Potentially Sensitive Questions

Attachment 10
Explanation for Sensitive Questions
Enhanced STD Surveillance Network (SSuN)
OMB# 0920-1072

Source
Variable Name
Attachment P3_PTX_sex
#

P3_PTX_genderSP

P3_PTX_Sxorient

Potentially Sensitive Questions
What gender or sex do you consider yourself to be?
(Check the ONE that best applies to you)
1=Male
2=Female
3=Male-to-Female TG
4=Female-to-Male TG
5=TG Unknown or Unspecified
8=Refused
During the past 12 months, have you had sex with
only males, only females, or both?
1=Males only
2=Females only
3=Both Males and Females
4=Not Documented

Do you consider yourself to be heterosexual,
homosexual, bisexual, or other?
1=Heterosexual/Straight
2=Gay/Lesbian/Homosexual
3=Bisexual
4=Other
9=Refused
P3_PTX_GenderMRSP Thinking back to the last time you had sex, was the
person you had sex with…(male/female)?
1=Male
2=Female
3=Male-to-Female TG
4=Female-to-Male TG
5=TG Unknown or Unspecified
9=Unknown
F1_sex_BC
What is the patient’s sex documented by the birth
certificate?
1= Male
2= Female
3=Intersex
4=Unknown

Justification
Self-perceived
gender identity is
behaviorally
relevant and critical
to understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors.
Gender of sex
partners is relevant
to STD risk and
critical to
understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors.
Sexual orientation is
behaviorally
relevant and critical
to understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors.
Gender of most
recent sex partner is
relevant to STD risk
and critical to
understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors.
Establishes sex at
birth to compare
with self-perceived
gender identity

Source

Variable Name
F1_gender

F1_MENSEX

F1_FEMSEX

F1_TRANSEX

F1_MSM_12

F1_Sexor3

Potentially Sensitive Questions
What is the patient’s gender?
1= Male
2= Female
3=Transgender M to F
4=Transgender F to M
5=Transgender unspecified
6= Other
9= Not captured
How many male sex partners has the patient had in
the last 3 months?

Justification
Self-perceived
gender identity is
behaviorally
relevant and critical
to understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors.

Establishes sexual
activity profile and
is relevant to STD
risk and
understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors
How many female sex partners has the patient had Establishes sexual
activity profile and
in the last 3 months?
is relevant to STD
risk and
understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors
How many transgender sex partners has the patient Establishes sexual
activity profile and
had in the last 3 months?
is relevant to STD
risk and
understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors
Does the male patient have a history of having male Establishes sexual
activity profile and
sex partners in the previous 12 months?
is relevant to STD
risk and
understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors
Has the patient had sex with men, women, or both Sites must either
collect both
over the past 3 months?
F1_MENSEX,
F1_FEMSEX,
F1_TRANSEX or
both F1_SEXOR3
and NUMSEX. It is
NOT necessary to
collect all 5
variables.

Source

Variable Name
F1_Sexuality

F1_HIV_partner

Potentially Sensitive Questions
Does the patient consider him/herself gay
(homosexual), straight, or bisexual?
1 = gay/homosexual
2= straight/heterosexual
3= bisexual
4= Other
9 = Not captured
Does the patient report having sex with a known
HIV positive partner in the last 12 months?
1= Yes
2= No
3= Unsure/ doesn’t know
9= Not captured

NS1_Gender

What is your current gender identity?
1= Male
2= Female
3=Transgender M to F
4=Transgender F to M
5=Transgender unspecified
6= Other
9= Unknown

NS1_Sex

What is the patient’s sex documented by the birth
certificate?
1= Male
2= Female
9=Unknown
Does the patient consider him/herself gay
(homosexual), straight, or bisexual?
1 = gay/homosexual
2= straight/heterosexual
3= bisexual
4= Other
9 = Not captured

Justification
Constructs a selfidentified sexual
activity profile of
the patient

Knowledge and
behaviors of
STD/HIV
prevention among
patients provide
critical insight into
ongoing risk
Self-perceived
gender identity is
behaviorally
relevant and critical
to understanding the
epidemiology of
STD risk-behaviors.

Establishes sex at
birth to compare
with self-perceived
gender identity
Constructs a selfidentified sexual
activity profile of
the patient