Jamie Feldman, PhD, MD, and Johanna Back, MS-3, present: Gender, Sex at Birth, and Estimated Covid-19 Complication Risks

Sex assigned at birth and gender appear to affect both the risk and acute complications from COVID-19 infection, as indicated in studies among cisgender men and women. COVID-19 estimated risk scores have included include “sex” as a factor, but not gender, with variable definitions of “sex.” No studies have examined the estimated or actual risk of acute complications in transgender patients receiving hormone therapy. This presents a significant gap in 1) understanding the role of hormones in COVID-19 infection; 2) COVID-19 risks faced by a population already facing health disparities; and 3) the effect of social, legal and medical conflations of “sex” and “gender” in health care measures.  

Presentation date: April 4, 2023