Health consequences of structural sexism: Conceptual foundations, empirical evidence and priorities for future research

A nascent body of work has begun exploring the health consequences of structural sexism. This article provides an overview of the concept of structural sexism and an elaboration of the potential pathways connecting it to health. Next, it reviews existing measurement approaches and the current state of empirical evidence on the relationship between structural sexism and health in the United States. Finally, it highlights key priorities for future research, which include: expanding and refining measures, increasing public data availability, broadening the scope of inquiry to include a wider range of outcomes, exploring mechanisms, incorporating intersectionality, and applying a life course lens. •A growing body of research documents the health consequences of structural sexism.•More research is needed to expand and refine sexism measures.•Future research should also examine a broad array of health outcomes.•Research should incorporate Intersectionality and life course perspectives.•Increasing public data availability can accelerate the pace of research.