best health research topic

Research Topics & Ideas: Healthcare

100+ Healthcare Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a healthcare-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. Here, we’ll explore a variety of healthcare-related research ideas and topic thought-starters across a range of healthcare fields, including allopathic and alternative medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, optometry, pharmacology and public health.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the healthcare domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic.

Overview: Healthcare Research Topics

• Allopathic medicine
• Alternative /complementary medicine
• Veterinary medicine
• Physical therapy/ rehab
• Optometry and ophthalmology
• Pharmacy and pharmacology
• Public health
• Examples of healthcare-related dissertations

Allopathic (Conventional) Medicine

• The effectiveness of telemedicine in remote elderly patient care
• The impact of stress on the immune system of cancer patients
• The effects of a plant-based diet on chronic diseases such as diabetes
• The use of AI in early cancer diagnosis and treatment
• The role of the gut microbiome in mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety
• The efficacy of mindfulness meditation in reducing chronic pain: A systematic review
• The benefits and drawbacks of electronic health records in a developing country
• The effects of environmental pollution on breast milk quality
• The use of personalized medicine in treating genetic disorders
• The impact of social determinants of health on chronic diseases in Asia
• The role of high-intensity interval training in improving cardiovascular health
• The efficacy of using probiotics for gut health in pregnant women
• The impact of poor sleep on the treatment of chronic illnesses
• The role of inflammation in the development of chronic diseases such as lupus
• The effectiveness of physiotherapy in pain control post-surgery

Topics & Ideas: Alternative Medicine

• The benefits of herbal medicine in treating young asthma patients
• The use of acupuncture in treating infertility in women over 40 years of age
• The effectiveness of homoeopathy in treating mental health disorders: A systematic review
• The role of aromatherapy in reducing stress and anxiety post-surgery
• The impact of mindfulness meditation on reducing high blood pressure
• The use of chiropractic therapy in treating back pain of pregnant women
• The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine such as Shun-Qi-Tong-Xie (SQTX) in treating digestive disorders in China
• The impact of yoga on physical and mental health in adolescents
• The benefits of hydrotherapy in treating musculoskeletal disorders such as tendinitis
• The role of Reiki in promoting healing and relaxation post birth
• The effectiveness of naturopathy in treating skin conditions such as eczema
• The use of deep tissue massage therapy in reducing chronic pain in amputees
• The impact of tai chi on the treatment of anxiety and depression
• The benefits of reflexology in treating stress, anxiety and chronic fatigue
• The role of acupuncture in the prophylactic management of headaches and migraines

Topics & Ideas: Dentistry

• The impact of sugar consumption on the oral health of infants
• The use of digital dentistry in improving patient care: A systematic review
• The efficacy of orthodontic treatments in correcting bite problems in adults
• The role of dental hygiene in preventing gum disease in patients with dental bridges
• The impact of smoking on oral health and tobacco cessation support from UK dentists
• The benefits of dental implants in restoring missing teeth in adolescents
• The use of lasers in dental procedures such as root canals
• The efficacy of root canal treatment using high-frequency electric pulses in saving infected teeth
• The role of fluoride in promoting remineralization and slowing down demineralization
• The impact of stress-induced reflux on oral health
• The benefits of dental crowns in restoring damaged teeth in elderly patients
• The use of sedation dentistry in managing dental anxiety in children
• The efficacy of teeth whitening treatments in improving dental aesthetics in patients with braces
• The role of orthodontic appliances in improving well-being
• The impact of periodontal disease on overall health and chronic illnesses

Tops & Ideas: Veterinary Medicine

• The impact of nutrition on broiler chicken production
• The role of vaccines in disease prevention in horses
• The importance of parasite control in animal health in piggeries
• The impact of animal behaviour on welfare in the dairy industry
• The effects of environmental pollution on the health of cattle
• The role of veterinary technology such as MRI in animal care
• The importance of pain management in post-surgery health outcomes
• The impact of genetics on animal health and disease in layer chickens
• The effectiveness of alternative therapies in veterinary medicine: A systematic review
• The role of veterinary medicine in public health: A case study of the COVID-19 pandemic
• The impact of climate change on animal health and infectious diseases in animals
• The importance of animal welfare in veterinary medicine and sustainable agriculture
• The effects of the human-animal bond on canine health
• The role of veterinary medicine in conservation efforts: A case study of Rhinoceros poaching in Africa
• The impact of veterinary research of new vaccines on animal health

Topics & Ideas: Physical Therapy/Rehab

• The efficacy of aquatic therapy in improving joint mobility and strength in polio patients
• The impact of telerehabilitation on patient outcomes in Germany
• The effect of kinesiotaping on reducing knee pain and improving function in individuals with chronic pain
• A comparison of manual therapy and yoga exercise therapy in the management of low back pain
• The use of wearable technology in physical rehabilitation and the impact on patient adherence to a rehabilitation plan
• The impact of mindfulness-based interventions in physical therapy in adolescents
• The effects of resistance training on individuals with Parkinson’s disease
• The role of hydrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia
• The impact of cognitive-behavioural therapy in physical rehabilitation for individuals with chronic pain
• The use of virtual reality in physical rehabilitation of sports injuries
• The effects of electrical stimulation on muscle function and strength in athletes
• The role of physical therapy in the management of stroke recovery: A systematic review
• The impact of pilates on mental health in individuals with depression
• The use of thermal modalities in physical therapy and its effectiveness in reducing pain and inflammation
• The effect of strength training on balance and gait in elderly patients

Topics & Ideas: Optometry & Opthalmology

• The impact of screen time on the vision and ocular health of children under the age of 5
• The effects of blue light exposure from digital devices on ocular health
• The role of dietary interventions, such as the intake of whole grains, in the management of age-related macular degeneration
• The use of telemedicine in optometry and ophthalmology in the UK
• The impact of myopia control interventions on African American children’s vision
• The use of contact lenses in the management of dry eye syndrome: different treatment options
• The effects of visual rehabilitation in individuals with traumatic brain injury
• The role of low vision rehabilitation in individuals with age-related vision loss: challenges and solutions
• The impact of environmental air pollution on ocular health
• The effectiveness of orthokeratology in myopia control compared to contact lenses
• The role of dietary supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids, in ocular health
• The effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure from tanning beds on ocular health
• The impact of computer vision syndrome on long-term visual function
• The use of novel diagnostic tools in optometry and ophthalmology in developing countries
• The effects of virtual reality on visual perception and ocular health: an examination of dry eye syndrome and neurologic symptoms

Topics & Ideas: Pharmacy & Pharmacology

• The impact of medication adherence on patient outcomes in cystic fibrosis
• The use of personalized medicine in the management of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease
• The effects of pharmacogenomics on drug response and toxicity in cancer patients
• The role of pharmacists in the management of chronic pain in primary care
• The impact of drug-drug interactions on patient mental health outcomes
• The use of telepharmacy in healthcare: Present status and future potential
• The effects of herbal and dietary supplements on drug efficacy and toxicity
• The role of pharmacists in the management of type 1 diabetes
• The impact of medication errors on patient outcomes and satisfaction
• The use of technology in medication management in the USA
• The effects of smoking on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics: A case study of clozapine
• Leveraging the role of pharmacists in preventing and managing opioid use disorder
• The impact of the opioid epidemic on public health in a developing country
• The use of biosimilars in the management of the skin condition psoriasis
• The effects of the Affordable Care Act on medication utilization and patient outcomes in African Americans

Topics & Ideas: Public Health

• The impact of the built environment and urbanisation on physical activity and obesity
• The effects of food insecurity on health outcomes in Zimbabwe
• The role of community-based participatory research in addressing health disparities
• The impact of social determinants of health, such as racism, on population health
• The effects of heat waves on public health
• The role of telehealth in addressing healthcare access and equity in South America
• The impact of gun violence on public health in South Africa
• The effects of chlorofluorocarbons air pollution on respiratory health
• The role of public health interventions in reducing health disparities in the USA
• The impact of the United States Affordable Care Act on access to healthcare and health outcomes
• The effects of water insecurity on health outcomes in the Middle East
• The role of community health workers in addressing healthcare access and equity in low-income countries
• The impact of mass incarceration on public health and behavioural health of a community
• The effects of floods on public health and healthcare systems
• The role of social media in public health communication and behaviour change in adolescents

Examples: Healthcare Dissertation & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a healthcare-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various healthcare-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Improving Follow-Up Care for Homeless Populations in North County San Diego (Sanchez, 2021)
• On the Incentives of Medicare’s Hospital Reimbursement and an Examination of Exchangeability (Elzinga, 2016)
• Managing the healthcare crisis: the career narratives of nurses (Krueger, 2021)
• Methods for preventing central line-associated bloodstream infection in pediatric haematology-oncology patients: A systematic literature review (Balkan, 2020)
• Farms in Healthcare: Enhancing Knowledge, Sharing, and Collaboration (Garramone, 2019)
• When machine learning meets healthcare: towards knowledge incorporation in multimodal healthcare analytics (Yuan, 2020)
• Integrated behavioural healthcare: The future of rural mental health (Fox, 2019)
• Healthcare service use patterns among autistic adults: A systematic review with narrative synthesis (Gilmore, 2021)
• Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Combatting Burnout and Compassionate Fatigue among Mental Health Caregivers (Lundquist, 2022)
• Transgender and gender-diverse people’s perceptions of gender-inclusive healthcare access and associated hope for the future (Wille, 2021)
• Efficient Neural Network Synthesis and Its Application in Smart Healthcare (Hassantabar, 2022)
• The Experience of Female Veterans and Health-Seeking Behaviors (Switzer, 2022)
• Machine learning applications towards risk prediction and cost forecasting in healthcare (Singh, 2022)
• Does Variation in the Nursing Home Inspection Process Explain Disparity in Regulatory Outcomes? (Fox, 2020)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Need more help?

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your healthcare dissertation or thesis, check out Topic Kickstarter service below.

You Might Also Like:

15 Comments

I need topics that will match the Msc program am running in healthcare research please

Hello Mabel,

I can help you with a good topic, kindly provide your email let’s have a good discussion on this.

Can you provide some research topics and ideas on Immunology?

Thank you to create new knowledge on research problem verse research topic

Help on problem statement on teen pregnancy

This post might be useful: https://gradcoach.com/research-problem-statement/

can you provide me with a research topic on healthcare related topics to a qqi level 5 student

Please can someone help me with research topics in public health ?

Hello I have requirement of Health related latest research issue/topics for my social media speeches. If possible pls share health issues , diagnosis, treatment.

I would like a topic thought around first-line support for Gender-Based Violence for survivors or one related to prevention of Gender-Based Violence

Please can I be helped with a master’s research topic in either chemical pathology or hematology or immunology? thanks

Can u please provide me with a research topic on occupational health and safety at the health sector

Good day kindly help provide me with Ph.D. Public health topics on Reproductive and Maternal Health, interventional studies on Health Education

may you assist me with a good easy healthcare administration study topic

May you assist me in finding a research topic on nutrition,physical activity and obesity. On the impact on children

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

151+ Public Health Research Topics [Updated 2024]

The important area of public health research is essential to forming laws, influencing medical procedures, and eventually enhancing community well-being. As we delve into the vast landscape of public health research topics, it’s essential to understand the profound impact they have on society.

This blog aims to provide a comprehensive guide to selecting and understanding the diverse array of public health research topics.

Overview of Public Health Research Topics

Table of Contents

Public health research encompasses a wide range of subjects, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the field. From epidemiology and health policy to environmental health and infectious diseases, researchers navigate through various dimensions to address complex health challenges.

Each category holds its own significance, contributing to the overall understanding of public health dynamics.

Key Considerations in Selecting Public Health Research Topics

• Current Relevance: Assess the timeliness of potential topics by considering recent health trends, emerging issues, and societal concerns.
• Impact on Public Health: Evaluate the potential impact of the research on improving health outcomes, addressing disparities, or influencing policy and interventions.
• Feasibility and Resources: Gauge the practicality of conducting research on a particular topic, considering available resources, data accessibility, and research infrastructure.
• Ethical Considerations: Scrutinize the ethical implications of the research, ensuring it aligns with ethical standards and guidelines, especially when dealing with vulnerable populations or sensitive topics.

Top 151+ Public Health Research Topics

Epidemiology.

• The Impact of Social Determinants on Disease Outcomes
• Patterns and Trends in Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Investigating Health Disparities among Different Ethnic Groups
• Childhood Obesity and its Long-Term Health Consequences
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Contact Tracing in Disease Control

Health Policy

• Universal Healthcare: Comparative Analysis of Global Models
• The Role of Telemedicine in Improving Healthcare Access
• Evaluating Mental Health Policies and Their Impact on Communities
• Assessing the Impact of Affordable Care Act on Public Health
• Vaccine Policies and Public Perception: A Comprehensive Study

Environmental Health

• Climate Change and Health: Adapting to the Challenges
• Air Quality and Respiratory Health in Urban Environments
• Waterborne Diseases and Strategies for Safe Water Supply
• Occupational Health Hazards: A Comprehensive Workplace Analysis
• The Impact of Green Spaces on Mental Health in Urban Areas

Infectious Diseases

• Antimicrobial Resistance: Strategies for Mitigation
• Vaccination Strategies and Herd Immunity
• Global Health Security: Preparedness for Pandemics
• The Impact of Vector-Borne Diseases on Public Health
• Emerging Trends in Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

Chronic Diseases

• Lifestyle Interventions for Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases
• Genetic Factors in the Development of Cancer: A Comprehensive Study
• Aging and Health: Addressing the Healthcare Needs of the Elderly
• Diabetes Prevention Programs: Efficacy and Implementation
• Mental Health in Chronic Disease Patients: Bridging the Gap

Maternal and Child Health

• Maternal Mortality: Understanding Causes and Prevention
• The Impact of Breastfeeding on Infant Health and Development
• Childhood Immunization: Barriers and Strategies for Improvement
• Teenage Pregnancy and Its Long-Term Health Consequences
• Mental Health Support for Postpartum Women: Current Gaps and Solutions

Health Behavior and Promotion

• Smoking Cessation Programs: Effectiveness and Challenges
• Physical Activity Promotion in Schools: Strategies for Success
• Nutrition Education and Its Impact on Healthy Eating Habits
• Mental Health Awareness Campaigns: Assessing Public Perceptions
• The Role of Social Media in Health Promotion

Global Health

• Assessing the Impact of International Aid on Global Health
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Programs in Developing Countries
• The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Global Health
• Communicable Disease Control in Refugee Populations
• Global Access to Essential Medicines: Challenges and Solutions

Community Health

• Community-Based Participatory Research: Best Practices and Challenges
• The Impact of Community Health Workers on Health Outcomes
• Health Literacy and its Relationship to Health Disparities
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Mobile Health (mHealth) Interventions
• Community Resilience in the Face of Public Health Crises

Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety

• Hospital-Acquired Infections: Strategies for Prevention
• Patient Safety Culture in Healthcare Organizations
• Quality Improvement Initiatives in Primary Care Settings
• Healthcare Accreditation: Impact on Patient Outcomes
• Implementing Electronic Health Records: Challenges and Benefits

Mental Health

• Stigma Reduction Programs for Mental Health Disorders
• Integrating Mental Health into Primary Care Settings
• The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health: Long-Term Implications
• Mental Health in the Workplace: Strategies for Employee Well-being
• Suicide Prevention Programs: Effectiveness and Outreach

Health Disparities

• Racial Disparities in Healthcare: Addressing Systemic Inequities
• LGBTQ+ Health Disparities and Inclusive Healthcare Practices
• Socioeconomic Status and Access to Healthcare Services
• Geographical Disparities in Health: Rural vs. Urban
• The Impact of Gender on Health Outcomes and Access to Care

Public Health Education

• Evaluation of Public Health Education Programs
• Innovative Approaches to Teaching Public Health Concepts
• Online Health Education Platforms: Opportunities and Challenges
• Interdisciplinary Training in Public Health: Bridging Gaps
• Continuing Education for Public Health Professionals: Current Landscape

Digital Health

• The Role of Wearable Devices in Health Monitoring
• Telehealth Adoption: Barriers and Opportunities
• Health Apps for Chronic Disease Management: User Perspectives
• Blockchain Technology in Healthcare: Privacy and Security Implications
• Artificial Intelligence in Disease Diagnosis and Prediction

Health Economics

• Cost-Effectiveness of Preventive Health Interventions
• The Impact of Healthcare Financing Models on Access to Care
• Pharmaceutical Pricing and Access to Essential Medicines
• Economic Evaluation of Health Promotion Programs
• Health Insurance Coverage and Health Outcomes: A Global Perspective

Innovations in Public Health

• 3D Printing in Healthcare: Applications and Future Prospects
• Gene Editing Technologies and their Ethical Implications
• Smart Cities and Public Health: Integrating Technology for Well-being
• Nanotechnology in Medicine: Potential for Disease Treatment
• The Role of Drones in Public Health: Surveillance and Intervention

Food Safety and Nutrition

• Foodborne Illness Outbreaks: Investigating Causes and Prevention
• Sustainable Food Systems: Implications for Public Health
• Nutritional Interventions for Malnutrition in Developing Countries
• Food Labeling and Consumer Understanding: A Critical Review
• The Impact of Fast Food Consumption on Public Health

Substance Abuse

• Opioid Epidemic: Strategies for Prevention and Treatment
• Harm Reduction Approaches in Substance Abuse Programs
• Alcohol Consumption Patterns and Public Health Outcomes
• Smoking and Mental Health: Exploring the Connection
• Novel Psychoactive Substances: Emerging Threats and Strategies

Occupational Health

• Workplace Stress and Mental Health: Intervention Strategies
• Occupational Hazards in Healthcare Professions: A Comparative Analysis
• Ergonomics in the Workplace: Improving Worker Health and Productivity
• Night Shift Work and Health Consequences: Addressing Challenges
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations: A Global Overview

Disaster Preparedness and Response

• Pandemic Preparedness and Lessons from COVID-19
• Natural Disasters and Mental Health: Post-Traumatic Stress
• Emergency Response Systems: Improving Timeliness and Efficiency
• Communicating Health Risks During Emergencies: Public Perception
• Collaborative Approaches to Disaster Response in Global Health

Cancer Research

• Precision Medicine in Cancer Treatment: Current Advancements
• Cancer Screening Programs: Efficacy and Challenges
• Environmental Factors and Cancer Risk: Exploring Connections
• Survivorship Care Plans: Enhancing Quality of Life after Cancer
• Integrative Therapies in Cancer Care: Complementary Approaches

Sexual and Reproductive Health

• Access to Contraception in Developing Countries: Challenges and Solutions
• Comprehensive Sex Education Programs: Impact on Teen Pregnancy
• Reproductive Health Rights: Global Perspectives and Challenges
• Infertility Treatment: Ethical Considerations and Societal Impact
• Maternal and Child Health in Conflict Zones: Addressing Challenges

Cardiovascular Health

• Hypertension Prevention Programs: Strategies and Effectiveness
• Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Gender-Specific Risk Factors
• Innovations in Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs
• Artificial Heart Technology: Advancements and Ethical Implications
• Impact of Air Pollution on Cardiovascular Health: A Global Concern

Social Determinants of Health

• Educational Attainment and Health Outcomes: Exploring Links
• Income Inequality and its Impact on Population Health
• Social Support Networks and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Study
• Neighborhood Environments and Health Disparities
• Employment and Health: The Interplay of Work and Well-being

Genomics and Public Health

• Population Genomics and its Implications for Public Health
• Genetic Counseling and Education: Empowering Individuals and Families
• Ethical Issues in Genetic Research: Privacy and Informed Consent
• Pharmacogenomics: Tailoring Drug Therapies to Individual Genotypes
• Gene-Environment Interactions in Disease Risk: Unraveling Complexities

Public Health Ethics

• Informed Consent in Public Health Research: Current Practices
• Ethical Challenges in Global Health Research: Balancing Priorities
• Confidentiality in Public Health Reporting: Striking the Right Balance
• Research with Vulnerable Populations: Ethical Considerations
• Ethical Implications of Emerging Technologies in Healthcare

Health Communication

• The Role of Media in Shaping Public Health Perceptions
• Health Literacy Interventions: Improving Understanding of Health Information
• Social Media Campaigns for Public Health Promotion: Best Practices
• Tailoring Health Messages for Diverse Audiences: Cultural Competency
• Risk Communication in Public Health Emergencies: Lessons Learned

Nutrigenomics

• Personalized Nutrition Plans based on Genetic Makeup
• Impact of Nutrigenomics on Chronic Disease Prevention
• Ethical Considerations in Nutrigenomics Research
• Public Perceptions of Nutrigenomic Testing: A Qualitative Study
• Integrating Nutrigenomics into Public Health Policies

Public Health and Artificial Intelligence

• Predictive Analytics in Disease Surveillance: Harnessing AI for Early Detection
• Ethical Considerations in AI-Driven Health Decision Support Systems
• Machine Learning in Epidemiology: Predicting Disease Outbreaks
• Natural Language Processing in Public Health: Text Mining for Insights
• Bias in AI Algorithms: Implications for Health Equity

Health Disparities in Aging

• Geriatric Health Disparities: Bridging the Gap in Elderly Care
• Ageism in Healthcare: Addressing Stereotypes and Discrimination
• Social Isolation and Health Consequences in Aging Populations
• Access to Palliative Care for Older Adults: A Global Perspective
• Alzheimer’s Disease and Ethnic Disparities in Diagnosis and Treatment
• Loneliness and Mental Health in the Elderly: Interventions and Support

Research Methodologies in Public Health

Public health research employs various methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Each method brings its own strengths to the research process, allowing researchers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex issues they investigate. 

Community-based participatory research is another valuable approach, emphasizing collaboration with communities to address their specific health concerns.

Challenges and Opportunities in Public Health Research

While public health research is immensely rewarding, it comes with its own set of challenges. Funding constraints, ethical dilemmas, the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, and the integration of technology pose both obstacles and opportunities. 

Researchers must navigate these challenges to ensure their work has a meaningful impact on public health.

In conclusion, public health research topics are diverse and dynamic, reflecting the complex nature of the field. As researchers embark on their journeys, they must carefully consider the relevance, impact, and ethical implications of their chosen topics. 

The collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of public health research positions it as a powerful tool in addressing the health challenges of our time. By exploring the depths of these topics, researchers contribute to the collective effort to build healthier and more equitable communities. 

As we move forward, a continued exploration of relevant public health research topics is essential for shaping the future of healthcare and improving the well-being of populations worldwide.

Related Posts

Step by Step Guide on The Best Way to Finance Car

The Best Way on How to Get Fund For Business to Grow it Efficiently

77 interesting medical research topics for 2024

Last updated

25 November 2023

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Medical research is the gateway to improved patient care and expanding our available treatment options. However, finding a relevant and compelling research topic can be challenging.

Use this article as a jumping-off point to select an interesting medical research topic for your next paper or clinical study.

• How to choose a medical research topic

When choosing a research topic , it’s essential to consider a couple of things. What topics interest you? What unanswered questions do you want to address? 

During the decision-making and brainstorming process, here are a few helpful tips to help you pick the right medical research topic:

Focus on a particular field of study

The best medical research is specific to a particular area. Generalized studies are often too broad to produce meaningful results, so we advise picking a specific niche early in the process. 

Maybe a certain topic interests you, or your industry knowledge reveals areas of need.

Look into commonly researched topics

Once you’ve chosen your research field, do some preliminary research. What have other academics done in their papers and projects? 

From this list, you can focus on specific topics that interest you without accidentally creating a copycat project. This groundwork will also help you uncover any literature gaps—those may be beneficial areas for research.

Get curious and ask questions

Now you can get curious. Ask questions that start with why, how, or what. These questions are the starting point of your project design and will act as your guiding light throughout the process. 

For example: 

What impact does pollution have on children’s lung function in inner-city neighborhoods? 

Why is pollution-based asthma on the rise? 

How can we address pollution-induced asthma in young children? 

• 77 medical research topics worth exploring in 2023

Need some research inspiration for your upcoming paper or clinical study? We’ve compiled a list of 77 topical and in-demand medical research ideas. Let’s take a look. 

• Exciting new medical research topics

If you want to study cutting-edge topics, here are some exciting options:

COVID-19 and long COVID symptoms

Since 2020, COVID-19 has been a hot-button topic in medicine, along with the long-term symptoms in those with a history of COVID-19. 

Examples of COVID-19-related research topics worth exploring include:

The long-term impact of COVID-19 on cardiac and respiratory health

COVID-19 vaccination rates

The evolution of COVID-19 symptoms over time

New variants and strains of the COVID-19 virus

Changes in social behavior and public health regulations amid COVID-19

Vaccinations

Finding ways to cure or reduce the disease burden of chronic infectious diseases is a crucial research area. Vaccination is a powerful option and a great topic to research. 

Examples of vaccination-related research topics include:

mRNA vaccines for viral infections

Biomaterial vaccination capabilities

Vaccination rates based on location, ethnicity, or age

Public opinion about vaccination safety 

Artificial tissues fabrication

With the need for donor organs increasing, finding ways to fabricate artificial bioactive tissues (and possibly organs) is a popular research area. 

Examples of artificial tissue-related research topics you can study include:

The viability of artificially printed tissues

Tissue substrate and building block material studies

The ethics and efficacy of artificial tissue creation

• Medical research topics for medical students

For many medical students, research is a big driver for entering healthcare. If you’re a medical student looking for a research topic, here are some great ideas to work from:

Sleep disorders

Poor sleep quality is a growing problem, and it can significantly impact a person’s overall health. 

Examples of sleep disorder-related research topics include:

How stress affects sleep quality

The prevalence and impact of insomnia on patients with mental health conditions

Possible triggers for sleep disorder development

The impact of poor sleep quality on psychological and physical health

How melatonin supplements impact sleep quality

Alzheimer’s and dementia 

Cognitive conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise worldwide. They currently have no cure. As a result, research about these topics is in high demand. 

Examples of dementia-related research topics you could explore include:

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in a chosen population

Early onset symptoms of dementia

Possible triggers or causes of cognitive decline with age

Treatment options for dementia-like conditions

The mental and physical burden of caregiving for patients with dementia

• Lifestyle habits and public health

Modern lifestyles have profoundly impacted the average person’s daily habits, and plenty of interesting topics explore its effects. 

Examples of lifestyle and public health-related research topics include:

The nutritional intake of college students

The impact of chronic work stress on overall health

The rise of upper back and neck pain from laptop use

Prevalence and cause of repetitive strain injuries (RSI)

• Controversial medical research paper topics

Medical research is a hotbed of controversial topics, content, and areas of study. 

If you want to explore a more niche (and attention-grabbing) concept, here are some controversial medical research topics worth looking into:

The benefits and risks of medical cannabis

Depending on where you live, the legalization and use of cannabis for medical conditions is controversial for the general public and healthcare providers.

Examples of medical cannabis-related research topics that might grab your attention include:

The legalization process of medical cannabis

The impact of cannabis use on developmental milestones in youth users

Cannabis and mental health diagnoses

CBD’s impact on chronic pain

Prevalence of cannabis use in young people

The impact of maternal cannabis use on fetal development 

Understanding how THC impacts cognitive function

Human genetics

The Human Genome Project identified, mapped, and sequenced all human DNA genes. Its completion in 2003 opened up a world of exciting and controversial studies in human genetics.

Examples of human genetics-related research topics worth delving into include:

Medical genetics and the incidence of genetic-based health disorders

Behavioral genetics differences between identical twins

Genetic risk factors for neurodegenerative disorders

Machine learning technologies for genetic research

Sexual health studies

Human sexuality and sexual health are important (yet often stigmatized) medical topics that need new research and analysis.

As a diverse field ranging from sexual orientation studies to sexual pathophysiology, examples of sexual health-related research topics include:

The incidence of sexually transmitted infections within a chosen population

Mental health conditions within the LGBTQIA+ community

The impact of untreated sexually transmitted infections

Access to safe sex resources (condoms, dental dams, etc.) in rural areas

• Health and wellness research topics

Human wellness and health are trendy topics in modern medicine as more people are interested in finding natural ways to live healthier lifestyles. 

If this field of study interests you, here are some big topics in the wellness space:

Gluten sensitivity

Gluten allergies and intolerances have risen over the past few decades. If you’re interested in exploring this topic, your options range in severity from mild gastrointestinal symptoms to full-blown anaphylaxis. 

Some examples of gluten sensitivity-related research topics include:

The pathophysiology and incidence of Celiac disease

Early onset symptoms of gluten intolerance

The prevalence of gluten allergies within a set population

Gluten allergies and the incidence of other gastrointestinal health conditions

Pollution and lung health

Living in large urban cities means regular exposure to high levels of pollutants. 

As more people become interested in protecting their lung health, examples of impactful lung health and pollution-related research topics include:

The extent of pollution in densely packed urban areas

The prevalence of pollution-based asthma in a set population

Lung capacity and function in young people

The benefits and risks of steroid therapy for asthma

Pollution risks based on geographical location

Plant-based diets

Plant-based diets like vegan and paleo diets are emerging trends in healthcare due to their limited supporting research. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the potential benefits or risks of holistic, diet-based medicine, examples of plant-based diet research topics to explore include:

Vegan and plant-based diets as part of disease management

Potential risks and benefits of specific plant-based diets

Plant-based diets and their impact on body mass index

The effect of diet and lifestyle on chronic disease management

Health supplements

Supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry. Many health-conscious people take supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbal medicine, and more. 

Examples of health supplement-related research topics worth investigating include:

Omega-3 fish oil safety and efficacy for cardiac patients

The benefits and risks of regular vitamin D supplementation

Health supplementation regulation and product quality

The impact of social influencer marketing on consumer supplement practices

Analyzing added ingredients in protein powders

• Healthcare research topics

Working within the healthcare industry means you have insider knowledge and opportunity. Maybe you’d like to research the overall system, administration, and inherent biases that disrupt access to quality care. 

While these topics are essential to explore, it is important to note that these studies usually require approval and oversight from an Institutional Review Board (IRB). This ensures the study is ethical and does not harm any subjects. 

For this reason, the IRB sets protocols that require additional planning, so consider this when mapping out your study’s timeline. 

Here are some examples of trending healthcare research areas worth pursuing:

The pros and cons of electronic health records

The rise of electronic healthcare charting and records has forever changed how medical professionals and patients interact with their health data. 

Examples of electronic health record-related research topics include:

The number of medication errors reported during a software switch

Nurse sentiment analysis of electronic charting practices

Ethical and legal studies into encrypting and storing personal health data

Inequities within healthcare access

Many barriers inhibit people from accessing the quality medical care they need. These issues result in health disparities and injustices. 

Examples of research topics about health inequities include:

The impact of social determinants of health in a set population

Early and late-stage cancer stage diagnosis in urban vs. rural populations

Affordability of life-saving medications

Health insurance limitations and their impact on overall health

Diagnostic and treatment rates across ethnicities

People who belong to an ethnic minority are more likely to experience barriers and restrictions when trying to receive quality medical care. This is due to systemic healthcare racism and bias. 

As a result, diagnostic and treatment rates in minority populations are a hot-button field of research. Examples of ethnicity-based research topics include:

Cancer biopsy rates in BIPOC women

The prevalence of diabetes in Indigenous communities

Access inequalities in women’s health preventative screenings

The prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension in Black populations

• Pharmaceutical research topics

Large pharmaceutical companies are incredibly interested in investing in research to learn more about potential cures and treatments for diseases. 

If you’re interested in building a career in pharmaceutical research, here are a few examples of in-demand research topics:

Cancer treatment options

Clinical research is in high demand as pharmaceutical companies explore novel cancer treatment options outside of chemotherapy and radiation. 

Examples of cancer treatment-related research topics include:

Stem cell therapy for cancer

Oncogenic gene dysregulation and its impact on disease

Cancer-causing viral agents and their risks

Treatment efficacy based on early vs. late-stage cancer diagnosis

Cancer vaccines and targeted therapies

Immunotherapy for cancer

Pain medication alternatives

Historically, opioid medications were the primary treatment for short- and long-term pain. But, with the opioid epidemic getting worse, the need for alternative pain medications has never been more urgent. 

Examples of pain medication-related research topics include:

Opioid withdrawal symptoms and risks

Early signs of pain medication misuse

Anti-inflammatory medications for pain control

• Identify trends in your medical research with Dovetail

Are you interested in contributing life-changing research? Today’s medical research is part of the future of clinical patient care. 

As your go-to resource for speedy and accurate data analysis , we are proud to partner with healthcare researchers to innovate and improve the future of healthcare.

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous research faster?

Do you share your research findings with others?

Do you analyze research data?

Start for free today, add your research, and get to key insights faster

Editor’s picks

Last updated: 13 April 2023

Last updated: 14 February 2024

Last updated: 27 January 2024

Last updated: 18 April 2023

Last updated: 8 February 2023

Last updated: 23 January 2024

Last updated: 30 January 2024

Last updated: 7 February 2023

Last updated: 7 March 2023

Last updated: 18 May 2023

Last updated: 13 May 2024

Latest articles

Related topics, .css-je19u9{-webkit-align-items:flex-end;-webkit-box-align:flex-end;-ms-flex-align:flex-end;align-items:flex-end;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;row-gap:0;text-align:center;max-width:671px;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}}@media (max-width: 799px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}} decide what to .css-1kiodld{max-height:56px;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-1kiodld{display:none;}} build next, decide what to build next.

Users report unexpectedly high data usage, especially during streaming sessions.

Users find it hard to navigate from the home page to relevant playlists in the app.

It would be great to have a sleep timer feature, especially for bedtime listening.

I need better filters to find the songs or artists I’m looking for.

Log in or sign up

Get started for free

5 studies released in 2022 that might change how you think about health care

From racial bias in CPR to private equity price hikes, here’s what researchers learned about US health care this year.

by Dylan Scott

Though the pandemic and all its attendant health care crises remained the major health care story of 2022, churning all the while in the background has been the critical work of academic scholars, operating on longer timelines, who are still trying to make sense of US health care and of medicine itself, to get a better idea of what’s wrong and how to make it better.

To wrap up this year, I asked a couple dozen health policy experts what research released this year (though, as one of them reminded me, these papers are often years in the making) had surprised them, changed their thinking, or struck them as especially notable.

Here are five particularly interesting papers, at least in my view. Because many more than that warrant mention, I have tried to cram in as many references to other work as I could. One of my lessons from this exercise was that there are noteworthy new studies being produced all the time. The US health system certainly merits such extensive investigation, given the number and diversity of its flaws .

These studies cover a broad range of subjects, from the intricacies of Medicaid provider networks to prescription uptake by Medicare beneficiaries to how bystanders react when a person experiences a cardiac episode in public. But first, on the topic of the pandemic...

1) Vaccination education campaigns in nursing homes didn’t make much difference

Several experts pointed me to data sets related to Covid-19 vaccination in nursing homes, the scenes of so much illness and death in that frightening first year of the pandemic. Larry Levitt, executive vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, flagged one recent KFF survey that found less than half of nursing-home residents are up to date on their vaccines.

That put into sharp relief the findings of a study that Harvard Medical School’s David Grabowski cited as one of his favorites of the year. The paper, published in JAMA Internal Medicine in January 2022 , evaluated an effort to use educational campaigns and other incentives to improve vaccination rates among residents and staff in nursing homes.

They did not find a meaningful effect, despite three months of programming. There was plenty of room to grow, particularly among the staff, roughly half of whom were unvaccinated during the study period. (Vaccination rates among residents were already high at the time, though the experiment still did not find a significant effect of the multi-faceted campaign.)

“The conventional wisdom was that a big part of lagging vaccination rates was a lack of information and knowledge about the benefits of vaccination,” Grabowski said. But this study found instead that “these educational efforts were unsuccessful at encouraging greater vaccination. Although information campaigns sound like great policy, they really aren’t.”

He lamented that the study had been ignored by policymakers, noting federal efforts to increase vaccination rates among this population remain focused on education. Grabowski said the policies with the strongest evidence are vaccine clinics and vaccine mandates for staff.

2) Medicaid’s “phantom” networks may overstate patients’ access to health care

I love good jargon, and “ghost physicians” is one of my favorite new phrases of the year, which was recently brought to my attention by Harvard University professor (and former Vox contributor) Adrianna McIntyre.

It comes from this May 2022 Health Affairs paper , authored by Yale University’s Avital Ludomirsky and colleagues, which evaluated the provider networks of Medicaid managed-care plans. Those are privately administrated plans for low-income people that must follow state and federal Medicaid rules; they have grown in enrollment in recent years, with more states deciding to outsource their role in providing health coverage for the most vulnerable.

One of those rules is that enough doctors and hospitals accept those Medicaid plans, otherwise known as network adequacy. The Health Affairs study examined managed-care plans in four states over several years to get a better sense of providers’ participation in the program.

Their most striking finding is that while nominal participation was fairly high, about one-third of providers who technically accepted Medicaid actually saw less than 10 Medicaid beneficiaries in a given year. The responsibility for providing care to these patients was concentrated among a small number of practices, with 25 percent of primary care doctors providing 86 percent of the care and 25 percent of specialists providing 75 percent of those services.

In other words, while plenty of doctors might say they accept the plans, people who are enrolled in them may in practice find they have relatively few doctors to choose from. “Our findings suggest that current network adequacy standards might not reflect actual access,” the authors wrote in their conclusion. “New methods are needed that account for beneficiaries’ preferences and physicians’ willingness to serve Medicaid patients.”

The move toward more Medicaid-managed care has spurred a lot of debate and study. Matthew Fiedler, senior fellow at the Brooking Institution, sent me a Harvard study with its own surprising finding: In Texas, transitioning Medicaid enrollees to managed care had actually led to an increase in the use of prescription drugs and outpatient services, while the number of avoidable hospitalizations fell.

What seems to have happened, Fiedler said, is the state had been “penny-wise, pound-foolish” when running the program itself by imposing an unusually strict cap on the number of prescriptions patients could fill in a year. With that cap relaxed under the managed-care plans, patients filled more prescriptions and that corresponded to fewer episodes in which they ended up in the hospital when they didn’t have to.

Fiedler thought the study could also have implications for Medicare Advantage as well, another version of a government health insurance program that is being administered by private companies.

“To be clear, in many of these cases, it might well be better to fix this problem by just fixing the public program directly,” he told me. “But given that we often seem unwilling to do that, this does point to one very real advantage of involvement from private plans.”

3) Many Medicare beneficiaries don’t fill important prescriptions

Rachel Sachs, who studies prescription drug policy at Washington University in St. Louis, highlighted a study on a similar subject that was published in Health Affairs in April 2022 , led by Vanderbilt University’s Stacie Dusetzina. The researchers studied the difference in prescription uptake by Medicare beneficiaries who receive a government subsidy to offset their drug costs versus those who do not.

The latter group, who can sometimes be on the hook for hundreds of dollars for every prescription they fill, was substantially less likely to actually use their medication as it had been prescribed, even for serious diagnoses like cancer. People receiving subsidies were twice as likely to fill their prescriptions. The study found that 30 percent of prescriptions for anti-cancer drugs and 22 of prescriptions for hepatitis-C treatment were never started.

The problem of drug affordability for Medicare patients has been an ongoing concern. Because of how the program is currently structured, beneficiaries who are enrolled in the traditional Medicare program but do not qualify for subsidies have no upper limit on how much they can be asked to spend on pharmaceuticals in a given year.

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act , Congress is instituting such a cap for the first time, using savings from the new drug pricing controls also included in the law, capping out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 starting in 2025. That is the kind of intervention the Health Affairs authors were calling for when they published the paper. Now we’ll see if that policy change has an effect on seniors actually taking their medicine.

4) Black and Hispanic Americans are less likely to receive CPR in public spaces

One of the experts I asked for input is Harvard Medical School’s Michael Barnett , who publishes his own overview of the year’s best research every year on Twitter. He sent me a few studies, most of which I’ll let him share in his own overview, but one study in particular stuck out, looking at which people are more (or less) likely to get assistance when they have a health emergency in a public setting with other people around.

The paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in October by a collection of scholars across the country, examined more than 100,000 incidents of cardiac arrest that occurred outside of the hospital from 2013 to 2019. They focused in particular on whether the person experiencing cardiac arrest in public received CPR from a bystander.

The results were profound: Black and Hispanic people were significantly less likely to be given CPR than a white person, 45 percent versus 60 percent. And this pattern held across neighborhoods of different racial and socioeconomic make-ups. Whether the neighborhood was predominantly white, Black, or Hispanic, up and down the income ladder, in integrated neighborhoods, white people were more likely to receive CPR than someone who is Black and Hispanic.

“Racial and ethnic differences in bystander CPR in public locations raise additional concerns about implicit and explicit biases in layperson response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests,” the authors wrote.

Racism within the medical system is well established. Black and Hispanic Americans tend to have less access to health care. They tend to have worse experiences with doctors. Clinical trials and other research does not prioritize them. Medical treatments tend to be developed and designed with white people in mind.

But this study would suggest that even the more casual forms of racism and internalized bias can have a real health effect for marginalized Americans.

5) Prices go up after private equity acquires a physician’s practice

Private equity’s deeper investment into US health care is one of the most important ongoing stories in the field right now. The stakes can be life or death, as one paper that I covered last year about mortality rates in nursing homes purchased by private equity firms found. (Of note this year, according to Harvard’s Amitabh Chandra, was another paper that documented the wide disparities in outcomes among nursing homes, even those who are located in the same area.)

A report published by scholars from Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Oregon Science & Health University in September 2022 in JAMA Health Forum , which Emma Sandoe of North Carolina Medicaid and Duke University shared with me, examined what happened to costs and care utilization when private equity firms had purchased outpatient practices specializing in ophthalmology, dermatology, and gastroenterology, some of their favorite targets.

The study detected several effects: The cost of individual services went up and those practices were seeing more new patients and also charging more time for their existing patients. The amount billed by the private equity-acquired offices per service increased by 20 percent compared to the study’s control group. They saw 38 percent more new patients and there was a 9 percent increase in the number of existing patient visits that were billed as lasting longer than 30 minutes.

On the surface, that could look like partially good news, in spite of the price hikes, with more patients being seen and spending more time with their doctor. But some of the other findings call into question the value of those increases in service volume. In dermatology, the increase in outpatient visits did not correspond to an increase in biopsies ordered. In the gastroenterology practices, there were more visits and scopes but no notable increase in polyp removals. And likewise, at the eye clinics, there was more diagnostic imaging but not any effect on actual cataract removals.

The authors ended their paper with this warning. “Private equity ownership of physician practices has added a distinctly private and market-driven influence to the broader trends in corporate consolidation of physicians by health systems and insurers,” they wrote. “This study contributes evidence for potential overutilization and higher spending on care that will be important for policy makers to monitor.”

Most Popular

The obscure federal intelligence bureau that got vietnam, iraq, and ukraine right, take a mental break with the newest vox crossword, one explanation for the 2024 election’s biggest mystery, red lobster’s mistakes go beyond endless shrimp, 20 years of bennifer, explained, today, explained.

Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day.

More in Politics

Birth control is good, actually

3 theories for America’s anti-immigrant shift

What the Biden administration is doing about ludicrously expensive concert tickets

The Supreme Court's new voting rights decision is a love letter to gerrymandering

How worried should we be about Russia putting a nuke in space?

“Everyone is absolutely terrified”: Inside a US ally’s secret war on its American critics

The enormous stakes of India’s election

Why we need a Memorial Day for civilian victims of war

The Comstock Act, the long-dead law Trump could use to ban abortion, explained

Red Lobster’s mistakes go beyond endless shrimp  Audio

• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

• Virtual Tour
• Staff Directory
• En Español

You are here

Nih research matters.

December 22, 2021

2021 Research Highlights — Promising Medical Findings

Results with potential for enhancing human health.

With NIH support, scientists across the United States and around the world conduct wide-ranging research to discover ways to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. Groundbreaking NIH-funded research often receives top scientific honors. In 2021, these honors included Nobel Prizes to five NIH-supported scientists . Here’s just a small sample of the NIH-supported research accomplishments in 2021.

Printer-friendly version of full 2021 NIH Research Highlights

20210615-covid.jpg

Advancing COVID-19 treatment and prevention

Amid the sustained pandemic, researchers continued to develop new drugs and vaccines for COVID-19. They found oral drugs that could  inhibit virus replication in hamsters and shut down a key enzyme that the virus needs to replicate. Both drugs are currently in clinical trials. Another drug effectively treated both SARS-CoV-2 and RSV, another serious respiratory virus, in animals. Other researchers used an airway-on-a-chip to screen approved drugs for use against COVID-19. These studies identified oral drugs that could be administered outside of clinical settings. Such drugs could become powerful tools for fighting the ongoing pandemic. Also in development are an intranasal vaccine , which could help prevent virus transmission, and vaccines that can protect against a range of coronaviruses .

202211214-alz.jpg

Developments in Alzheimer’s disease research

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s is an abnormal buildup of amyloid-beta protein. A study in mice suggests that antibody therapies targeting amyloid-beta protein could be more effective after enhancing the brain’s waste drainage system . In another study, irisin, an exercise-induced hormone, was found to improve cognitive performance in mice . New approaches also found two approved drugs (described below) with promise for treating AD. These findings point to potential strategies for treating Alzheimer’s. Meanwhile, researchers found that people who slept six hours or less per night in their 50s and 60s were more likely to develop dementia later in life, suggesting that inadequate sleep duration could increase dementia risk.

20211109-retinal.jpg

New uses for old drugs

Developing new drugs can be costly, and the odds of success can be slim. So, some researchers have turned to repurposing drugs that are already approved for other conditions. Scientists found that two FDA-approved drugs were associated with lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease. One is used for high blood pressure and swelling. The other is FDA-approved to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. Meanwhile, the antidepressant fluoxetine was associated with reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration. Clinical trials will be needed to confirm these drugs’ effects.

20210713-heart.jpg

Making a wireless, biodegradable pacemaker

Pacemakers are a vital part of medical care for many people with heart rhythm disorders. Temporary pacemakers currently use wires connected to a power source outside the body. Researchers developed a temporary pacemaker that is powered wirelessly. It also breaks down harmlessly in the body after use. Studies showed that the device can generate enough power to pace a human heart without causing damage or inflammation.

20210330-crohns.jpg

Fungi may impair wound healing in Crohn’s disease

Inflammatory bowel disease develops when immune cells in the gut overreact to a perceived threat to the body. It’s thought that the microbiome plays a role in this process. Researchers found that a fungus called  Debaryomyces hansenii  impaired gut wound healing in mice and was also found in damaged gut tissue in people with Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Blocking this microbe might encourage tissue repair in Crohn’s disease.

20210406-flu.jpg

Nanoparticle-based flu vaccine

Influenza, or flu, kills an estimated 290,000-650,000 people each year worldwide. The flu virus changes, or mutates, quickly. A single vaccine that conferred protection against a wide variety of strains would provide a major boost to global health. Researchers developed a nanoparticle-based vaccine that protected against a broad range of flu virus strains in animals. The vaccine may prevent flu more effectively than current seasonal vaccines. Researchers are planning a Phase 1 clinical trial to test the vaccine in people.

20211002-lyme.jpg

A targeted antibiotic for treating Lyme disease

Lyme disease cases are becoming more frequent and widespread. Current treatment entails the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. But these drugs can damage the patient’s gut microbiome and select for resistance in non-target bacteria. Researchers found that a neglected antibiotic called hygromycin A selectively kills the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. The antibiotic was able to treat Lyme disease in mice without disrupting the microbiome and could make an attractive therapeutic candidate.

20211102-back.jpg

Retraining the brain to treat chronic pain

More than 25 million people in the U.S. live with chronic pain. After a treatment called pain reprocessing therapy, two-thirds of people with mild or moderate chronic back pain for which no physical cause could be found were mostly or completely pain-free. The findings suggest that people can learn to reduce the brain activity causing some types of chronic pain that occur in the absence of injury or persist after healing.

2021 Research Highlights — Basic Research Insights >>

Connect with Us

• More Social Media from NIH

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts

Collection  07 April 2023

Top 25 Health Sciences Articles of 2022

We are pleased to share with you the 25 most downloaded Nature Communications articles* in health sciences published in 2022. (Please note we have a separate collection on the Top 25 COVID-19 papers .) Featuring authors from around the world, these papers highlight valuable research from an international community.

Browse all Top 25 subject area collections .

*Data obtained from SN Insights (based on Digital Science's Dimensions) and have been normalised to account for articles published later in the year

Top 25 Articles

Gut microbiome-wide association study of depressive symptoms

Here, the authors analyze the relation of fecal microbiota diversity and composition with depressive symptoms in 1,054 participants from the Rotterdam Study cohort and in 1,539 subjects of the Amsterdam HELIUS cohort, finding associations with bacteria known to be involved in the synthesis of key neurotransmitters for depression.

• Djawad Radjabzadeh
• Jos A. Bosch

Associations between alcohol consumption and gray and white matter volumes in the UK Biobank

Heavy alcohol consumption has been associated with brain structural changes. Here, using data from the UK biobank, the authors report associations between alcohol intake and brain macrostructure and microstructure.

• Remi Daviet
• Gökhan Aydogan
• Reagan R. Wetherill

How people wake up is associated with previous night’s sleep together with physical activity and food intake

In a prospective longitudinal study of 833 adults, we demonstrate that how you wake up and regain alertness in the hours after sleep is weakly associated with your genes. Instead, the modifiable factors of how you are sleeping, eating and exercising influence your return to full alertness, free of sleepiness.

• Raphael Vallat
• Sarah E. Berry
• Matthew P. Walker

Genomic analysis of sewage from 101 countries reveals global landscape of antimicrobial resistance

Understanding the emergence, evolution, and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is essential to combat antimicrobial resistance. Here, Munk et al. analyse ARGs in hundreds of sewage samples from 101 countries and describe regional patterns, diverse genetic environments of common ARGs, and ARG-specific transmission patterns.

• Patrick Munk
• Christian Brinch
• Frank M. Aarestrup

Reported sleep duration reveals segmentation of the adult life-course into three phases

Sleep varies within and between individuals. Here, using self-reported sleep duration from a large sample of participants across 63 countries, the authors show three phases in the adult human life-course, consistent across culture, gender, education and other demographics.

• A. S. Lazar
• H. J. Spiers

Pan-cancer single-cell analysis reveals the heterogeneity and plasticity of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a predominant and critical component of the tumour microenvironment. Here, the authors integrate and analyse single-cell RNA-seq data of CAFs across 10 common solid cancer types, identifying their plasticity and interactions with other cell types.

An online atlas of human plasma metabolite signatures of gut microbiome composition

Here, Dekkers et al. characterize associations of 1528 gut metagenomic species with the plasma metabolome in 8583 participants of the SCAPIS Study, and find that gut microbiota explain up to 58% of the variance of individual plasma metabolites.

• Koen F. Dekkers
• Sergi Sayols-Baixeras

Federated learning enables big data for rare cancer boundary detection

Federated ML (FL) provides an alternative to train accurate and generalizable ML models, by only sharing numerical model updates. Here, the authors present the largest FL study to-date to generate an automatic tumor boundary detector for glioblastoma.

• Sarthak Pati
• Ujjwal Baid
• Spyridon Bakas

Multimodal monitoring of human cortical organoids implanted in mice reveal functional connection with visual cortex

Neuronal organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells can be transplanted and integrated into the rodent cortex for the study of brain development and function. Here the authors demonstrate use of transparent graphene microelectrodes and two photon imaging for longitudinal, multimodal monitoring of functional connectivity between human iPSC derived neuronal organoids and the mouse cortex.

• Madison N. Wilson
• Martin Thunemann
• Duygu Kuzum

Spelling interface using intracortical signals in a completely locked-in patient enabled via auditory neurofeedback training

The authors record neural firing rates in a patient with ALS in completely locked-in state and show that the patient can modulate neural firing rates based on auditory feedback to select letters to form words and phrases to communicate his needs and experiences.

• Ujwal Chaudhary
• Ioannis Vlachos
• Niels Birbaumer

Mapping the effects of pregnancy on resting state brain activity, white matter microstructure, neural metabolite concentrations and grey matter architecture

Animal studies have shown that pregnancy is associated with unique changes in the mammalian brain and behaviour, although pregnancy-associated changes in the human brain are less well studied. Here the authors show that pregnancy is associated with changes in resting state brain activity and brain anatomy which are most pronounced in the default mode network.

• Elseline Hoekzema
• Henk van Steenbergen
• Eveline A. Crone

Lactate increases stemness of CD8 + T cells to augment anti-tumor immunity

Lactic acid from glycolytic metabolism of cancer cells has been associated with immune suppressive functions. Here authors show that lactate, when depart from the acidic protons, inhibits histone deacetylases in CD8 + T cells, which turns them into potent anti-tumour immune cells.

• Jinming Gao

Mode of delivery modulates the intestinal microbiota and impacts the response to vaccination

The establishment and composition of the host microbiota is known to impact the function of the host immune response. Here the authors show that mode of delivery may impact the intestinal microbiota composition from birth and modulate the response to routine childhood vaccines.

• Emma M. de Koff
• Debbie van Baarle
• Susana Fuentes

Randomized controlled trial for time-restricted eating in healthy volunteers without obesity

Time-restricted eating, both early (eTRF) and mid-day (mTRF), have been shown to have metabolic benefits. Here the authors report a randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of eTRF and mTRF in healthy volunteers without obesity, and find that eTRF is more effective in improving the primary outcome insulin sensitivity.

Self-assembling nanofibrous bacteriophage microgels as sprayable antimicrobials targeting multidrug-resistant bacteria

Bacteriophage are natural antibiotic agents and provide natural building blocks for living biomaterials. Here, the authors crosslink self-organised bacteriophages to make sprayable microgels which preserves the natural antibacterial action, have tuneable auto-fluorescence and demonstrate application in food decontamination.

• Zeinab Hosseinidoust

Immune monitoring and treatment in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases

Immune monitoring assists in the diagnosis and clinical management of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

• Femke van Wijk
• Marjolein de Bruin
• Stefan Nierkens

The circadian clock influences T cell responses to vaccination by regulating dendritic cell antigen processing

Circadian rhythms are known to impact a range of biological processes including in the immune system. Here the authors show how circadian rhythms modulate the T cell response to vaccination via regulation of dendritic cell metabolism.

• Mariana P. Cervantes-Silva
• Richard G. Carroll
• Annie M. Curtis

Targeting endogenous kidney regeneration using anti-IL11 therapy in acute and chronic models of kidney disease

Repair processes in kidney are impaired in severe disease. Here, the authors show that in kidney failure, genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of IL11 releases the brake on regeneration, reverses tissue damage and restores kidney function.

• Anissa A. Widjaja
• Sivakumar Viswanathan
• Stuart A. Cook

Impact of pulmonary African trypanosomes on the immunology and function of the lung

A number of human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, patients suffer from respiratory symptoms commonly attributed to cardiac insufficiency. Here, the authors characterise the role of pulmonary Trypanosoma brucei in respiratory infection.

• Dorien Mabille
• Laura Dirkx

Cost-effective methylome sequencing of cell-free DNA for accurately detecting and locating cancer

Early cancer detection by cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is challenged by the low amount of tumour DNA in cfDNA, tumour heterogeneity and the small patient cohorts. Here, the authors develop a method, cfMethyl-Seq, for cost-effective methylome profiling of cfDNA and for detecting and locating cancer.

• Mary L. Stackpole
• Weihua Zeng
• Xianghong Jasmine Zhou

Single-cell and spatial analysis reveal interaction of FAP + fibroblasts and SPP1 + macrophages in colorectal cancer

Tumour microenvironment profiling during colorectal cancer progression may enable the discovery of therapeutic targets. Here, single cell and spatial RNA sequencing of tumour and adjacent normal tissues reveals an interaction between FAP + fibroblasts and SPP1 + macrophages that could be disrupted as an immunotherapy strategy.

• Jingjing Qi
• Hongxiang Sun

Genome-wide mutational signatures in low-coverage whole genome sequencing of cell-free DNA

Detection of mutational signatures in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is challenging due to low sequence coverage and low mutant allele fractions. Here, the authors identify mutational signatures in plasma whole genome sequencing of cancer patients and use machine learning to distinguish them from healthy individuals.

• Jonathan C. M. Wan
• Dennis Stephens
• Luis A. Diaz Jr.

Gene expression based inference of cancer drug sensitivity

Predicting treatment response in cancer remains a highly complex task. Here, the authors develop Precily, a deep neural network framework to predict treatment response in cancer by considering gene expression, pathway activity estimates and drug features, and test this method in multiple datasets and preclinical models.

• Smriti Chawla
• Anja Rockstroh
• Debarka Sengupta

Genetic variants associated with psychiatric disorders are enriched at epigenetically active sites in lymphoid cells

The role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders is unclear. Here, the authors show that genetic risk variants for multiple psychiatric disorders are enriched in regions of the genome active in the brain and in lymphoid cells, especially stimulated T cells, but not in myeloid cells.

• Mary-Ellen Lynall
• Blagoje Soskic
• Ed Bullmore

CRISPR activation screen identifies BCL-2 proteins and B3GNT2 as drivers of cancer resistance to T cell-mediated cytotoxicity

Loss-of-function CRISPR-based screens have identified several genes associated with cancer resistance to T cell-induced cytotoxicity. Here the authors perform a genome-scale, gain-of-function CRISPR screen and identify candidate genes, including the poly-N-acetyllactosamine synthase B3GNT2, whose overexpression confers tumor cell resistance to T cell cytotoxicity

• Julia Joung
• Paul C. Kirchgatterer

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

• Program Finder
• Admissions Services
• Course Directory
• Academic Calendar
• Hybrid Campus
• Lecture Series
• Convocation
• Strategy and Development
• Implementation and Impact
• Integrity and Oversight
• In the School
• In the Field
• In Baltimore
• Resources for Practitioners
• Articles & News Releases
• In The News
• Statements & Announcements
• At a Glance
• Student Life
• Strategic Priorities
• Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity (IDARE)
• What is Public Health?

Our topic pages offer a one-stop-shop for insights, experts, and offerings by areas of interest.

• Search Menu
• Sign in through your institution
• Browse content in Arts and Humanities
• Browse content in Archaeology
• Prehistoric Archaeology
• Browse content in Art
• History of Art
• Browse content in Classical Studies
• Classical History
• Classical Literature
• Classical Reception
• Greek and Roman Archaeology
• Digital Humanities
• Browse content in History
• Diplomatic History
• Environmental History
• Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
• History by Period
• Legal and Constitutional History
• Regional and National History
• Social and Cultural History
• Theory, Methods, and Historiography
• World History
• Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
• Language Teaching Theory and Methods
• Browse content in Linguistics
• Applied Linguistics
• Language Evolution
• Language Families
• Lexicography
• Browse content in Literature
• Bibliography
• Literary Studies (American)
• Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
• Literary Studies (British and Irish)
• Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
• Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
• Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
• Browse content in Media Studies
• Browse content in Music
• Applied Music
• Medicine and Music
• Music Theory and Analysis
• Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
• Musicology and Music History
• Browse content in Philosophy
• Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
• Epistemology
• History of Western Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Moral Philosophy
• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
• Practical Ethics
• Browse content in Religion
• Christianity
• Judaism and Jewish Studies
• Religion and Science
• Religion and Law
• Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
• Religious Studies
• Browse content in Society and Culture
• Ethical Issues and Debates
• Browse content in Law
• Arbitration
• Company and Commercial Law
• Comparative Law
• Competition Law
• Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
• Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
• Employment and Labour Law
• Environment and Energy Law
• Financial Law
• History of Law
• Human Rights and Immigration
• Intellectual Property Law
• Browse content in International Law
• Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
• Public International Law
• IT and Communications Law
• Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
• Law and Society
• Legal System and Practice
• Medical and Healthcare Law
• Browse content in Medicine and Health
• Browse content in Allied Health Professions
• Dietetics and Nutrition
• Physiotherapy
• Radiography
• Anaesthetics
• Browse content in Clinical Medicine
• Acute Medicine
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Dermatology
• Endocrinology and Diabetes
• Gastroenterology
• Geriatric Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Toxicology
• Medical Oncology
• Rheumatology
• Sleep Medicine
• Clinical Neuroscience
• Community Medical Services
• Critical Care
• Forensic Medicine
• History of Medicine
• Browse content in Medical Dentistry
• Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
• Medical Skills
• Medical Ethics
• Medical Statistics and Methodology
• Browse content in Neurology
• Neuropathology
• Nursing Studies
• Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Gynaecology

Occupational Medicine

• Paediatrics
• Browse content in Pathology
• Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
• Medical Microbiology and Virology
• Patient Education and Information
• Browse content in Pharmacology
• Psychopharmacology
• Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
• Molecular Biology and Genetics
• Reproduction, Growth and Development
• Primary Care
• Professional Development in Medicine
• Browse content in Psychiatry
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Browse content in Radiology
• Clinical Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Radiation Oncology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Browse content in Surgery
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
• Browse content in Science and Mathematics
• Browse content in Biological Sciences
• Aquatic Biology
• Biochemistry
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Ecology and Conservation
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Microbiology
• Molecular and Cell Biology
• Plant Sciences and Forestry
• Research Methods in Life Sciences
• Structural Biology
• Systems Biology
• Zoology and Animal Sciences
• Browse content in Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Mineralogy and Gems
• Physical Chemistry
• Browse content in Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Architecture and Logic Design
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Mathematical Theory of Computation
• Browse content in Computing
• Computer Security
• Computer Networking and Communications
• Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
• Atmospheric Sciences
• Environmental Geography
• Geology and the Lithosphere
• Meteorology and Climatology
• Browse content in Engineering and Technology
• Agriculture and Farming
• Biological Engineering
• Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
• Energy Technology
• Engineering (General)
• Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
• Transport Technology and Trades
• Browse content in Environmental Science
• Environmental Sustainability
• Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
• Browse content in Materials Science
• Ceramics and Glasses
• Composite Materials
• Nanotechnology
• Browse content in Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics
• Biomathematics and Statistics
• Mathematical Education
• Mathematical Analysis
• Probability and Statistics
• Pure Mathematics
• Browse content in Neuroscience
• Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
• Neuroscientific Techniques
• Browse content in Physics
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Classical Mechanics
• Relativity and Gravitation
• Browse content in Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Health Psychology
• Music Psychology
• Neuropsychology
• Organizational Psychology
• Browse content in Social Sciences
• Browse content in Anthropology
• Human Evolution
• Browse content in Business and Management
• Human Resource Management
• Industrial and Employment Relations
• Industry Studies
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Organizational Theory and Behaviour
• Public and Nonprofit Management
• Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Criminology
• Browse content in Economics
• Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
• Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
• Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
• Economic History
• Economic Development and Growth
• Financial Markets
• Financial Institutions and Services
• Health, Education, and Welfare
• Labour and Demographic Economics
• Law and Economics
• Public Economics
• Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
• Browse content in Education
• Schools Studies
• Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
• Environment
• Browse content in Human Geography
• Economic Geography
• Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
• Communication Studies
• Museums, Libraries, and Information Sciences
• Browse content in Politics
• Foreign Policy
• Gender and Politics
• International Relations
• International Organization (Politics)
• Political Sociology
• Political Behaviour
• Political Economy
• Political Institutions
• Political Theory
• Public Administration
• Public Policy
• Quantitative Political Methodology
• Regional Political Studies
• Security Studies
• Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
• African Studies
• Japanese Studies
• Research and Information
• Browse content in Social Work
• Addictions and Substance Misuse
• Browse content in Sociology
• Economic Sociology
• Gender and Sexuality
• Gerontology and Ageing
• Health, Illness, and Medicine
• Migration Studies
• Race and Ethnicity
• Social Movements and Social Change
• Social Research and Statistics
• Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
• Sociology of Religion
• Urban and Rural Studies
• Journals A to Z
• Books on Oxford Academic

What are the trending topics in Public Health and related disciplines?

You can identify some of the most discussed and influential topics with the help of Altmetric attention scores, which take into account several outlets including social media, news articles, and policy documents.

Drawing from a selection of Public Health and Medicine journals, we have compiled a list of the articles that have been mentioned the most over the past few months.

Discover the articles that are trending right now, and catch up on current topics in Public Health and related disciplines. We will update our collection every few weeks; come back to this page to be on top of the latest conversations in Public Health and Medicine. Previously featured articles are listed here .

You can also sign up for e-alerts to make sure you never miss the latest research from our journals.

*Last updated October 2021*

Age and Ageing

Alcohol and alcoholism, american journal of epidemiology, annals of work exposures and health, epidemiologic reviews, european journal of public health, family practice, health education research, health policy and planning, health promotion international, international health, international journal of epidemiology, international journal for quality in health care, journal of public health, journal of travel medicine, journal of tropical pediatrics, nicotine & tobacco research, transactions of the royal society of tropical medicine & hygiene, behaviour change interventions to increase physical activity in hospitalised patients: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression.

There is moderate-certainty evidence that behaviour change interventions are associated with increased physical activity levels among older hospitalised patients.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders in Young Adulthood: Findings from a Canadian Nationally Representative Survey

This study from Canada found that one in three young adults with ADHD had a lifetime alcohol use disorder, and that young adults with ADHD were also three times more likely to develop a substance use disorder. Targeted outreach and interventions for this extremely vulnerable population are warranted.

Expiring Eviction Moratoriums and COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality

According to this study, resuming evictions in summer 2020 was associated with increased COVID-19 incidence and mortality in US states, with an estimated 433,700 excess cases and 10,700 excess deaths. Explore more research on COVID-19 in a curated collection from the AJE: https://academic.oup.com/aje/pages/covid-19

The Development of a Covid-19 Control Measures Risk Matrix for Occupational Hygiene Protective Measures

The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) developed a control banding matrix for employers and others to help assess the risks of COVID-19 infection, and calls for further work to validate the reliability of the tool. Browse the Annals' collection on occupational hygiene for virus protection: https://academic.oup.com/annweh/pages/covid-19 

Immunization to Protect the US Armed Forces: Heritage, Current Practice, and Prospects

In 1777, George Washington ordered a mandatory inoculation program for his troops, in what would become the first mass immunization mandate in the US. This archival article discussess and contextualizes immunization practices for US Armed Forces.

Does face mask use elicit risk-compensation? Quasi-experimental evidence from Denmark during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Responding to concerns that that face mask use could elicit a false sense of security and lead to riskier behaviours, this study from Denmark found that mask use overall correlated positively with protective behaviours.

Evidence reversals in primary care research: a study of randomized controlled trials

While medical practice is often undermined by subsequent investigation, randomized trials relevant to primary care generally hold up over time.

Social media influencers can be used to deliver positive information about the flu vaccine: findings from a multi-year study

This study shows the potential for using social media influencers to inspire positive engagements on pro-vaccine health messaging. For more content on accurate information's importance for public health, browse the latest article collection from HER: https://academic.oup.com/her/pages/covid-19

COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plans from 106 countries: a review from a health systems resilience perspective

Current emergency response planning does not have adequate coverage to maintain health systems functionality for essential health service delivery alongside emergency-specific interventions and healthcare. The findings from this study can help align health emergency planning with broader population health needs.

Rise and demise: a case study of public health nutrition in Queensland, Australia, over three decades

This case study shows that that ongoing efforts are needed to improve sustainability of nutrition policy and programmes to address all diet-related diseases.

Institutional and behaviour-change interventions to support COVID-19 public health measures: a review by the Lancet Commission Task Force on public health measures to suppress the pandemic

This review article outlines evidence for a range of institutional measures and behaviour-change measures, and highlights research and knowledge gaps.

Quantifying impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through life-expectancy losses: a population-level study of 29 countries 

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered significant mortality increases in 2020 of a magnitude not witnessed since World War II in Western Europe or the breakup of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe.

Gender in the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) Checklist

The authors propose an update to the Equator’s Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist, with the aim of enhancing inclusivity.

Rate of reinfections after SARS-CoV-2 primary infection in the population of an Italian province: a cohort study

This study confirms previous findings on a low risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. If confirmed, these findings suggest that more targeted restriction policies can be applied to the subjects that recovered after a first infection. Read highly cited papers on COVID-19 from the Journal of Public Health: https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/pages/covid-19

The reproductive number of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is far higher compared to the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 virus

Given the Delta variant's high reproductive number associated with higher transmissibility, in a context of globally still low vaccine coverage rates and lower vaccine effectiveness, public health and social measures will need to be substantially strengthened. A high reproductive number also means that much higher vaccine coverage rates need to be achieved compared to the originally assumed.

Neurological Complications of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neurological complications are rare in children suffering from COVID-19. Still, these children are at risk of developing seizures and encephalopathy, more in those suffering from severe illness.

Reactions to Sales Restrictions on Flavored Vape Products or All Vape Products Among Young Adults in the United States

The researchers examined support for and perceived impact of e-cigarette sales restrictions. Findings suggest that bans on flavored vape products could have a positive impact on lower-risk users, but that other young adult user subgroups may not experience benefit.

Covid-19 and Health at Work 

An editorial from the earlier stages of the pandemic highlights the importance of properly fitted respirators for worker safety and outlines occupational hygiene measures.

Lessons from the field: delivering trachoma mass drug administration safely in a COVID-19 context

Guidelines for safe mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases were developed in a COVID-19 context; training and implementation were assessed through an observation checklist.

For more research on the impact of COVID-19 on NTDs, explore the March 2021 special issue: https://academic.oup.com/trstmh/issue/115/3

Previously featured

Age and frailty are independently associated with increased COVID-19 mortality and increased care needs in survivors: results of an international multi-centre study

Trajectories of Alcohol Use and Related Harms for Managed Alcohol Program Participants over 12 Months Compared with Local Controls: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Estimating the Effect of Social Distancing Interventions on COVID-19 in the United States

Selecting Controls for Minimizing SARS-CoV-2 Aerosol Transmission in Workplaces and Conserving Respiratory Protective Equipment Supplies

What Do We Know About the Association Between Firearm Legislation and Firearm-Related Injuries?

Denialism: what is it and how should scientists respond?

Acute cooling of the feet and the onset of common cold symptoms

The effect of falsely balanced reporting of the autism–vaccine controversy on vaccine safety perceptions and behavioral intentions

Climate change: an urgent priority for health policy and systems research

Power, control, communities and health inequalities I: theories, concepts and analytical frameworks

Research ethics in context: understanding the vulnerabilities, agency and resourcefulness of research participants living along the Thai–Myanmar border

Tobacco smoking and mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in Australia

Quality and safety in the time of Coronavirus: design better, learn faster

Years of life lost associated with COVID-19 deaths in the United States

In-flight transmission of SARS-CoV-2: a review of the attack rates and available data on the efficacy of face masks

Stability of the Initial Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder by DSM-5 in Children: A Short-Term Follow-Up Study

Impact of Tobacco Smoking on the Risk of COVID-19: A Large Scale Retrospective Cohort Study

Mental health of staff working in intensive care during COVID-19

The benefits and costs of social distancing in high- and low-income countries

A classification tree to assist with routine scoring of the Clinical Frailty Scale

Recent Advances in the Potential of Positive Allosteric Modulators of the GABAB Receptor to Treat Alcohol Use Disorder

The recent oubreak of smallpox in Meschede, West Germany

Your Hair or Your Service: An Issue of Faith for Sikh Healthcare Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emerging Infections: Pandemic Influenza

Identifying the views of adolescents in five European countries on the drivers of obesity using group model building 

Novel multi-virus rapid respiratory microbiological point-of-care testing in primary care: a mixed-methods feasibility evaluation

Public health crisis in the refugee community: little change in social determinants of health preserve health disparities

In search of ‘community’: a critical review of community mental health services for women in African settings

COVID-19, a tale of two pandemics: novel coronavirus and fake news messaging 

Disrupting vaccine logistics

Use of directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to identify confounders in applied health research: review and recommendations

Measurement and monitoring patient safety in prehospital care: a systematic review

Black Lives Matter protests and COVID-19 cases: relationship in two databases

The positive impact of lockdown in Wuhan on containing the COVID-19 outbreak in China

Severe Malnutrition and Anemia Are Associated with Severe COVID in Infants

A Single-Arm, Open-Label, Pilot, and Feasibility Study of a High Nicotine Strength E-Cigarette Intervention for Smoking Cessation or Reduction for People With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Who Smoke Cigarettes

Healthcare workers and protection against inhalable SARS-CoV-2 aerosols

Affiliations

• Copyright © 2024
• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Institutional account management
• Rights and permissions
• Get help with access
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Top Health News

Top headlines, latest headlines.

• Feeding Infants Peanut Products
• Urban Gardening May Improve Human Health
• Enhancing Stereotactic Neurosurgery Precision
• More School Entry Disadvantages at Age 16-17
• End to Driving for Older Adults
• New Molecular Drivers of Alzheimer's
• I'll Have What She's Having!
• AI-Powered Headphones Filter Only Unwanted Noise
• US Hockey Players Use Canadian Accent
• Short-Circuiting Inflammation

Earlier Headlines

Friday, may 24, 2024.

• Genetic Cause of Rare Childhood Immune Disorders Discovered
• 'Invisible Tweezers' Use Robotics and Acoustic Energy to Achieve What Human Hands Cannot
• Understanding a Broken Heart
• High H5N1 Influenza Levels Found in Mice Given Raw Milk from Infected Dairy Cows
• New Advances in Cancer Viral Immunotherapy
• Observing Mammalian Cells With Superfast Soft X-Rays
• Imperceptible Sensors Made from 'electronic Spider Silk' Can Be Printed Directly on Human Skin
• Lght-Controlled 'off Switch' For Brain Cells
• AI Headphones Let Wearer Listen to a Single Person in a Crowd, by Looking at Them Just Once
• How Neurons Build a 3-D Vascular Structure to Keep the Retina Healthy

Thursday, May 23, 2024

• Most Young Women Treated for Breast Cancer Can Have Children
• Groundbreaking Study Connects Genetic Risk for Autism to Changes Observed in the Brain
• Sequencing of the Developing Human Brain Uncovers Hundreds of Thousands of New Gene Transcripts
• New Approach to Epstein-Barr Virus and Resulting Diseases
• Does It Matter If Your Kids Listen to You? When Adolescents Reject Mom's Advice, It Still Helps Them Cope
• Psychedelic Drug-Induced Hyperconnectivity in the Brain Helps Clarify Altered Subjective Experiences
• Stress Bragging May Make You Seem Less Competent, Less Likable at Work
• New 'atlas' Provides Unprecedented Insights on How Genes Function in Early Embryo Development
• Birdsong and Human Voice Built from Same Genetic Blueprint
• Study Explains Why the Brain Can Robustly Recognize Images, Even Without Color
• Researchers Unveil Shared and Unique Brain Molecular Dysregulations in PTSD and Depression
• Study Uncovers Cell Type-Specific Genetic Insights Underlying Schizophrenia
• A Promising Approach to Develop a Birth Control Pill for Men
• Tracking the Cellular and Genetic Roots of Neuropsychiatric Disease
• Approximately One in Nine U.S. Children Diagnosed With ADHD, as New National Study Highlights an 'ever-Expanding' Public Health Concern
• Mistaken Identity Cleared Up of Foodborne Pathogen Causing Severe Symptoms in Children
• Mental Disorders May Spread in Young People's Social Networks
• Rare Health Condition Cases Surge During COVID-19 Pandemic
• Predicting Cancer Risks on the Basis of National Health Data
• How Family Economic Insecurity Can Hurt Child Mental Health
• Tracking Down the Genetic Causes of Lupus to Personalize Treatment
• Exposure to Mixtures of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals During Pregnancy Linked to Higher Odds of Metabolic Syndrome in Children
• Century-Old Vaccine Protects Type 1 Diabetics from Infectious Diseases
• New Study Highlights Significant Increases in Cannabis Use in United States
• Inherited Genes Play a Larger Role in Melanoma Risk Than Previously Believed
• Key Differences in Brain Development Between Autistic Boys and Girls

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

• Eating More Ultra-Processed Foods Tied to Cognitive Decline, Stroke, According to Study
• Allergies: Advances in Understanding Eosinophils
• Wearable Ultrasound Patch Enables Continuous, Non-Invasive Monitoring of Cerebral Blood Flow
• Can Diet Help With Advanced Breast Cancer? All Indications Are Positive
• Brain Connectivity Patterns Differ in Infants at Familial Risk for Autism
• Health and Economic Benefits of Breastfeeding Quantified
• Scientists Learn How to Control Muscles With Light
• What Factors Predict When Older Adults Will Stop Driving?
• New Method for Diagnosing Sleep Disorders in Children
• Sweet Move: A Modified Sugar Enhances Antisense Oligonucleotide Safety and Efficacy
• Flicker Stimulation Shines in Clinical Trial for Epilepsy
• Dispelling Severe 'morning Sickness' Myths: It's Not Normal or Harmless, but Prevention and Treatment Might Be on the Way
• Gentler Cell Therapies for Blood Cancer
• Adhesive Coatings Can Prevent Scarring Around Medical Implants
• Dermatologists Find Ultraviolet Irradiation Increases Appetite but Prevents Body Weight Gain
• One in Two Children With ADHD Experience Emotional Problems
• Extreme Temperatures May Increase Risk of Stroke Mortality, Especially in Low-Income Countries
• Ancient Viral DNA in the Human Genome Linked to Major Psychiatric Disorders
• New Weapon Against Dementia
• Signatures of Heart Attack
• Milk from Before Antibiotic Era Were Resistant to Antibiotic Tetracycline
• Naturally Occurring Substance in Pomegranates Can Improve Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
• Transitioning Gender Identities Is Not Linked With Depression
• Sewage Overflows Linked to Increase in Gastrointestinal Illnesses

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

• New Tool May Help Prioritize High-Risk Infants for RSV Immunization
• Body Lice May Be Bigger Plague Spreaders Than Previously Thought
• Scientists Create Tailored Drug for Aggressive Breast Cancer
• Drug-Like Inhibitor Shows Promise in Preventing Flu
• PFAS Exposure in Men Linked to the Health of Their Offspring
• Ruptured Achilles Tendon Shows Faster Repair Amid Plasma Irradiation Treatment
• How Immune Cells Recognize the Abnormal Metabolism of Cancer Cells
• Exercise Bouts Could Improve Efficacy of Cancer Drug
• Extremely Rare Immune Cells Predict How Well Treatments Work for Recurrent Hives
• Night-Time Heat Significantly Increases the Risk of Stroke
• Study Models How Ketamine's Molecular Action Leads to Its Effects on the Brain
• Hope for a Cure for Visceral Leishmaniasis, an Often Fatal Infectious Disease
• Lung Cancer Study Offers Further Evidence on Importance of Screening
• AI Can Help Improve ER Admission Decisions
• Matcha Mouthwash Inhibits Bacteria That Causes Periodontitis
• Cortex's Self-Organizing Abilities in Neural Development
• Math Discovery Provides New Method to Study Cell Activity, Aging
• Researchers Introduce Programmable Materials to Help Heal Broken Bones
• Food for Thought: Study Links Key Nutrients With Slower Brain Aging
• New Therapeutic Avenues in Bone Repair
• Climbing the Social Ladder May Slow Dementia
• Studies Reveal Cell-by-Cell Changes Caused When Pig Hearts and Kidneys Are Transplanted Into Humans
• A New Gene-Editing System Tackles Complex Diseases
• Clarifying the Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Periodontitis With an Improved Animal Model
• Drug Helps Reprogram Macrophage Immune Cells, Suppress Prostate and Bladder Tumor Growth

Monday, May 20, 2024

• 'I Feel Like I'm Alice in Wonderland': Why Nightmares and 'daymares' Could Be Early Warning Signs of Autoimmune Disease
• Second Phase 3 Clinical Trial Again Shows Dupilumab Lessens Disease in COPD Patients With Type 2 Inflammation
• Electric School Buses May Yield Significant Health and Climate Benefits, Cost Savings
• Yoga and Meditation-Induced Altered States of Consciousness Are Common in the General Population
• Mothers Live Longer as Child Mortality Declines
• Study Sheds Light on Bacteria Associated With Pre-Term Birth
• New Method to Reveal What Drives Brain Diseases
• Studies Show Linked Biological Pathways Driving Skin Inflammation
• Nano Drug Accelerates Diabetic Wound Healing in Mice
• 1 in 4 Parents Say Their Teen Consumes Caffeine Daily or Nearly Every Day
• Exercise Spurs Neuron Growth and Rewires the Brain, Helping Mice Forget Traumatic and Addictive Memories
• Study Offers New Detail on How COVID-19 Affects the Lungs
• Body's 'message in a Bottle' Delivers Targeted Cancer Treatment
• New Mechanisms Behind Antibiotic Resistance
• Robot-Phobia Could Exacerbate Hotel, Restaurant Labor Shortage
• LATEST NEWS
• Top Science
• Top Physical/Tech
• Top Environment
• Top Society/Education
• Health & Medicine
• Mind & Brain
• Living Well
• Space & Time
• Matter & Energy
• Computers & Math
• Plants & Animals
• Earth & Climate
• Fossils & Ruins
• Science & Society
• Business & Industry
• Education & Learning

Strange & Offbeat

• Future Climate Impacts Put Whale Diet at Risk
• Charge Your Laptop in a Minute?
• Caterpillars Detect Predators by Electricity
• 'Electronic Spider Silk' Printed On Human Skin
• Engineered Surfaces Made to Shed Heat
• Innovative Material for Sustainable Building
• Human Brain: New Gene Transcripts
• Epstein-Barr Virus and Resulting Diseases
• Origins of the Proton's Spin
• Symbiotic Bacteria Communicate With Plants

Trending Topics

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Global Health Research Topics

Subscribe to Fogarty's Global Health Matters newsletter , and weekly funding news for global health researchers .

The Fogarty International Center and its NIH partners invest in research on a variety of topics vital to global health. For each of these global health research topics, find an in-depth collection of news, resources and funding from Fogarty, the NIH, other U.S. government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and others.

• Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
• Climate change
• Deafness and other communication disorders
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility
• Eye disease, vision health and blindness
• Global health security
• Household air pollution
• Implementation science
• Infectious diseases
• Coronaviruses
• Ebola virus disease
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Maternal and child health
• Mentoring and mentorship training
• Mobile health (mHealth)
• Neurological and mental disorders and diseases
• Oral and dental health
• Trauma and injury
• Tobacco control
• Women’s leadership in global health research

Health Topic Information

• NIH Health Topics
• MedlinePlus Health Topics
• Diseases and Conditions from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Updated January 3, 2024

Healthcare Research Paper Topics

In this page, we provide a comprehensive list of healthcare research paper topics , expert advice on selecting compelling topics, guidance on writing an impactful research paper, and information about iResearchNet’s writing services. By exploring these resources, students in the health sciences field can choose relevant and significant healthcare research paper topics, develop their papers effectively, and access professional writing assistance to excel in their academic endeavors.

100 Healthcare Research Paper Topics

The field of healthcare research encompasses a vast array of topics that are crucial for understanding, improving, and transforming healthcare practices. As students in the health sciences, you have the opportunity to explore these diverse areas and contribute to the knowledge base of healthcare research. This comprehensive list aims to inspire and guide you in selecting healthcare research paper topics that align with your interests and academic goals. The topics are divided into ten distinct categories, each containing ten thought-provoking and relevant research ideas. Let this list serve as a springboard for your exploration and a catalyst for impactful research in the dynamic field of healthcare.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code.

1. Healthcare Policy and Management

• The Impact of Health Policies on Access to Care
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Health Insurance Programs
• Analyzing the Role of Healthcare Leadership in Quality Improvement
• Exploring Strategies for Healthcare Cost Containment
• Investigating the Relationship Between Healthcare Regulations and Patient Outcomes
• Evaluating the Impact of Electronic Health Records on Healthcare Delivery
• Examining the Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Healthcare
• Analyzing the Influence of Political Factors on Healthcare Decision-Making
• Assessing the Ethical Implications of Resource Allocation in Healthcare
• Investigating the Effectiveness of Health Promotion Programs in Primary Care Settings

2. Healthcare Ethics and Legal Issues

• Analyzing the Ethical Challenges of Healthcare Research Involving Human Subjects
• Exploring the Impact of Cultural and Religious Beliefs on Healthcare Decision-Making
• Examining Legal Issues in End-of-Life Care and Advance Directives
• Investigating the Ethical Implications of Genetic Testing and Personalized Medicine
• Assessing the Ethical Dilemmas in Access to Experimental Treatments
• Exploring the Role of Ethics Committees in Healthcare Organizations
• Analyzing the Intersection of Healthcare Ethics and Artificial Intelligence
• Evaluating the Legal and Ethical Implications of Telemedicine
• Investigating the Ethics of Healthcare Resource Allocation during Public Health Emergencies
• Examining the Legal and Ethical Issues of Patient Privacy in the Digital Age

3. Healthcare Technology and Innovation

• Assessing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Diagnostics
• Exploring the Potential of Wearable Devices for Remote Patient Monitoring
• Investigating the Role of Big Data Analytics in Healthcare Decision-Making
• Analyzing the Use of Robotics in Surgery and Patient Care
• Examining the Impact of Telehealth on Healthcare Access and Delivery
• Evaluating the Benefits and Challenges of Electronic Health Records Implementation
• Exploring the Applications of Virtual Reality in Healthcare Education and Training
• Investigating the Role of Mobile Health Applications in Health Behavior Change
• Assessing the Potential of Blockchain Technology in Healthcare Data Security
• Analyzing the Ethical and Social Implications of Genetic Engineering in Healthcare

4. Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety

• Evaluating the Impact of Patient-Centered Care on Health Outcomes
• Analyzing the Role of Quality Improvement Initiatives in Reducing Medical Errors
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Medication Safety Practices in Healthcare Settings
• Exploring Strategies to Improve Healthcare Communication and Interprofessional Collaboration
• Investigating the Relationship Between Nursing Workforce and Patient Safety
• Examining the Impact of Clinical Practice Guidelines on Healthcare Quality
• Analyzing the Role of Patient Engagement in Enhancing Healthcare Quality
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare Process Improvement
• Exploring the Role of Health Information Technology in Enhancing Patient Safety
• Investigating the Influence of Organizational Culture on Healthcare Quality and Safety

5. Mental Health and Psychological Well-being

• Analyzing the Impact of Stigma on Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior
• Exploring the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy Approaches in Treating Mental Health Disorders
• Assessing the Role of Early Intervention in Preventing Mental Health Disorders
• Investigating the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes
• Examining the Intersection of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders
• Evaluating the Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Psychological Well-being
• Exploring the Role of Social Support in Mental Health Recovery
• Analyzing the Effectiveness of Mental Health Awareness Campaigns
• Investigating the Influence of Cultural Factors on Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior
• Examining the Mental Health Needs and Challenges among Specific Populations (e.g., LGBTQ+, Veterans, Refugees)

6. Chronic Diseases and their Management

• Assessing the Impact of Lifestyle Factors on Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
• Exploring the Role of Community-Based Interventions in Chronic Disease Control
• Investigating the Relationship Between Social Determinants of Health and Chronic Disease Burden
• Analyzing the Use of Digital Health Technologies in Chronic Disease Management
• Examining the Impact of Health Literacy on Chronic Disease Outcomes
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Self-Management Programs for Chronic Conditions
• Exploring the Role of Healthcare Providers in Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
• Analyzing the Impact of Health Policies on Chronic Disease Prevention Efforts
• Investigating the Relationship Between Mental Health and Chronic Disease Management
• Examining the Disparities in Access to Chronic Disease Care and Treatment

7. Healthcare Disparities and Access to Care

• Analyzing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare Access and Quality
• Exploring the Role of Socioeconomic Factors in Healthcare Disparities
• Assessing the Impact of Geographic Location on Healthcare Access and Health Outcomes
• Investigating Gender Disparities in Healthcare Utilization and Treatment
• Examining the Influence of Health Insurance Status on Healthcare Disparities
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Culturally Competent Care in Reducing Disparities
• Exploring the Relationship Between Language Barriers and Healthcare Access
• Analyzing the Impact of Implicit Bias on Healthcare Disparities
• Investigating the Role of Health Literacy in Healthcare Disparities
• Examining the Disparities in Mental Health Services and Access to Mental Healthcare

8. Healthcare Education and Training

• Assessing the Effectiveness of Simulation-Based Training in Healthcare Education
• Exploring the Role of Interprofessional Education in Improving Collaborative Practice
• Investigating the Impact of Technology-Enhanced Learning in Healthcare Education
• Analyzing the Use of Gamification in Healthcare Training and Skill Development
• Examining the Role of Continuing Education in Enhancing Healthcare Providers’ Competence
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mentorship Programs in Healthcare Education
• Exploring Strategies to Address Cultural Competence in Healthcare Education
• Analyzing the Role of Reflective Practice in Healthcare Professional Development
• Investigating the Use of Team-Based Learning in Healthcare Education
• Examining the Impact of Experiential Learning in Healthcare Training Programs

9. Public Health and Preventive Medicine

• Assessing the Impact of Vaccination Programs on Public Health Outcomes
• Exploring the Role of Health Promotion Campaigns in Preventing Non-communicable Diseases
• Investigating the Effectiveness of Community-Based Interventions in Disease Prevention
• Analyzing the Impact of Environmental Factors on Public Health
• Examining the Role of Social Determinants of Health in Health Disparities
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Public Health Policies in Tobacco Control
• Exploring Strategies for Preventing and Managing Infectious Diseases
• Analyzing the Role of Health Education in Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
• Investigating the Influence of Media on Public Health Perceptions and Behaviors
• Examining the Challenges and Opportunities in Global Health Initiatives

10. Emerging Topics in Healthcare Research

• Assessing the Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Exploring the Role of Precision Medicine in Personalized Healthcare
• Investigating the Impact of Genomic Research on Healthcare Delivery
• Analyzing the Use of Telemedicine in Rural and Underserved Areas
• Examining the Integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Healthcare
• Evaluating the Potential of Digital Therapeutics in Disease Management
• Exploring the Ethical Considerations of Gene Editing Technologies in Healthcare
• Analyzing the Influence of Social Media on Healthcare Decision-Making
• Investigating the Role of Health Information Exchange in Coordinated Care
• Examining the Implications of Health Equity in Healthcare Research and Practice

This comprehensive list of healthcare research paper topics encompasses a wide range of areas within the healthcare field. Each category offers diverse research ideas that can inspire students in the health sciences to explore pressing issues, propose innovative solutions, and contribute to the advancement of healthcare knowledge. Whether you are interested in healthcare policy, ethics, technology, mental health, chronic diseases, healthcare disparities, education, public health, or emerging healthcare research paper topics, this list serves as a valuable resource to kickstart your research journey. Choose a topic that resonates with you, aligns with your academic goals, and enables you to make a meaningful impact in the field of healthcare research. Remember, the pursuit of knowledge and the drive to improve healthcare practices are at the heart of your journey as a student in the health sciences.

Choosing Healthcare Research Paper Topics

Choosing the right healthcare research paper topic is a crucial step in conducting a successful and impactful study. With the vast array of healthcare issues and areas to explore, it can be challenging to narrow down your focus. To help you navigate this process effectively, we have compiled expert advice and ten essential tips for selecting compelling healthcare research paper topics. Consider these insights as you embark on your research journey in the dynamic field of healthcare:

• Follow Your Passion : Choose a topic that genuinely interests you. Passion and enthusiasm will drive your motivation, ensuring that you remain engaged throughout the research process.
• Stay Informed : Keep up with the latest healthcare trends, emerging issues, and ongoing debates. Stay informed through reputable sources, academic journals, conferences, and professional networks to identify current and relevant research gaps.
• Identify a Research Gap : Conduct a thorough literature review to identify areas where there is a need for further research. Look for unanswered questions, controversies, or gaps in knowledge that you can address in your study.
• Consider Relevance and Significance : Choose a topic that is relevant to current healthcare challenges or contributes to improving healthcare practices, policies, or patient outcomes. Aim for a topic that has real-world implications and societal impact.
• Delve into Specific Areas : Narrow down your focus by selecting a specific aspect or subtopic within the broad field of healthcare. This allows for a more focused and in-depth analysis of the chosen area.
• Consult with Your Advisor or Faculty : Seek guidance from your research advisor or faculty members who specialize in healthcare research. They can provide valuable insights, help you refine your topic, and direct you to relevant literature and resources.
• Brainstorm with Peers : Engage in discussions with your peers and classmates to explore different perspectives and gain inspiration. Collaborative brainstorming sessions can generate new ideas and offer fresh insights.
• Consider Ethical Considerations : Take ethical considerations into account when selecting a healthcare research topic. Ensure that your research adheres to ethical guidelines and respects the rights and privacy of participants, especially in studies involving human subjects.
• Think Interdisciplinary : Consider interdisciplinary approaches to healthcare research. Explore how other disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, economics, or technology, intersect with healthcare, providing a broader perspective and enhancing the depth of your research.
• Feasibility and Available Resources : Assess the feasibility of your chosen topic, considering the resources, time, and data availability required for your research. Ensure that you have access to relevant data sources, research tools, and necessary support to carry out your study effectively.

By following these expert tips, you will be equipped to choose a healthcare research paper topic that aligns with your interests, is relevant to current healthcare challenges, and has the potential to make a meaningful impact in the field. Remember, selecting the right topic sets the foundation for a successful research endeavor, allowing you to contribute to the advancement of healthcare knowledge and practices.

How to Write a Healthcare Research Paper

Writing a healthcare research paper requires careful planning, organization, and attention to detail. To help you navigate the intricacies of the writing process, we have compiled ten essential tips to guide you towards crafting a well-written and impactful healthcare research paper. Follow these expert recommendations to enhance the quality and effectiveness of your research paper:

• Develop a Clear Research Question : Start by formulating a clear and concise research question that will serve as the central focus of your paper. Ensure that your question is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
• Conduct a Thorough Literature Review : Before diving into your research, conduct a comprehensive literature review to familiarize yourself with existing knowledge on the topic. Identify key theories, concepts, methodologies, and gaps in the literature that your research aims to address.
• Create a Solid Research Design : Design a robust research plan that aligns with your research question. Define your study population, sampling strategy, data collection methods, and statistical analyses. A well-designed research plan enhances the validity and reliability of your findings.
• Collect and Analyze Data : Implement your data collection methods, ensuring ethical considerations and adherence to research protocols. Once collected, analyze the data using appropriate statistical techniques and tools. Provide a clear description of your analytical methods.
• Structure your Paper Effectively : Organize your research paper into logical sections, including an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Use headings and subheadings to enhance readability and guide the reader through your paper.
• Write a Compelling Introduction : Start your paper with a strong introduction that captures the reader’s attention and provides a concise overview of the research topic, objectives, and significance. Clearly state your research question and the rationale for your study.
• Present Clear and Concise Results : Present your research findings in a clear and concise manner. Use tables, graphs, and figures where appropriate to enhance the readability of your results. Provide a comprehensive interpretation of the results, highlighting key findings and their implications.
• Engage in Critical Analysis and Discussion : Analyze and interpret your findings in the context of existing literature. Discuss the strengths and limitations of your study, addressing potential biases or confounders. Consider alternative explanations and provide a thoughtful discussion of the implications of your findings.
• Follow Proper Citation and Referencing Guidelines : Adhere to the appropriate citation style (such as APA, MLA, or Chicago) consistently throughout your paper. Cite all sources accurately and include a comprehensive list of references at the end of your paper.
• Revise and Edit : Before finalizing your research paper, revise and edit it thoroughly. Pay attention to clarity, coherence, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Ensure that your arguments flow logically and that your paper is well-structured and cohesive.

By following these tips, you will be well-equipped to write a high-quality healthcare research paper that effectively communicates your findings, contributes to the existing knowledge in the field, and engages readers with your insights and conclusions. Remember to seek feedback from your peers, professors, or research advisors to further refine your paper and ensure its overall excellence.

iResearchNet’s Custom Writing Services

At iResearchNet, we understand the challenges students face when it comes to writing healthcare research papers. To support you in your academic journey and ensure the highest quality of your work, we offer a comprehensive range of writing services. With a team of expert degree-holding writers and a commitment to excellence, we are dedicated to providing customized solutions tailored to your specific needs. Here are the features that set our writing services apart:

• Expert Degree-Holding Writers : Our team consists of highly qualified writers with advanced degrees in healthcare and related fields. They possess in-depth knowledge and expertise in various areas of healthcare, ensuring that your research paper is handled by professionals with subject matter expertise.
• Custom Written Works : We understand the importance of originality and uniqueness in academic writing. Our writers craft each research paper from scratch, tailoring it to your specific requirements and ensuring that it is entirely original and plagiarism-free.
• In-Depth Research : Our writers are skilled in conducting extensive research using reputable sources. They delve deep into the literature to gather the most relevant and up-to-date information, providing a solid foundation for your research paper.
• Custom Formatting : We offer custom formatting options to meet the specific guidelines of your institution and chosen citation style. Whether it’s APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, or any other formatting style, our writers are well-versed in the intricacies of each.
• Top Quality : We are committed to delivering research papers of the highest quality. Our writers follow strict quality control measures to ensure that your paper meets the academic standards, including proper structure, clarity of writing, and logical flow of ideas.
• Customized Solutions : We recognize that every research paper is unique. Our writers work closely with you to understand your research objectives, guidelines, and preferences. They tailor their approach to ensure that your research paper reflects your vision and academic goals.
• Flexible Pricing : We offer flexible pricing options to accommodate students’ budgets. We understand the financial constraints students often face, and we strive to provide competitive and affordable pricing for our writing services.
• Short Deadlines : We understand that time is often a critical factor. We offer short turnaround times, allowing you to meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of your research paper. With our dedicated team, we can handle urgent requests efficiently.
• Timely Delivery : We prioritize timely delivery to ensure that you receive your research paper well before your deadline. We understand the importance of submitting your work on time and offer our commitment to punctuality.
• 24/7 Support : Our customer support team is available 24/7 to assist you with any inquiries or concerns you may have. We are here to provide prompt and helpful assistance at any stage of the writing process.
• Absolute Privacy : We value your privacy and confidentiality. We have strict measures in place to protect your personal information and ensure that your identity remains anonymous throughout the process.
• Easy Order Tracking : We provide a user-friendly platform that allows you to track the progress of your order. You can stay updated on the status of your research paper and communicate directly with your assigned writer.
• Money-Back Guarantee : We are confident in the quality of our writing services. In the rare event that you are not satisfied with the final product, we offer a money-back guarantee, ensuring your peace of mind and commitment to your satisfaction.

At iResearchNet, we are dedicated to your success. We strive to exceed your expectations and provide you with a seamless and exceptional experience. Trust us with your healthcare research paper and let our expert writers bring your ideas to life with professionalism, accuracy, and academic excellence.

Customized Solutions for Your Research Needs

Are you a health sciences student in search of professional assistance for your healthcare research paper? Look no further than iResearchNet. We are here to empower your academic journey and help you excel in your research endeavors. With our comprehensive writing services and commitment to excellence, we provide the necessary tools and expert guidance to ensure your success.

At iResearchNet, we understand the unique challenges that come with writing healthcare research papers. Our team of expert degree-holding writers specializes in the health sciences field, allowing us to deliver customized solutions tailored to your specific research needs. Whether you need assistance in selecting a research topic, conducting in-depth literature reviews, analyzing data, or crafting a well-structured paper, we have the expertise to guide you every step of the way.

Take the next step in your healthcare research journey and unlock your academic potential with iResearchNet. Order your custom healthcare research paper today and let our expert writers bring your ideas to life with professionalism, accuracy, and academic excellence. Trust us to provide you with the guidance and support you need to achieve your research goals and make a meaningful impact in the field of healthcare.

ORDER HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM PAPER

• How It Works
• PhD thesis writing
• Master thesis writing
• Bachelor thesis writing
• Dissertation writing service
• Dissertation abstract writing
• Thesis proposal writing
• Thesis editing service
• Thesis proofreading service
• Thesis formatting service
• Coursework writing service
• Research paper writing service
• Architecture thesis writing
• Computer science thesis writing
• Engineering thesis writing
• History thesis writing
• MBA thesis writing
• Nursing dissertation writing
• Psychology dissertation writing
• Sociology thesis writing
• Statistics dissertation writing
• Buy dissertation online
• Write my dissertation
• Cheap thesis
• Cheap dissertation
• Custom dissertation
• Dissertation help
• Pay for thesis
• Pay for dissertation
• Senior thesis
• Write my thesis

226 Hot Public Health Thesis Topics For Top Grades

Are you stuck trying to get the best current public health research topics for thesis and writing it? If yes, know you are not alone. A lot of students find the tasks challenging, but we are here to help. Keep reading our informative guide that demonstrates how to prepare an engaging public health paper.

We will also highlight hot 226 health policy topics for paper and other public health ideas for dissertation that you can use for top grades. Why settle for less when we can help you select the best college or university papers?

What Is Public Health?

Before looking at the top public health statistics undergraduate thesis topics or other public health research ideas, let’s start with the definition. So, what is public health?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), public health is “the art and science of preventing diseases, helping to prolong life and promote health using organized efforts. Good examples of public health efforts include preventing outbreaks, educating the public on health choices, promoting fitness, preparing for emergencies, and avoiding the spread of infectious diseases. Public health

How To Write A Great Public Health Dissertation

If you are a graduate or masters student, one of the most comprehensive documents that you need to prepare is the dissertation. It is an expansive paper and comes at the end of your course. Remember that you need to ensure it is prepared well because a team of professors will ultimately evaluate it. So, here are the main steps that you need to follow to prepare a high quality dissertation:

Identify the topic of study Comprehensively research the topic and identify the main points to support it Develop the thesis statement for the dissertation (this thesis will ultimately be tested after gathering your data) Develop an outline for the dissertation. This guide should tell you what to write at what specific instance. Here is a sample outline: Topic of the study Introduction. Start with the thesis statement, followed by the objectives of the study. Then, the rest of the introduction should be used to set the background for the study. Literature review: Review relevant resources about the topic. Methodology: Explain the methodology that was used during the study. Is Results and analysis: Provide the results gathered during the study. Discussion and conclusion: Here, you should discuss the study results and demonstrate whether they approve or disapprove the thesis statement. If you found any gaps in the previous studies, highlight them too and call for further studies. Bibliography: This is a list of all the resources you used to prepare the paper. Write the first draft following the outline we have just listed above. Write the final copy by refining the first draft, proofreading, and editing it.

Awesome Public Health Thesis Topics

Here are the leading thesis topics in public health for top grades. You can use them as they are or tweak a little to suit your preference.

Public Health Thesis Topics In Mental Issues

• What is the role of public health in addressing mental issues in society?
• Seasonal affective disorder: A review of the disorder’s prevalence rates.
• Society should always listen to the needs of mentally ill persons.
• Eating disorders in adults: A review of the treatment strategies used for adults in the UK.
• What is the relation between climate change and emerging public health issues?
• Comparing depression prevalence rates in the UK to those of the US.
• What are the main causes of anxiety disorders in society?
• A review of the connection between HIV/AIDS and mental health issues in society.
• Running a public health facility: What is the most important equipment?
• Emerging public health issues in developing countries.
• Analyzing the psychological problems of breast cancer.
• What strategies should people use to prevent their mental health from social media dangers?
• A review of the public health benefits associated with active lifestyles.
• Stress: Why is it a major risk factor for mental health in many communities?
• What are the most common mental health issues in society today?
• Comparing the rates of depression and stress in China and the UK.
• Addressing anxiety-related disorders: Is cognitive-behavior therapy the best treatment method?
• A review of the economic burden of living with a person suffering from anxiety disorders.
• How does depression impact the quality of life?
• Comparing training of public health officers in the US to India.

Unique Research Topics In Public Health

• Surrogacy: A review of associated ethical issues.
• Prevalence of medical errors in hospitals: A review of the policies used to prevent the problem in the United States.
• Blood transfusion: What are the side effects?
• A review of doctors’ roles in promoting healthy lifestyles.
• Maintaining healthy body weight: Comparing the effectiveness of the recommended methods.
• A review of organ donation trends in Europe and Asia.
• Analyzing the ethical factors around cloning: When should it be allowed?
• The ethics of human experimentation.
• Comparing the rates of heart attacks in women to men in the United States.
• What are the main causes of heart attacks? Can it be prevented?
• Progress in diabetes studies and treatment: Is it possible to get a cure in the future?
• Biological weapons and their impacts on society: A review of the Leukemia rates in Japan.
• Pre-diabetes in children: What are the main symptoms, and how can it be addressed?

Public Health Paper Topics On COVID-19

• How will COVID-19 change life?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of self-isolation?
• Life lessons that you learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• What challenges has your community faced during COVID-19 pandemic?
• School life during COVID-19 pandemic.
• A review of mass media operations during pandemic.
• What projects did you undertake during the pandemic?
• A review of projects that your community undertook during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A closer look at the backlash against Asians in Europe at the start COVID-19 pandemic period.
• Preparing for the next pandemic: What lessons did the world learn from the COVID-19 pandemic?
• The best strategies for staying healthy during a pandemic.
• Is there anything that we could have done to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Comparing the effectiveness of Europe and American healthcare preparedness for tackling disasters.
• A review of mental health status in a community of your choice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• A review of COVID-19 emergence theories: Which one do you think is more credible?
• Comparing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to Ebola.
• Vaccines development for viral infections: What made the development of the COVID-19 vaccine possible so fast, whereas that of HIV/AIDS has taken so long?
• A review of the vaccine development process.
• Time for review: How effectively do you think your government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Rethinking public health on a global scale: Demonstrating why effective healthcare is only possible when looked at globally.

Interesting Public Health Research Topic Ideas

• What is the importance of learning public health in school?
• Identify and review a common public health issue in your community.
• The history of human health: Comparing what was considered healthy in ancient times to what is referred to as healthy today.
• Going vegan: How can it impact your health?
• Excessive weight: Is it the new threat to human civilization?
• Is bodybuilding healthy?
• Body positive: Is it a new health standard or ignorance of body issues?
• Things to consider when selecting healthy food to eat.
• Why psychological health should be part of every community in society.
• The health of newborns: What is the difference between their healthcare and that of adults?
• Emerging trends in the healthcare industry: How can the latest trends benefit society?
• Comparing depression and anxiety in two countries of your choice.
• Physical wellness must include healthy behavioral patterns and nutrition.
• A sense of belonging is paramount to personal and community health.
• What is the relationship between spirituality and public health?
• A review of stigmatization of mental health issues in a community of your choice.
• Is it possible to prevent depression?
• At what point should children start learning sex-related education?
• Comparing the two main public health issues in two cities: London and New York.
• What is the relationship between poverty and public health?

Hot Researchable Topics In Public Health

• The resurgence of measles in society: The best guidance for clinicians.
• Tackling the growing national drug problem.
• Bioterrorism preparedness for global disasters.
• A review of recent vitamin D recommendations for older adults.
• Strategies for maintaining maternal mortality at low levels across the globe.
• Efforts by Asian governments to reduce infections from using unsafe water.
• Over-the-counter drug abuse in Europe: Compare two countries of your choice.
• Health care providers’ roles in preventing bullying in society.
• Knowledge management in the UK healthcare organizations.
• The health benefits of good healthcare waste management.
• Characteristics of dental wastes in hospitals.
• Comparing the most prevalent public health issues in developed and developing nations.
• Latest trends in financing public health.
• The relevance of clinical epidemiology in public health.
• Evidence based public health.
• Epidemiological burden of HIV/AIDS in developing countries.
• Addressing cervical cancer in developing countries: Is it possible to eliminate it completely?
• Ethics in public health clinical research.
• Comparing the strategies used in teaching and motivating public health professionals in developing and developed countries.

Research Topics In Public Health For Masters

• Advertising and impacts on food choices in the community.
• The use of stem cell technologies for cancer treatment: What are the latest trends?
• Bio-printing: Is it the future of organ transplants?
• Nutrition education: How does it promote healthy diets?
• Exercising: What role does it play in promoting strength and balance in the elderly?
• Weight loss surgery: What are the key advantages and disadvantages?
• Heart disease is a major public health issue in society.
• Alternative strategies for treating depression in society: Are they effective?
• Healthcare leadership and its importance in public health.
• Legal aspects of public health care in the society.
• Mental disabilities in patients: A review of the emerging trends in the UK.
• How does the United States promote the development of public health?
• Inequalities in medicine: What impact does it have in public health?
• The most controversial issues in public health in the UK.
• What are the most preferred storage systems for medical supplies in the UK public health facilities?
• Reimagining the public health systems on the globe: Where do you see the UK health system in the next 20 years?

Top Thesis Topics In Dental Public Health

• Common oral health issues in Ireland.
• A review of common problems of endodontically treated teeth.
• The role of good leadership skills in dental education.
• Child management techniques between male and female practitioners.
• What role does ergonomics play in dentistry?
• Dental material and bio-engineering: What are the latest trends?
• A review of the relationship between diabetes and oral health in the society.
• The role of electronic health care record systems used in public health.
• Comparing dental health issues in the developing and developed countries.
• A review of public awareness of dental health issues in a community of choice.
• How can you ensure that all the food you buy is safe and healthy?
• What strategies are used by your local health community to promote dental awareness?
• Dental health management in California: What do you think should be done differently?
• Are you satisfied with the strategies used to address dental issues?

Hot Thesis Topics Public Health

• Mandatory overtime work for medical staff: How does it impact their commitment to their job?
• Nursing shortage and its impact in public health.
• Strategies for improving public health in the EU.
• Mental health issues among asylum seekers in the United States.
• Common mental issues among veterans returning from war: A case study of the United States.
• What functions does management play in healthcare settings when handling key public health issues?
• How poor relationships between nurses and doctors can impact public health services delivery.
• Third-party players in public health and their roles.
• Financial reporting standards in public health facilities.
• What is the correlation between revenue collection in society and the quality of patient services?
• Reviewing the coordination of public health officials during disasters.
• The importance of staff training on quality of health services.
• Comparing the differences between alternative medicine and conventional medicine in addressing public health issues in society.
• Obesity: What are the main causes in child-going age?
• A review of health consequences of caffeine.
• Medical marijuana: What are the main pros and cons?
• A review of the US Farm Bill Amendments that legalized use of cannabis in the US.
• Doing sports: Is it always healthy?
• Low-fat or low-carb diet: Which one is better in addressing overweight and diabetes issues?
• Preventing communicable diseases: Evaluating the prevention strategies used in Asia.
• What is the estimated cost of treating heart problems?

Controversial Public Health Dissertation Topics

• Smoking and impacts of current efforts to address cancer in the society.
• A review of the main causes of heart attacks in society today.
• Tobacco ads: Evaluating their impacts and the relationship to the current cancer trends in the society.
• Sleep disorders: Explain why they should be considered a public health issue.
• Staffing shortage and the impacts in fighting COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.
• Analyzing risk management of treating different diseases in the community.
• COVID-19 pandemic in numbers: Comparing the infection rates in the developed and developing countries.
• Reviewing strategies used in the US public health system to achieve equity: How effective are they?
• Analyzing the main challenges in the UK medical care system.
• Rising cases of suicides in the society: What are the main causes?
• A comprehensive review of strategies used to prevent suicides in the 21st century in the US.
• Use of vaccines to prevent diseases: Do adults still need the vaccines?
• Heat-related deaths: What strategies should be adopted?
• Chronic-diseases prevention: Comparing the strategies used in developing and developed countries.
• Are we becoming too dependent on antibiotics in fighting diseases?
• Opioid crisis: Are the doctors to blame for it?
• Use of blockchain in growing accuracy of clinical trials in medicine.
• What dangers are posed by nuclear wastes in society?
• Assessing US industrial facilities compliance rates to cut down emissions.
• Using clean energy as a strategy of improving public health: What are the expectations?
• What is the healthiest country?
• Evaluating the correlation between gaming and deviant behavior among children in society.
• COVID-19 could have been prevented if WHO was more vigilant?

Public Health Research Questions

• Is the high cost of medical healthcare in the United States justified?
• What is the correlation between poverty and poor health in society?
• Should health care for homeless people be free?
• Unconventional medicine: Should it be part of the UK healthcare system?
• Should doctors be responsible for medical errors?
• Should medical officers or health facilities be allowed to promote selective medical products?
• Should all healthcare facilities in the UK be required to have translators for non-English speaking clients?
• Mental health issues associated with domestic violence: A case study of France.
• Is it a good idea to legalize euthanasia?
• What are the benefits of using surgical masks in public?
• What are the most important lessons from the different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic reported on the globe?
• Who is more responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Ebola or COVID-19 pandemic: Which is worse?
• What are the main causes of epidemics on the globe?
• Public health planning: What are the most important things to think about?
• Should governments pay the cost of rehabilitating drug addicts in society?
• Teaching children healthy lifestyles: What are the best strategies?
• What problems do people with autism face in society?
• What are the leading causes of child mortality in your community?
• Gun violence in the United States: Should it be considered a public health issue?
• What illnesses are considered foodborne?

Easy Topics In Public Health

• All workplaces should support breastfeeding.
• What are the best strategies to reduce pollution in society?
• Public health benefits of recycling waste in society.
• Reviewing the causes of poor water quality in the developing world.
• Comparing water quality standards policies in the UK and US.
• Health impacts of the rapid depletion of o-zone depletion.
• Better planning of infrastructural development is important for healthier societies: Discuss.
• The US is better prepared to handle pandemics that might arise after the COVID-19 pandemic. Discuss.
• A review of common diseases spread by vectors.
• A review of key policies installed to protect employee health.
• Legal age for consuming energy drinks should be set by the government to address the problem of diabetes.
• Smoking: Should it be banned in public?
• What are the best strategies for raising awareness in public?
• Can reducing the workload of employees in manufacturing facilities improve their health?
• Sunbathing should be restricted to prevent the risk of cancer: Discuss.
• Should abortion be banned in society?
• School-related stress: How can it be prevented?
• Should birth control be made available and free for all teenagers?
• What should be categorized as a bad health habit?
• Compare and contrast two common treatment methods for treating behavioral disorders.
• Internet addiction: What are the main dangers of internet addiction?

Other Public Health Topics For Research

• How to stay healthy and safe during a pandemic.
• Using a bicycle instead of driving is healthier.
• Common mental disorders in India.
• What is the biggest health issue among young people?
• The impact of exercising in teenagers.
• Why do teenagers experiment with drugs?
• What impact does dispositional violence have on mental disorders?
• Is telemedicine helpful in promoting better healthcare?
• Unproven alternative medicine: What are the associated risks?
• What alternatives do we have for antibiotics?
• What is the difference between private and public healthcare?
• A review of the main health issues associated with puberty.
• What is the most dangerous disease of the 21st century?
• Why are some people still afraid of vaccines?
• Experimental treatment: Why do people agree to undergo it?
• How can we improve the health of people living with chronic illnesses?
• The best strategies to make people aware of the basics of healthcare.
• A review of the growing awareness about reproductive health in the society.

Seek Thesis Help from Experts

As we indicated earlier, writing a dissertation or other advanced papers is never easy. However, you should not give up or get content with poor quality work. If you do, defending the paper in front of a team of professors will be challenging. The best way out is to pay master thesis help .

We work with the best writers who are always ready to help you craft A-rated papers. They are educated in top schools and have a lot of experience in preparing both undergraduate papers and masters thesis. When you buy medical thesis , we also offer editing and proofreading services to guarantee students of highly refined work. Our services are also affordable and we also use secure communication to guarantee every student high confidentiality. When your teacher issues the assignment prompt, whether for a research paper or dissertation, let our professionals help you to get the best grades.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment * Error message

Name * Error message

Email * Error message

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

As Putin continues killing civilians, bombing kindergartens, and threatening WWIII, Ukraine fights for the world's peaceful future.

Ukraine Live Updates

ALL ARTICLES IN

Health news: latest research, top stories, trending topics.

Stay up to date with the latest medical and health news that matter most to you and your family. Have a question? Got feedback? Contact Us

Raw Milk Sales Are Surging — What Are the Risks?

Hims & Hers to Sell Compounded Semaglutide Injections Starting at $199

Minuscule Plastic Pieces Found in Human and Dog Testicles

What Are the Symptoms of the New COVID-19 FLiRT Variant?

Nightmares and ‘Daymares’ Could Be the First Signs of an Autoimmune Disease

Plant-Based Diets Tied to Lower Risk of Heart Disease And Cancer

Global Life Expectancy May Increase 4 to 5 Years by 2050

Men Are at Greater Risk Than Women of Diabetes Complications Like Stroke

Yogi Organic Echinacea ‘Immune Support’ Tea Recalled for Pesticide Residue

Cicadas Are Coming — What Does That Mean for Your Health?

Wegovy Shows Weight Loss Staying Power in New 4-Year Study

Neuropathy May Be Underdiagnosed and Undertreated

Nonhormonal Drug Veozah Improves Hot Flashes in New 6-Month Study

Colon Cancer Rises Dramatically Among Children and Teens

1 in 8 U.S. Adults Have Tried Ozempic or Another GLP-1 Drug

Low Testosterone in Men Linked to Premature Death

Ultraprocessed Foods Tied to Greater Risk of Early Death

New Weight Loss Treatment Burns Off Stomach Lining to Reduce Hunger

7 Biggest Reveals From Netflix’s ‘Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut’

Common Diabetes Drug Metformin Might Help Fight COVID-19

Best Nursing Research Topics for Students

What is a nursing research paper.

• What They Include
• Choosing a Topic
• Best Nursing Research Topics
• Research Paper Writing Tips

Writing a research paper is a massive task that involves careful organization, critical analysis, and a lot of time. Some nursing students are natural writers, while others struggle to select a nursing research topic, let alone write about it.

If you're a nursing student who dreads writing research papers, this article may help ease your anxiety. We'll cover everything you need to know about writing nursing school research papers and the top topics for nursing research.  

Continue reading to make your paper-writing jitters a thing of the past.

A nursing research paper is a work of academic writing composed by a nurse or nursing student. The paper may present information on a specific topic or answer a question.

During LPN/LVN and RN programs, most papers you write focus on learning to use research databases, evaluate appropriate resources, and format your writing with APA style. You'll then synthesize your research information to answer a question or analyze a topic.

BSN , MSN , Ph.D., and DNP programs also write nursing research papers. Students in these programs may also participate in conducting original research studies.

Writing papers during your academic program improves and develops many skills, including the ability to:

• Select nursing topics for research
• Conduct effective research
• Analyze published academic literature
• Format and cite sources
• Synthesize data
• Organize and articulate findings

About Nursing Research Papers

When do nursing students write research papers.

You may need to write a research paper for any of the nursing courses you take. Research papers help develop critical thinking and communication skills. They allow you to learn how to conduct research and critically review publications.

That said, not every class will require in-depth, 10-20-page papers. The more advanced your degree path, the more you can expect to write and conduct research. If you're in an associate or bachelor's program, you'll probably write a few papers each semester or term.

Do Nursing Students Conduct Original Research?

Most of the time, you won't be designing, conducting, and evaluating new research. Instead, your projects will focus on learning the research process and the scientific method. You'll achieve these objectives by evaluating existing nursing literature and sources and defending a thesis.

However, many nursing faculty members do conduct original research. So, you may get opportunities to participate in, and publish, research articles.

Example Research Project Scenario:

In your maternal child nursing class, the professor assigns the class a research paper regarding developmentally appropriate nursing interventions for the pediatric population. While that may sound specific, you have almost endless opportunities to narrow down the focus of your writing. 

You could choose pain intervention measures in toddlers. Conversely, you can research the effects of prolonged hospitalization on adolescents' social-emotional development.

What Does a Nursing Research Paper Include?

Your professor should provide a thorough guideline of the scope of the paper. In general, an undergraduate nursing research paper will consist of:

Introduction : A brief overview of the research question/thesis statement your paper will discuss. You can include why the topic is relevant.

Body : This section presents your research findings and allows you to synthesize the information and data you collected. You'll have a chance to articulate your evaluation and answer your research question. The length of this section depends on your assignment.

Conclusion : A brief review of the information and analysis you presented throughout the body of the paper. This section is a recap of your paper and another chance to reassert your thesis.

The best advice is to follow your instructor's rubric and guidelines. Remember to ask for help whenever needed, and avoid overcomplicating the assignment!

How to Choose a Nursing Research Topic

The sheer volume of prospective nursing research topics can become overwhelming for students. Additionally, you may get the misconception that all the 'good' research ideas are exhausted. However, a personal approach may help you narrow down a research topic and find a unique angle.

Writing your research paper about a topic you value or connect with makes the task easier. Additionally, you should consider the material's breadth. Topics with plenty of existing literature will make developing a research question and thesis smoother.

Finally, feel free to shift gears if necessary, especially if you're still early in the research process. If you start down one path and have trouble finding published information, ask your professor if you can choose another topic.

The Best Research Topics for Nursing Students

You have endless subject choices for nursing research papers. This non-exhaustive list just scratches the surface of some of the best nursing research topics.

1. Clinical Nursing Research Topics

• Analyze the use of telehealth/virtual nursing to reduce inpatient nurse duties.
• Discuss the impact of evidence-based respiratory interventions on patient outcomes in critical care settings.
• Explore the effectiveness of pain management protocols in pediatric patients.

2. Community Health Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of nurse-led diabetes education in Type II Diabetics.
• Analyze the relationship between socioeconomic status and access to healthcare services.

3. Nurse Education Research Topics

• Review the effectiveness of simulation-based learning to improve nursing students' clinical skills.
• Identify methods that best prepare pre-licensure students for clinical practice.
• Investigate factors that influence nurses to pursue advanced degrees.
• Evaluate education methods that enhance cultural competence among nurses.
• Describe the role of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and burnout among nurses.

4. Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

• Explore patient outcomes related to nurse staffing levels in acute behavioral health settings.
• Assess the effectiveness of mental health education among emergency room nurses .
• Explore de-escalation techniques that result in improved patient outcomes.
• Review the effectiveness of therapeutic communication in improving patient outcomes.

5. Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of parental involvement in pediatric asthma treatment adherence.
• Explore challenges related to chronic illness management in pediatric patients.
• Review the role of play therapy and other therapeutic interventions that alleviate anxiety among hospitalized children.

6. The Nursing Profession Research Topics

• Analyze the effects of short staffing on nurse burnout .
• Evaluate factors that facilitate resiliency among nursing professionals.
• Examine predictors of nurse dissatisfaction and burnout.
• Posit how nursing theories influence modern nursing practice.

Tips for Writing a Nursing Research Paper

The best nursing research advice we can provide is to follow your professor's rubric and instructions. However, here are a few study tips for nursing students to make paper writing less painful:

Avoid procrastination: Everyone says it, but few follow this advice. You can significantly lower your stress levels if you avoid procrastinating and start working on your project immediately.

Plan Ahead: Break down the writing process into smaller sections, especially if it seems overwhelming. Give yourself time for each step in the process.

Research: Use your resources and ask for help from the librarian or instructor. The rest should come together quickly once you find high-quality studies to analyze.

Outline: Create an outline to help you organize your thoughts. Then, you can plug in information throughout the research process. 

Clear Language: Use plain language as much as possible to get your point across. Jargon is inevitable when writing academic nursing papers, but keep it to a minimum.

Cite Properly: Accurately cite all sources using the appropriate citation style. Nursing research papers will almost always implement APA style. Check out the resources below for some excellent reference management options.

Revise and Edit: Once you finish your first draft, put it away for one to two hours or, preferably, a whole day. Once you've placed some space between you and your paper, read through and edit for clarity, coherence, and grammatical errors. Reading your essay out loud is an excellent way to check for the 'flow' of the paper.

Helpful Nursing Research Writing Resources:

Purdue OWL (Online writing lab) has a robust APA guide covering everything you need about APA style and rules.

Grammarly helps you edit grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Upgrading to a paid plan will get you plagiarism detection, formatting, and engagement suggestions. This tool is excellent to help you simplify complicated sentences.

Mendeley is a free reference management software. It stores, organizes, and cites references. It has a Microsoft plug-in that inserts and correctly formats APA citations.

Don't let nursing research papers scare you away from starting nursing school or furthering your education. Their purpose is to develop skills you'll need to be an effective nurse: critical thinking, communication, and the ability to review published information critically.

Choose a great topic and follow your teacher's instructions; you'll finish that paper in no time.

Joleen Sams is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner based in the Kansas City metro area. During her 10-year RN career, Joleen worked in NICU, inpatient pediatrics, and regulatory compliance. Since graduating with her MSN-FNP in 2019, she has worked in urgent care and nursing administration. Connect with Joleen on LinkedIn or see more of her writing on her website.

Plus, get exclusive access to discounts for nurses, stay informed on the latest nurse news, and learn how to take the next steps in your career.

By clicking “Join Now”, you agree to receive email newsletters and special offers from Nurse.org. We will not sell or distribute your email address to any third party, and you may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email.

• Alzheimer's disease & dementia
• Arthritis & Rheumatism
• Attention deficit disorders
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Biomedical technology
• Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
• Endocrinology & Metabolism
• Gastroenterology
• Gerontology & Geriatrics
• Health informatics
• Inflammatory disorders
• Medical economics
• Medical research
• Medications
• Neuroscience
• Obstetrics & gynaecology
• Oncology & Cancer
• Ophthalmology
• Overweight & Obesity
• Parkinson's & Movement disorders
• Psychology & Psychiatry
• Radiology & Imaging
• Sleep disorders
• Sports medicine & Kinesiology
• Vaccination
• Breast cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Colon cancer
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease
• Lung cancer
• Multiple sclerosis
• Myocardial infarction
• Ovarian cancer
• Post traumatic stress disorder
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Schizophrenia
• Skin cancer
• Type 2 diabetes
• Full List »

share this!

May 28, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

peer-reviewed publication

trusted source

Study shows orange peel extract may improve heart health

by Brad Buck, University of Florida

Orange peels may hold a key to better cardiovascular health, new University of Florida-led research shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry .

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Recent research has shown that some gut bacteria help develop cardiovascular disease. When they feed on certain nutrients during digestion, gut bacteria produce trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). Levels of TMAO can help predict future cardiovascular disease, according to researchers at the Cleveland Clinic.

Yu Wang and her team investigated the potential of orange peel extracts—rich in beneficial phytochemicals—to reduce TMAO and trimethylamine (TMA) production. Scientists tested two types of extracts: a polar fraction and a non-polar fraction.

To get the polar fractions, scientists used polar and non-polar solvents to extract the orange peel, Wang said.

"If you imagine your salad dressing, anything in the water or vinegar part are the polar fraction; anything in the oil away from water is the non-polar fraction," Wang said. "The solvents we used were not exactly like water and oil, but they possess similar polarity."

Results from the study showed that the orange peel non-polar fraction extract effectively inhibited the production of harmful chemicals. Researchers also identified a compound called feruloylputrescine in the orange peel polar fraction extract that also significantly inhibits the enzyme responsible for TMA production.

"This is a novel finding that highlights the previously unrecognized health potential of feruloylputrescine in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease," said Wang, a UF/IFAS associate professor of food science and human nutrition.

The orange peel finding is significant because 5 million tons of orange peels are produced each year in orange juice production nationwide. Nearly 95% of Florida oranges are used for juice. About half of the peels go to feed cattle. The rest goes to waste. But the Food and Drug Administration considers natural orange peel extracts safe for human consumption. So, Wang hopes to put the peels to better use.

"These findings suggest that orange peels, often discarded as waste in the citrus industry, can be repurposed into valuable health-promoting ingredients, such as diet supplements or food ingredients," said Wang, a faculty member at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center.

"Our research paves the way for developing functional foods enriched with these bioactive compounds , providing new therapeutic strategies for heart health."

Explore further

Feedback to editors

Scientists uncover how our brains try to tell the difference between music- and speech-like noise

17 minutes ago

Researchers develop minimally invasive scaffold delivery system using dynamic thermoset polyurethane

Study finds text reminders help improve health care workers' mental health

Study of deadly Australian Japanese encephalitis virus strain prompts push for new vaccine

New sequencing method analyzes lung microbiomes to predict mortality in children following bone marrow transplant

Prenatal exposure to air pollution associated with increased mental health risks

2 hours ago

Sleep study finds post-karaoke stress is strengthened by REM sleep

Promising results for hyperlipidemia treatment reduce risk of cardiovascular events

Cancer researchers discover optimal cancer-killing T cells

3 hours ago

Genetic mosaicism more common than thought, study shows

Related stories.

Fruit and vegetables: Is it better to peel them?

Nov 10, 2022

Research ties gut microbial TMAO pathway to chronic kidney disease

Apr 9, 2024

Pomegranate power: Unlocking sustainable antimicrobial solutions from peels

Apr 19, 2024

New discovery speeds scientists' push for Huanglongbing-tolerant citrus

Feb 28, 2024

Sweet lime oils defeat pests

May 13, 2022

Mystery of novel clove-like off-flavor in orange juice solved

Feb 6, 2024

Recommended for you

New sweat monitoring device doesn't require physical activity

4 hours ago

Eating more fruits and vegetables may lead to optimal sleep duration

May 27, 2024

International study reveals surprising twist in how diabetes drugs help the heart

In experiments, mice get ill from raw milk carrying bird flu virus

May 24, 2024

Let us know if there is a problem with our content

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Medical Xpress in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• About Cannabis
• Health Effects
• Cannabis FAQs
• Facts and Stats
• Journal Articles
• MMWR Articles
• Related Websites

Cannabis Facts and Stats

At a glance.

A variety of information sources are available to monitor the prevalence and trends of cannabis use in the United States. The resources below cover cannabis-related issues, including data around use, emergency department visits, substance use and misuse, policy measures, and other related tools.

• Cannabis is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States; 52.5 million people, or about 19% of Americans, used it at least once in 2021. 1
• Recent research estimated that approximately 3 in 10 people who use cannabis have cannabis use disorder. 2
• The risk of developing cannabis use disorder is even greater for people who begin to use it before age 18. 3
• Cannabis use directly affects the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotion, and reaction time. 4 5
• Infants, children, and teens (who still have developing brains) are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of cannabis. 4 5
• Long-term or frequent cannabis use has been linked to increased risk of psychosis or schizophrenia in some users. 6
• Using cannabis during pregnancy may increase the person's risk for pregnancy complications. Pregnant and breastfeeding persons should avoid cannabis. 7

National Surveys That Collect Information About Cannabis Use

Cdc sponsored surveys.

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

World's largest, continuously conducted telephone survey that tracks health behaviors, chronic diseases, and preventive health practices among noninstitutionalized adults in the United States.

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)

Monitors six categories of priority health risk behaviors, including cannabis use, among high school youth at national, state, and local levels.

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)

Collects state-specific, population-based data on cannabis use before, during, and shortly after pregnancy.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Assesses the health and nutritional status of adults and children, aged 12 years and older, in the United States. The survey is unique in that it combines interviews and physical examinations. Voluntary drug use questions ask lifetime cannabis use, age of first use, age when starting to use cannabis regularly, amount used, frequency of use, and time since last use. These data are available from 2005-2007 survey period onward.

Other National Surveys

National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

Ongoing and long-term system, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) NSDUH is the primary source of information on the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use and abuse in the general U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population, ages 12 and older.

Monitoring the Future Survey

Ongoing and long-term system, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that collects data on the behaviors, attitudes, and values regarding substance use of American teens, college students, and adults. Each year a total of approximately 50,000 students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades are surveyed about substance use, including cannabis, and a subset are sent follow-up questionnaires through age 45 years.

National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS)

NDEWS monitors drug use trends in 12 sentinel communities across the United States. Sentinel Site profiles describing drug abuse trends and emerging issues are available on NDEWS website.

National Programs That Collect Information About Cannabis Policies

Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS)

A policy monitoring system sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) that provides detailed information on a wide variety of alcohol-related policies in the United States at both state and federal levels. The system was expanded in 2016 to include policies related to legalizing the cultivation, sale, or use of cannabis for prohibitions and restrictions on such practices.

State Cannabis Policy Enactment Database

A policy monitoring system sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures that provides up-to-date information on cannabis legislation that has been enacted in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and its territories. The database is sortable by state, topic, keyword, and primary sponsor.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP22-07-01-005, NSDUH Series H-57). Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2022. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-nsduh-annual-national-report . Accessed on February 9, 2024.
• Hasin DS, Saha TD, Kerridge BT, et al. Prevalence of marijuana use disorders in the United States between 2001-2002 and 2012-2013. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;72(12):1235-1242. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.1858.
• Winters KC, Lee C-YS. Likelihood of developing an alcohol and cannabis use disorder during youth: Association with recent use and age. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008;92(1-3):239-247. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.08.005.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2017. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/24625/the-health-effects-of-cannabis-and-cannabinoids-the-current-state. Accessed February 8, 2024.
• Giedd JN. The teen brain: Insights from neuroimaging. J Adolesc Health. 2008;42(4):335–343. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.01.007.
• Volkow ND, Swanson JM, Evins AE, et al. Effects of cannabis use on human behavior, including cognition, motivation, and psychosis: A review. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016 Mar;73(3):292-297. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.3278.
• Ryan SA, Ammerman SD, O’Connor ME, et al. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding: Implications for neonatal and childhood outcomes. Pediatrics. 2018;142(3):e20181889. doi: 10.1542/peds.2018-1889.

Cannabis and Public Health

Cannabis—which can also be called marijuana —is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States.

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

• Publications
• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Is College Worth It?

As economic outcomes for young adults with and without degrees have improved, americans hold mixed views on the value of college, table of contents.

• Labor force trends and economic outcomes for young adults
• Economic outcomes for young men
• Economic outcomes for young women
• Wealth trends for households headed by a young adult
• The importance of a four-year college degree
• Getting a high-paying job without a college degree
• Do Americans think their education prepared them for the workplace?
• Is college worth the cost?
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology
• Current Population Survey methodology
• Survey of Consumer Finances methodology

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand public views on the importance of a four-year college degree. The study also explores key trends in the economic outcomes of young adults among those who have and have not completed a four-year college degree.

The analysis in this report is based on three data sources. The labor force, earnings, hours, household income and poverty characteristics come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey. The findings on net worth are based on the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances.

The data on public views on the value of a college degree was collected as part of a Center survey of 5,203 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 27 to Dec. 3, 2023. Everyone who took part in the survey is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Address-based sampling ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this report , along with responses, and the survey’s methodology .

Young adults refers to Americans ages 25 to 34.

Noncollege adults include those who have some college education as well as those who graduated from high school but did not attend college. Adults who have not completed high school are not included in the analysis of noncollege adults. About 6% of young adults have not completed high school. Trends in some labor market outcomes for those who have not finished high school are impacted by changes in the foreign-born share of the U.S. population. The Census data used in this analysis did not collect information on nativity before 1994.

Some college includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree.

The some college or less population refers to adults who have some college education, those with a high school diploma only and those who did not graduate high school.

A full-time, full-year worker works at least 50 weeks per year and usually 35 hours a week or more.

The labor force includes all who are employed and those who are unemployed but looking for work.

The labor force participation rate is the share of a population that is in the labor force.

Young adults living independently refers to those who are not living in the home of either of their parents.

Household income is the sum of incomes received by all members of the household ages 15 and older. Income is the sum of earnings from work, capital income such as interest and dividends, rental income, retirement income, and transfer income (such as government assistance) before payments for such things as personal income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes, union dues, etc. Non-cash transfers such as food stamps, health benefits, subsidized housing and energy assistance are not included. As household income is pretax, it does not include stimulus payments or tax credits for earned income and children/dependent care.

Net worth, or wealth, is the difference between the value of what a household owns (assets) and what it owes (debts).

All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party. Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and those who say they lean toward the Republican Party. Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and those who say they lean toward the Democratic Party.

At a time when many Americans are questioning the value of a four-year college degree, economic outcomes for young adults without a degree are improving.

After decades of falling wages, young U.S. workers (ages 25 to 34) without a bachelor’s degree have seen their earnings increase over the past 10 years. Their overall wealth has gone up too, and fewer are living in poverty today.

Things have also improved for young college graduates over this period. As a result, the gap in earnings between young adults with and without a college degree has not narrowed.

The public has mixed views on the importance of having a college degree, and many have doubts about whether the cost is worth it, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

• Only one-in-four U.S. adults say it’s extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree in order to get a well-paying job in today’s economy. About a third (35%) say a college degree is somewhat important, while 40% say it’s not too or not at all important.
• Roughly half (49%) say it’s less important to have a four-year college degree today in order to get a well-paying job than it was 20 years ago; 32% say it’s more important, and 17% say it’s about as important as it was 20 years ago.
• Only 22% say the cost of getting a four-year college degree today is worth it even if someone has to take out loans. Some 47% say the cost is worth it only if someone doesn’t have to take out loans. And 29% say the cost is not worth it.

These findings come amid rising tuition costs and mounting student debt . Views on the cost of college differ by Americans’ level of education. But even among four-year college graduates, only about a third (32%) say college is worth the cost even if someone has to take out loans – though they are more likely than those without a degree to say this.

Four-year college graduates (58%) are much more likely than those without a college degree (26%) to say their education was extremely or very useful in giving them the skills and knowledge they needed to get a well-paying job. (This finding excludes the 9% of respondents who said this question did not apply to them.)

Views on the importance of college differ widely by partisanship. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to say:

• It’s not too or not at all important to have a four-year college degree in order to get a well-paying job (50% of Republicans vs. 30% of Democrats)
• A college degree is less important now than it was 20 years ago (57% vs. 43%)
• It’s extremely or very likely someone without a four-year college degree can get a well-paying job (42% vs. 26%)

At the same time that the public is expressing doubts about the value of college, a new Center analysis of government data finds young adults without a college degree are doing better on some key measures than they have in recent years.

A narrow majority of workers ages 25 to 34 do not have a four-year college degree (54% in 2023). Earnings for these young workers mostly trended downward from the mid-1970s until roughly a decade ago.

Outcomes have been especially poor for young men without a college degree. Other research has shown that this group saw falling labor force participation and sagging earnings starting in the early 1970s , but the last decade has marked a turning point.

This analysis looks at young men and young women separately because of their different experiences in the labor force.

Trends for young men

• Labor force participation: The share of young men without a college degree who were working or looking for work dropped steadily from 1970 until about 2014. Our new analysis suggests things have stabilized somewhat for this group over the past decade. Meanwhile, labor force participation among young men with a four-year degree has remained mostly flat.
• Full-time, full-year employment: The share of employed young men without a college degree who are working full time and year-round has varied somewhat over the years – trending downward during recessions. It’s risen significantly since the Great Recession of 2007-09, with the exception of a sharp dip in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For employed young men with a college degree, the share working full time, full year has remained more stable over the years.

• Median annual earnings: Since 2014, earnings have risen for young men with some college education and for those whose highest attainment is a high school diploma. Even so, earnings for these groups remain below where they were in the early 1970s. Earnings for young men with a bachelor’s degree have also trended up, for the most part, over the past 10 years.
• Poverty: Among young men without a college degree who are living independently from their parents, the share in poverty has fallen significantly over the last decade. For example, 12% of young men with a high school diploma were living in poverty in 2023, down from a peak of 17% in 2011. The share of young men with a four-year college degree who are in poverty has also fallen and remains below that of noncollege young men.

Trends for young women

• Labor force participation: The shares of young women with and without a college degree in the labor force grew steadily from 1970 to about 1990. Among those without a college degree, the share fell after 2000, and the drop-off was especially sharp for young women with a high school diploma. Since 2014, labor force participation for both groups of young women has increased.
• Full-time, full-year employment: The shares of employed young women working full time and year-round, regardless of their educational attainment, have steadily increased over the decades. There was a decline during and after the Great Recession and again (briefly) in 2021 due to the pandemic. Today, the shares of women working full time, full year are the highest they’ve ever been across education levels.

• Median annual earnings: Median earnings for young women without a college degree were relatively flat from 1970 until about a decade ago. These women did not experience the steady decline in earnings that noncollege young men did over this period. By contrast, earnings have grown over the decades for young women with a college degree. In the past 10 years, earnings for women both with and without a college degree have risen.
• Poverty: As is the case for young men without a college degree, the share of noncollege young women living in poverty has fallen substantially over the past decade. In 2014, 31% of women with a high school diploma who lived independently from their parents were in poverty. By 2023, that share had fallen to 21%. Young women with a college degree remain much less likely to be in poverty than their counterparts with less education.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Fresh data delivery Saturday mornings

Sign up for The Briefing

Weekly updates on the world of news & information

• Business & Workplace
• Economic Conditions
• Higher Education
• Income & Wages
• Recessions & Recoveries
• Student Loans

Half of Latinas Say Hispanic Women’s Situation Has Improved in the Past Decade and Expect More Gains

From businesses and banks to colleges and churches: americans’ views of u.s. institutions, fewer young men are in college, especially at 4-year schools, key facts about u.s. latinos with graduate degrees, private, selective colleges are most likely to use race, ethnicity as a factor in admissions decisions, most popular, report materials.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center