Protocol - Sexual Orientation

Description

A multi-part question asking participants to describe their sexual orientation. Multiple response options are provided along with an open-ended option.

Specific Instructions

The three dimensions of sexuality—attraction, identity, and behavior—may not correspond to the same orientation.

Identity: A persons core internal sense of their sexuality.

Attraction: A multidimensional concept that includes the gender(s) to which a person is attracted and the strength of this attraction, including whether a person feels attraction at all.

Behavior: A multidimensional concept that includes the gender(s) of sexual partners, specific sexual activities, and frequency of activity.

A person’s sexual orientation does not always align with behavior or attraction. Sexual orientation is useful as basic demographic information.

Availability

This protocol is freely available; permission not required for use.

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Protocol

1a. Which of the following best represents how you think of yourself?

[ ] Gay

[ ] Lesbian

[ ] Straight; that is, not gay or lesbian, etc.

[ ] Bisexual

[ ] None of these describe me, and I’d like to see additional options

Branching logic: If ‘none of these describe me, and I’d like to see additional options’ selected:

1b. Are any of these a closer description of how you think of yourself?

[ ] Queer

[ ] Polysexual, omnisexual, sapiosexual or pansexual

[ ] Asexual

[ ] Two-spirit

[ ] Have not figured out or are in the process of figuring out your sexuality

[ ] Mostly straight, but sometimes attracted to people of your own sex

[ ] Do not think of yourself as having sexuality

[ ] Do not use labels to identify yourself

[ ] Don’t know the answer

[ ] No, I mean something else (optional free text) __________________

[ ] Prefer not to answer

Personnel and Training Required

None

Equipment Needs

The PhenX Steering Committee acknowledges these questions can be administered in a computerized or noncomputerized format (i.e., paper-and-pencil instrument). Computer software is necessary to develop computer-assisted instruments. The interviewer will require a laptop computer/handheld computer to administer a computer-assisted questionnaire."

Requirements

Requirement Category	Required
Major equipment	No
Specialized training	No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection	No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual	No

Mode of Administration

Self-administered or interviewer-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult, Senior

Participants

Adults aged 18 and older

Selection Rationale

This protocol was selected because it is both the most up-to-date and in use by the national All of Us research program.

Language

English, Other languages available at source

Standards

Standard	Name	ID	Source

Derived Variables

None

Process and Review

The NIH Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO) reviewed this protocol in August 2023.

Added NASEM report reference
Removed The Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program, Collins, F.S. and Varmus, H., and National Research Council references
Updated Specific Instructions
Updated Protocol Definition
Updated Purpose
Updated Keywords

Protocol Name from Source

All of Us Research Program, Participant Provided Information (PPI), 2018

Source

All of Us Research Program Participant Provided Information (PPI) Version: December 17, 2018

General References

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Committee on National Statistics; Committee on Measuring Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation. Measuring Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation. Becker T, Chin M, Bates N, editors. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2022 Mar 9. PMID: 35286054.

Perron, T., Kartoz, C., Himelfarb, C., LGBTQ Youth Part 1. National Association of School Nurses, 2017 Mar. 32(2): 106-115.

Perron, T., Kartoz, C., Himelfarb, C. LGBTQ Part 2. National Association of School Nurses. 2017 Mar. 32(2): 116-121.

The GenIUSS Group. (2014). Best Practices for Asking Questions to Identify Transgender and Other Gender Minority Respondents on Population-Based Surveys. J.L. Herman (Ed.). Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute.

Protocol ID

11701

Variables

Export Variables

Variable Name	Variable ID	Variable Description	dbGaP Mapping
PX011701_Sexual_Orientation_Description
	PX011701020100	Are any of these a closer description of how more you think of yourself? show less	N/A
PX011701_Sexual_Orientation_Description_Other
	PX011701020200	Are any of these a closer description of how more you think of yourself? Other show less	N/A
PX011701_Sexual_Orientation_Identity
	PX011701010000	Which of the following best represents how more you think of yourself? show less	N/A

Demographics

Measure Name

Sexual orientation

Release Date

June 4, 2019

Definition

Often defined based on the gender(s) of a person's desired or actual partner(s) relative to their own gender identity.

Purpose

To obtain a person’s self-reported sexual orientation related to who they might be attracted to or partner with.

Keywords

sex assigned at birth, gender, LGBTQ, LGBTQIA, gay, lesbian, bisexual, intersex, asexual, queer

Measure Protocols

Protocol ID	Protocol Name
11701	Sexual Orientation