Thank you Douglas. That’s much clearer. I do however,  have a subject without a gender disclosure. Would I set up my class and contrasts as: 

 

5 classes: PatentientsMale, PatientsFemale, HCMale, HCFemale, HCNa

 

 

then use contrast [0.5 0.5 -0.33 -0.33 -0.33 0 0 0 0 0 ...]?

 

 

 

Best,

Liliana