Sex and gender differences impact individuals and communities’ health outcomes. Gender is a social construct attributed to roles, stereotypes and expectations, that affects the health of individuals and communities. Gender is one of the main social determinants of health. Gender norms and roles are responsible for increasing individuals' risks, perceptions of risk, health seeking behavior, referral to specialized care and diagnosis by their healthcare providers, access to diagnostic tools and the care provided.
Understanding how sex and gender relate to diagnosis of infectious but also non-communicable diseases (NCD) is key for preparedness of service delivery systems, effective communication strategies and technological advancements that might help overcome these barriers. Additionally, sex and gender intersect with other axes of inequalities such as socioeconomic status, ethnicity, age, sexuality, and abilities.

This Research Topic aims to investigate sex and gender differences and other intersections affecting the diagnosis of infectious and NCD.
Because of the lack of previous gender mainstreaming in health programs, there is an increased interest now to study how gender and other factors such as age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status intersect within global health. The absence of a gender-focused approach in past health interventions has contributed to unequal access to care, disparities in diagnosis, and varying treatment outcomes. By addressing these intersections, this research topic aims to identify gaps in current healthcare systems and provide insights into how gender, sex, and other factors contribute to disparities in diagnosing and treating infectious and non-communicable diseases.
The goal is to provide evidence-based insights that can inform more inclusive and effective health interventions and policies globally.

Topics of particular interest include but are not limited to:
- Research on diagnostics (new technologies, implementation of technologies, integration into health programs etc.) with a gender perspective.
- Intersectionality in access and use of diagnostics.
- Social sciences studies on perceptions, experiences, behaviors, on healthcare seeking, use of diagnostic tools, etc.
- Gender-sensitive approaches to improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes in infectious and non-communicable diseases.
- Barriers to equitable access to diagnosis and treatment services.

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Dr Elena Dacal owns shares of Spotlab. Spotlab is a private Spanish company that develops artificial intelligence algorithms for medical diagnostics. All other Topic Editors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Frontiers in Global Women's Health

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