide an important and feasible avenue to address pressing and timely questions on sex/gender-related aspects in trauma research. Such knowledge will contribute towards refined sex/gender-sensitive interventions and advance health equity in the psychotraumatology field.