health topics to research

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

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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.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Public Health

50 Topic Ideas To Kickstart Your Research Project

If you’re just starting out exploring public health and/or epidemiology-related topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research by providing a hearty list of research ideas , including examples from recent studies in public health and epidemiology.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . These topic ideas provided here are intentionally broad and generic , so keep in mind that you will need to develop them further. Nevertheless, they should inspire some ideas for your project.

To develop a suitable research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan to fill that gap. If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Public Health-Related Research Topics

• Evaluating the impact of community-based obesity prevention programs in urban areas.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of public smoking bans on respiratory health outcomes.
• Investigating the role of health education in reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The impact of air pollution on asthma rates in industrial cities.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of school nutrition programs on childhood obesity rates.
• The role of public health policies in addressing mental health stigma.
• Analyzing the impact of clean water access on infectious disease rates in rural communities.
• The effectiveness of needle exchange programs in reducing the spread of hepatitis C.
• Investigating the impact of social determinants on maternal and child health in low-income neighborhoods.
• The role of digital health interventions in managing chronic diseases.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of workplace wellness programs on employee health and productivity.
• The impact of urban green spaces on community mental health.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases.
• The role of public health initiatives in reducing alcohol-related harm.
• Analyzing the impact of aging populations on healthcare systems.
• Analyzing the impact of urbanization on mental health disorders in metropolitan areas.
• The effectiveness of telemedicine services in improving healthcare access in remote regions.
• Investigating the health impacts of electronic waste recycling practices.
• The role of health literacy in managing non-communicable diseases in aging populations.
• Evaluating the public health response to opioid addiction in rural communities.
• Analyzing the relationship between housing quality and respiratory illnesses.
• The effectiveness of community engagement in improving reproductive health services.
• Investigating the health effects of long-term exposure to low-level environmental radiation.
• The role of public health campaigns in reducing the prevalence of tobacco use among teenagers.
• Analyzing the impact of food deserts on nutritional outcomes in urban communities.

Epidemiology Research Ideas (Continued)

• Investigating the epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospital settings.
• The impact of climate change on the spread of vector-borne diseases.
• Evaluating the factors contributing to the rise in type 2 diabetes prevalence.
• Analyzing the epidemiology of mental health disorders in conflict zones.
• The role of epidemiological surveillance in pandemic preparedness and response.
• Investigating the link between environmental exposures and the incidence of childhood cancers.
• The impact of dietary patterns on the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of intervention strategies in controlling obesity epidemics.
• Analyzing the spread and control of zoonotic diseases in rural communities.
• The role of genetic factors in the epidemiology of autoimmune diseases.
• Investigating the socio-economic disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes.
• The impact of urbanization on the epidemiology of infectious diseases.
• Evaluating the public health consequences of occupational exposures to hazardous substances.
• Analyzing the trends and determinants of mental health disorders among adolescents.
• The role of lifestyle factors in the epidemiology of neurodegenerative diseases.
• Investigating the patterns of mental health service utilization during economic recessions.
• The epidemiology of sports-related concussions in youth athletics.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions in reducing the spread of tuberculosis in high-risk populations.
• Analyzing the geographic distribution of Lyme disease in relation to climate change.
• The role of international travel in the spread of emerging infectious diseases.
• Investigating the demographic predictors of chronic kidney disease in population-based studies.
• The epidemiological impact of air pollution on asthma and other respiratory conditions.
• Evaluating the long-term health effects of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
• Analyzing the incidence and risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders.
• The role of socioeconomic status in the prevalence and management of diabetes.

Recent Studies: Public Health & Epidemiology

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual studies in the public health and epidemiology space to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of recent studies to help refine your thinking. These are actual studies,  so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Tutorials in population neuroimaging: Using epidemiology in neuroimaging research (Godina et al., 2022)
• Application of Big Data in Digital Epidemiology (Naaz & Siddiqui, 2022)
• Response to comment on: Incidence of ocular and systemic disease affecting visual function among state bus drivers (Kohli et al., 2022)
• Why epidemiology is incomplete without qualitative and mixed methods (Lane-Fall, 2023)
• Teaching epidemiology: An overview of strategies and considerations (Hossain, 2022)
• Social Epidemiology: Past, Present, and Future (Roux, 2022)
• Population health assessment project: An innovative strategy for teaching principles of epidemiology (Keen et al., 2022)
• The functions of veterinary epidemiology in public health (Shaffi, 2023)
• Readying the Applied Epidemiology Workforce for Emerging Areas of
• Public Health Practice (Daly et al., 2022)
• Some Social Epidemiologic Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic (Schnake-Mahl & Bilal, 2023)
• The Filth Disease: Typhoid Fever and the Practices of Epidemiology in Victorian England by Jacob Steere-Williams (review) (Steere-Williams et al., 2022)
• Epidemiology of Adult Obesity, Measurements, Global Prevalence and Risk Factors (Orukwowu, 2022).
• Which disciplines form digital public health, and how do they relate to each other? (Pan, 2022)
• Information Flow and Data Gaps in COVID-19 Recording and Reporting at National and Provincial Levels in Indonesia (Barsasella et al., 2022). Epidemiology Blog of Neal D. Goldstein, PhD, MBI (Goldstein, 2023)
• Sensitivity analysis of SEIR epidemic model of Covid 19 spread in Indonesia (Rangkuti et al., 2022)

As you can see, these research topics are a lot more focused than the generic topic ideas we presented earlier. So, for you to develop a high-quality research topic, you’ll need to get specific and laser-focused on a specific context with specific variables of interest.  In the video below, we explore some other important things you’ll need to consider when crafting your research topic.

Get 1-On-1 Help

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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

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Health sciences articles from across Nature Portfolio

The health sciences study all aspects of health, disease and healthcare. This field of study aims to develop knowledge, interventions and technology for use in healthcare to improve the treatment of patients.

Two sides of management recommendations for psoriatic arthritis

Guidelines for the management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) need to undergo revision to take on board new evidence, particularly in relation to therapeutics. In March 2024, EULAR published updated recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of PsA, and an expert group published consensus statements intended to complement existing guidelines.

• Ennio Lubrano
• Fabio Massimo Perrotta

Targeting TAK1 in microglia to treat CAR T cell neurotoxicity

We profiled microglia using single-cell multi-omics techniques in lymphoma-bearing mice and patients who developed neurotoxicity after CAR19 T cell transfer. We discovered that microglial activation after CAR19 T cell infusion was mediated mainly by the kinase TAK1, which suggests that targeting TAK1 in patients receiving CAR19 T cell-based cancer immunotherapy could treat neurotoxicity.

The microbial metabolite agmatine induces polycystic ovary syndrome in mice

Agmatine produced by gut microbiota — specifically, Bacteroides vulgatus — activates the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in intestinal epithelial L cells in a bile-acid-independent manner, which inhibits host glucagon peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion and leads to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in mice. Supplementing mice with the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist liraglutide or inhibiting the production of agmatine reverses the PCOS phenotype.

Related Subjects

• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Health care
• Health occupations
• Medical research
• Molecular medicine
• Pathogenesis
• Rheumatology
• Risk factors
• Signs and symptoms

Latest Research and Reviews

The influence of obesity, diabetes mellitus and smoking on fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (fecd).

• S. B. Zwingelberg
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Efficacy of recombinant erythropoietin for the late treatment of anemia of prematurity in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit: a retrospective single-center cohort study

• Jillian M. Connolly
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Regulatory flexibility and school climate moderate the relationship between stress exposure and depression severity in school educators

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Medial sigmoid depression prevalence and association with a sigmoid notch: cone beam computed tomography and panoramic image study

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Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and neonatal length of the stay

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Hospital costs of robotic-assisted and open treatment of large ventral hernias

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News and Comment

Trials that infected people with common colds can inform today’s covid-19 challenge trials.

• Jonathan Ewbank

Artificially transplanted mitochondria in endothelial cells promote mitophagy

A study in Nature describes a single-cell-type strategy for vascular cell therapies that involves the artificial transplantation of mitochondria to endothelial cells, which promotes mitophagy and facilitates the formation of functional vessels in ischaemic tissue without the need for mesenchymal stromal cell support.

• Karina Huynh

Internet use and teen mental health: it’s about more than just screen time

• Linxiao Zhang

Social-media influence on teen mental health goes beyond just cause and effect

• Michael A. Spikes

A global pandemic treaty is in sight: don’t scupper it

Millions of people died of COVID-19 because the fundamental principle of equity between nations was ignored during the outbreak. That must not be allowed to happen again.

A single-cell multiomics profile of Fontan-associated liver disease

• Katrina Ray

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Health Psychology Topics

Ideas for Your Next Health Psychology Paper or Project

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

Heath psychology topics can look at a range of issues related to health, illness, and healthcare. It may include such things as eating disorders, weight management, diet, exercise, stress coping, women's health, and more.

Health psychology, also known as medical psychology or behavioral medicine, focuses on how biology, psychology, behavior, and social factors influence health and well-being. It's a diverse and rich field worth exploring if you're studying to be a health professional.

At a Glance

Health psychology is a field focused on promoting wellness and understanding how physical health and illness impact mental well-being. Health psychology topics you might want to explore include stress management, behavior change, weight management, nutrition, eating disorders, exercise, illness prevention, managing chronic conditions, and much more.

Health Psychology Research and Paper Topic Ideas

The next time you're looking for a research topic for your studies and would like to focus on health psychology , consider the following suggestions. These can inspire an experiment , a research paper, or any other type of class project.

Exercise and Eating Behavior Topic Ideas

Health behaviors, including exercise and diet, are a major topic within the field of health psychology. Some areas you might opt to explore include:

Weight Management Strategies

Explore some of the psychological strategies that can help people stick to a diet and exercise program. Is there any singular strategy that is more effective than others?

Eating Disorders

Analyze how media depictions of "ideal" bodies influence anorexia and bulimia. Is there a link between exposure to these images and eating disorders?

Social Media and Body Image

Look at how exposure to social media affects body image. Do young people who spend more time on social media have worse body image than those who use these apps and websites less frequently? What type of content has the most significant impact on body image?

Family Health and Safety Topic Ideas

Factors that influence family health and safety are another health psychology topic you might consider. Examples include:

Safe Sleep Practices

Explore how increased public awareness of infant safety, such as placing an infant on their back to sleep, or removing pillows and other objects from the sleeping area, have influenced the occurrence of SIDS, or "crib death." Has the number of SIDS-related deaths gone down? Why do some parents ignore these sleep safety guidelines?

Childhood Immunizations

Assess current approaches to childhood immunizations. Why do some parents choose not to immunize their children? How does this impact public health? What can health professionals do to increase the likelihood that kids are immunized?

Teen Suicide

Explore the factors that contribute to  teen suicide . How effective are suicide prevention programs? Which strategies are the most effective?

Effects of Caregiving

Look at the emotional, social, and psychological impact of caregiving, such as taking care of an aging parent, a family member with AIDS, or a spouse diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Public Health Topic Ideas

Individual health is important, but health psychology are also interested in learning more about things that can have an effect on overall public health. Some examples include:>

Trauma Coping

What can  mental health  and medical professionals do to help people cope in the immediate aftermath of a disaster? Are there any strategies that result in better long-term outcomes?

PTSD in Veterans

Research the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans. What factors contribute to whether an individual veteran experiences PTSD? Which mental health interventions are most effective in treating this disorder?

Coping with Chronic Pain

Evaluate how stress management techniques and relaxation methods can help patients experiencing chronic pain. How effective are these tactics? How do they compare to traditional pharmacological approaches to pain management?

Smoking Cessation

Compare and contrast different approaches to quitting smoking. Which strategies are the most effective?

Safety Equipment Use

Look at different techniques that can be used to increase the likelihood that people will use safety equipment such as seat belts and bicycle helmets. What type of public safety program would you devise to encourage the use of these products?

A few areas you might want to explore in your research include exercise, eating behaviors, family health, safety, and public health. Such areas provide a wealth of health psychology topics to choose from.

More Health Psychology Topics

The above are just a few specific topics and questions you might want to explore, but there are also many other areas you might consider. Some broad health psychology topics that might also inspire your research include:

• Biological factors that influence health
• Social and environmental factors that impact health (i.e., social determinants of health)
• Psychological factors that influence health
• How patients cope with disease and illness
• Treatment adherence (i.e., why some people don't follow their treatment plan)
• Ways to change bad habits
• How to develop good habits
• Techniques for controlling pain
• How to handle stress
• Factors that influence mental well-being
• How to improve access to healthcare resources
• Why people experience emotional eating
• How emotions impact health behaviors
• How discrimination affects health
• How to improve doctor-patient communication

Tips Before You Get Started

Before you begin, make sure the topic you're interested in matches the specific assignment. Even if your instructor doesn't require you to get approval for your intended topic, it's always a good idea to run it by them before you delve too deeply into your research.

Of course, make sure you've chosen a subject that you know you'll be able to find appropriate sources for. You wouldn't want to commit to a project only to find insufficient existing information to work with. Again, input from your instructor can prevent you from wasting time on a topic that offers little to go on.

What This Means For You

Health psychology focuses on understanding how social, environmental, biological, psychological, and cultural factors influence health and illness. If you are looking for a great topic to explore, consider picking a broad area of interest (like stress, exercise, safety, illness, etc.), and then narrowing down your focus to more specific questions of interest.

Ian Lubek, Monica Ghabrial, Naomi Ennis, et al. Notes on the development of health psychology and behavioral medicine in the United States. J Health Psychol.  2018;23(3):492-505. doi:10.1177/1359105318755156

Sanderson CA. Health Psychology: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection . SAGE Publications.

Naumann E, Tuschen-Caffier B, Voderholzer U, Schäfer J, Svaldi J. Effects of emotional acceptance and rumination on media-induced body dissatisfaction in anorexia and bulimia nervosa . J Psychiatr Res . 2016;82:119-125. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.07.021

McNeil DA, Mueller M, MacDonald S, et al. Maternal perceptions of childhood vaccination: Explanations of reasons for and against vaccination.   BMC Public Health . 2019;19(1):49. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6338-0

Shen S, Cheng C, Yang J, Yang S. Visualized analysis of developing trends and hot topics in natural disaster research.   PLoS One . 2018;13(1):e0191250. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0191250

Renshaw KD. An integrated model of risk and protective factors for post-deployment PTSD symptoms in OEF/OIF era combat veterans. J Affect Disord . 2011;128(3):321-326. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2010.07.022

American Psychological Association. Health psychology promotes wellness .

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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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
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Trust, human-centered AI and collaboration the focus of inaugural RAISE Health symposium

Artificial intelligence experts discuss how to integrate trustworthy AI into health care, why multi-disciplinary collaboration is crucial and the potential for generative AI in research.

May 17, 2024 - By Hanae Armitage

Fei-Fei Li and Lloyd Minor give opening remarks at Stanford Medicine's first RAISE Health Symposium on May 14.  Steve Fisch

Most people captured by artificial intelligence have all had something of an “aha” moment that opens their minds to a world of opportunities. During the inaugural RAISE Health symposium on May 14, Lloyd Minor , MD, dean of the Stanford School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford University, shared his.

Asked to summarize a discovery he’d made related to the inner ear, a curious Minor turned to generative AI. “I asked, ‘What is superior canal dehiscence syndrome?’” Minor told a group of nearly 4,000 symposium attendees. In seconds, a few paragraphs appeared.

“They were good — really good,” he said. “The information was brought together into a concise and, by and large, accurate and well-prioritized description of the disorder. It was quite remarkable.”

Minor’s excitement was shared by many at the half-day event, which was born of the RAISE Health initiative, a project launched by Stanford Medicine and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) to guide the responsible use of AI in biomedical research, education and patient care. Speakers explored what it means to bring AI into the folds of medicine in a way that’s not just helpful for physicians and scientists, but transparent, fair and equitable for patients.

“We believe this is a technology to augment and enhance humanity,” said Fei-Fei Li , a professor of computer science at the Stanford School of Engineering who leads RAISE Health with Minor and is the co-director of HAI. From generating new molecular sequences that could give rise to new antibiotics, to mapping biodiversity, to uncovering hidden bits of basic biology, AI is accelerating scientific discovery, she said. But it’s not all beneficial. “All of these applications can have unintended consequences, and we need computer scientists to work with multiple stakeholders — from doctors and ethicists…to security experts and more — to develop and deploy [AI] responsibly,” she said. “Initiatives like RAISE Health show that we’re committed to this.”

The alignment of Stanford Medicine’s three entities — the School of Medicine, Stanford Health Care and Stanford Medicine Children’s Health — and its connection to the rest of Stanford University puts it in a unique position as experts grapple with AI development, governance and integration in health and medicine, Minor said.

“We’re ideally suited to be a pioneer in advancing and deploying AI in responsible ways, covering the gamut from fundamental biological discovery, enhancing drug development, making clinical trial processes more efficient, all the way through the actual delivery of health care and the way we run our health care delivery system,” he said.

What ethical integration looks like

Some speakers underscored a simple concept: Focus on the user — in this case, the patient or the physician — and all else will follow. “It’s putting patients at the center of everything that we do,” said Lisa Lehmann, MD, PhD, director of bioethics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “We need to be thinking about their needs and priorities.”

From left: Moderator Mohana Ravindranath of STAT News; Jessica Mega; Peter Lee of Microsoft Research; and Sylvia Plevritis, professor of biomedical data science, discuss the role of AI in medical research.  Steve Fisch

Speakers on one panel — which included Lehmann, Stanford Medicine bioethicist Mildred Cho , PhD, and Michael Howell, MD, chief clinical officer at Google — pointed to the complex nature of a hospital system, highlighting the need to understand the purpose of any intervention before implementing it and to ensure that all systems developed are inclusive, with input from the populations it’s meant to help.

One key to that is transparency — being explicit about where the data used to train the algorithm came from, what the algorithm was originally intended for and whether future patient data will continue to help the algorithm learn, among other factors.

“Trying to predict ethical problems before they become consequential [means] finding a perfect sweet spot of knowing enough about the technology that you can make some ascertainment of it, but getting to it before [an issue] spreads further,” said Danton Char , MD, associate professor of pediatric anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine. One of the key steps, he said, is to identify all the stakeholders who could be impacted by a technology and take note of how they would want those questions answered for themselves.

Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, president of the American Medical Association, discussed four drivers of adoption for any digital health tool, including those powered by AI. Does it work? Does it work in my institution? Who pays for it? Who is liable?

Michael Pfeffer , MD, chief information officer for Stanford Health Care, highlighted a recent example in which many of those questions were tested with care providers at Stanford Hospital. Clinicians were offered assistance from a large language model that drafts initial notes to patient inbox messages. While the drafts weren’t perfect, the clinicians who helped develop the technology reported that the model lightened their workload.

“There are three big things that we’ve been focusing on: safety, efficacy and inclusion. We’re physicians. We take this oath to ‘do no harm,’” said  Nina Vasan , MD, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, who joined a panel with Char and Pfeffer. “That needs to be the first way that we’re assessing any of these tools.”

Nigam Shah , MBBS, PhD, professor of medicine and of biomedical data sciences, kicked off a discussion with a jarring statistic, although he gave the audience fair warning. “I speak in bullet points and numbers, and sometimes they tend to be very direct,” he said.

To Shah, the success of AI hinges on our ability to scale it. “Doing the science right for one model takes about 10 years, and if every one of the 123 fellowship and residency programs wanted to test and deploy one model at that level of rigor, with our current ways of organizing work and [testing] it at every one of our sites to make sure it works properly, it would be $138 billion,” Shah said. “We can’t afford it. So, we have to find a way to scale, and we have to scale doing good science. The skills for rigor reside in one place, and the skills for scale reside in another, and hence, we’re going to need these kinds of partnerships.”

Associate dean Euan Ashley and Mildred Cho (at front table) attend the RAISE Health Symposium. Steve Fisch

The way to get there, according to a number of speakers at the symposium, is public-private partnership, such as that being modeled through the recent White House Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence and the Coalition for Health AI , or CHAI.

“The public-private partnerships [with] the most potential are [between] academia, the private sector and the public sector,” said Laura Adams, a senior advisor at the National Academy of Medicine. The government can bring public credibility, academic medical centers can bring legitimacy, and the technical expertise and compute time can come from the private sector, she noted. “All of us are better than any one of us, and we’re recognizing…that we don’t have a prayer of reaching the potential of [AI] unless we understand how to interact with each other.”

Innovating in AI, filling gaps

AI is also making an impact in research, whether scientists are using it to probe the dogma of biology, predict new synthetic molecular sequences and structures to underpin emerging therapeutics, or even to help them summarize or write scientific papers, several speakers said.

“There’s an opportunity to see the unknown,” said Jessica Mega , MD, a cardiologist at Stanford Medicine and co-founder of Alphabet’s Verily. Mega pointed to hyperspectral imaging, which captures features of an image that are invisible to the human eye. The idea is to use AI to detect patterns, for example, in pathology slides, unseen by humans that are indicative of disease. “I encourage people to push for the unknown. I think everyone here knows someone who is suffering from a health condition that needs something beyond what we can offer today,” Mega said.

There was also a consensus among panelists that AI systems will provide new means of identifying and combating biased decision making, whether it’s made by humans or AI, and opportunities to figure out where that bias is coming from.

“Health is more than health care,” was a statement echoed by multiple panelists. The speakers stressed that researchers often overlook social determinants of health — such as socioeconomic status, ZIP codes, education level, and race and ethnicity — when they are collecting inclusive data and enrolling participants for studies. “AI is only going to be as good as the data that the models are trained on,” said Michelle Williams , ScD, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard University and a visiting professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford Medicine. “If we are looking for improving health [and] decreasing disparities, we’re going to have to make sure that we are collecting high-quality data on human behaviors, as well as the social and physical environment.”

Natalie Pageler , MD, clinical professor of pediatrics and of medicine, shared that cancer data aggregates often exclude data from pregnant people, creating inherent biases in models and exacerbating an existing gap in health care.

As with any emerging technology, there are ways that AI can make things better and ways it can make things worse, said David Magnus , PhD, professor of pediatrics and of medicine. The risk, Magnus said, is that AI systems learn about inequitable health outcomes driven by social determinants of health and reinforce them through their outputs. “AI is a mirror that reflects the society that we’re in,” he said. “I’m hopeful that every time we get an opportunity to shine a light on a problem — hold up that mirror to ourselves — it will be a spur for things to get better.”

If you weren’t able to attend the RAISE Health symposium, recordings of the sessions can be found here .

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Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu .

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Electric school buses may yield significant health and climate benefits, cost savings

Replacing diesel school buses with electric school buses may yield up to $247,600 in climate and health benefits per individual bus, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The researchers found that these benefits -- including fewer greenhouse gas emissions and reduced rates of adult mortality and childhood asthma -- and their associated savings are strongest in large cities and among fleets of old (2005 and before) buses.

The study will be published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 20, 2024.

While the health and climate benefits of switching from diesel vehicles to electric ones are well established, this is the first study to specifically quantify how electric school buses can improve human and planetary health.

"Research on air pollution and climate change should strive to quantify health benefits," said senior author Kari Nadeau, John Rock Professor of Climate and Population Studies and chair of the Department of Environmental Health. "Our findings can inform policymakers that greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution are reduced by implementing solutions like electric vehicle use. Our data offer strong evidence that accelerating the ongoing transition to electric school buses will benefit individual, public, and planetary health."

There are about half a million school buses in use in the U.S. and a substantial portion are older, highly polluting diesel buses. Switching to electric buses is a difficult decision for local, state, and federal officials as they are expensive and the health benefits are not well known.

To quantify how diesel and electric school buses impact the climate, the researchers compared the amounts of carbon dioxide emitted from diesel school bus tailpipes and from electric school buses' electricity generation and battery production. To assess the buses' health impacts, the researchers compared how their respective emissions contribute to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5), which is linked to adult mortality and the onset of childhood asthma.

The study found that replacing an average diesel school bus in the U.S. fleet in 2017 with an electric one resulted in $84,200 in total benefits per individual bus. Each electric school bus emitted 181 fewer metric tons of carbon dioxide than its diesel counterpart, amounting to $40,400 worth of climate benefits. Meanwhile, each electric school bus was associated with $43,800 in health savings, from less air pollution and reduced rates of mortality and childhood asthma.

The study also found that electric school buses' health benefits vary depending on location and the age of the diesel bus being replaced. Large metropolitan areas -- defined as those with a population of more than one million -- derive the most significant health benefits from electrifying fleets of school buses, given the larger number of people whose air quality is improved. The researchers calculated that, in a large city, replacing a 2005 diesel school bus with an electric bus would achieve $207,200 in health benefits per bus.

"In a dense urban setting where old diesel buses still comprise most school bus fleets, the savings incurred from electrifying these buses outweigh the costs of replacement," Nadeau said. "Not to mention how the tangible benefits of electric school buses can improve lives -- especially for racial minorities and those living in low-income communities who are disproportionately impacted by the everyday health risks of air pollution."

Nadeau and her co-authors noted that the study did not tackle one important question: how electric school buses impact children's exposure to in-cabin air pollution while riding the bus. Additional research into this topic could further inform policy decisions.

Ernani Choma, research associate in the Department of Environmental Health, and Lisa Robinson, senior research scientist and deputy director of the Center for Health Decision Science, were co-authors.

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Materials provided by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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• Ernani F. Choma, Lisa A. Robinson, Kari C. Nadeau. Adopting electric school buses in the United States: Health and climate benefits . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 2024; 121 (22) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320338121

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Uterine fibroids can be treated — even without losing your uterus

Obstetrician-Gynecologist Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

Vascular and Interventional Radiologist, Clinical Assistant Professor Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

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Many people have or had fibroids  in or around their uterus.

They’re muscle growths that aren’t cancerous and, for the majority of people, fibroids don’t cause major issues and may not be discovered or need to be treated. Even if you have several, they may not cause any symptoms.

However, one in every four people with fibroids will seek treatment because of their symptoms, which can become inconvenient or painful.

Fibroid symptoms

Fibroids can cause you to have heavy bleeding and longer menstrual cycles, as well as intense pain or cramping in your pelvis during your menstrual cycle.

As fibroids grow, they can stretch your abdomen. Depending on the location and size of your fibroids, you might have a harder time becoming pregnant.

If you experience these symptoms or know you have uterine fibroids, there are many options available to treat them, including some that don’t require extensive surgery.

Minimally invasive treatment options

You can take medications that stop or reduce the heavy bleeding your fibroids cause. While these treat bleeding (and pain, in many instances), they don’t eliminate or reduce the size of fibroids.

Fibroid medications include:

• birth control pills
• progesterone therapies
• intrauterine devices (IUDs)
• shots of medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera)

Another option is gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, a class of medications that lessens the amount of natural hormones our bodies create. In doing so, they reduce bleeding and the size of your fibroids. But they can only be used for up to two years, and symptoms could return after those two years.

Uterine fibroid embolization

Microscopic plastic beads are inserted into the arteries that go to your uterus, to block the flow of blood to the fibroids. That causes the fibroids to shrink within three months and reduce or eliminate symptoms.

• Treats all fibroids
• Offers low risk of bleeding or complications
• Done in an outpatient procedure with quick recovery
• Leaves no scar
• Doesn’t require you to remove your uterus so future pregnancies may be possible
• Performed without general anesthesia

Patients receiving a uterine fibroid embolization receive medication to go into a “twilight” state. You’re relaxed and awake enough to breathe on your own, without a ventilator, which would be necessary during general anesthesia.

• It can take up to three months after a procedure for symptoms to go away completely.
• You may feel pain between seven and 10 days after the procedure, then the pain will ease.

Transcervical uterine fibroid ablation

This minimally invasive treatment uses an ultrasound for imaging and heat to shrink fibroids.

There are two types of technology that can be used to do a transcervical uterine fibroid ablation. They differ in how they reach the fibroids and in how long it takes for you to recover after the procedure is done.

• No incisions are needed.
• Fibroids are reduced in size.
• Symptoms improve.
• Fibroids aren’t entirely removed.

Surgery options

This type of surgery removes the fibroids from your uterus, allowing you to keep your uterus. A lot of different approaches can be used, depending on where the fibroids are. A myomectomy can be done entering your uterus vaginally or through small incisions in your abdomen.

• Symptoms from the fibroids go away immediately after surgery.
• Recovery time is two to four weeks, a few weeks shorter than it is for a hysterectomy, a surgery that removes your uterus.
• A longer recovery time than the minimally invasive procedures
• New fibroids can grow back requiring additional treatment.

Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy removes your uterus and fibroids. With this procedure, you’ll never grow new fibroids or have vaginal bleeding.

For most people who haven’t entered menopause , the ovaries, which provide hormones to our bodies, aren’t removed. This means that people who have this procedure won’t go into menopause after the surgery, because they’ll still have the ovaries to provide their natural hormones. A hysterectomy can be completed in two ways: laproscopic hysterectomy or a standard hysterectomy.

Laproscopic hysterectomy

Through small incisions on the abdomen, a camera and other instruments are inserted that allow the surgeon to remove the uterus with the fibroids. The uterus is then removed through your vagina or through one of the small incisions on your abdomen.

• You can go home the same day of the surgery.
• Small incisions lead to an easier recovery.
• Lower blood loss during surgery
• Not everyone is a good candidate for a laproscopic hysterectomy. It depends on the size of your uterus and fibroids and other factors related to your health.

Standard hysterectomy

This approach uses an incision on the abdomen to remove the uterus and fibroids.

• Very large uterus and fibroids can be removed
• Longer hospital stay
• More pain due to the larger incision on the abdomen
• Increased blood loss

Even if you have fibroids that cause you distress, that doesn’t mean you’ll have a hard time getting pregnant. A lot of women with fibroids have no trouble getting pregnant and have healthy babies.

If you’re having long and painful periods  and excessive bleeding, see your health care provider to find out what you can do. Your uterus should not torture you. Sometimes a less invasive procedure can be done to bring you relief, but you also have the option of surgical treatments if you need them.

Ready to learn more about women's health?

The Center for Women's Health provides personalized care for women across their lifespans.

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• Ohio State Wexner Medical Center ,
• Pregnancy ,
• Uterine Fibroids ,
• Womens Health
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May 21, 2024

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UK asylum process damaging to health, report reveals

by University of East Anglia

The U.K.'s asylum process is damaging to the health and well-being of people seeking sanctuary—according to a new study from the University of East Anglia.

The number of people seeking asylum and refugees in the U.K. continues to rise—with 74,751 asylum applications made last year.

Researchers worked with more than 70 people seeking asylum and with refugee status from 14 different countries to better understand the mental health needs of displaced people.

They found that the distress felt within the asylum system is often an entirely natural response to the situation. And that the mental health of displaced people could be better improved through community activities and employment than by prescribing antidepressants.

The article , "'This is silent murder'—Are we medicalizing human distress caused by the reality of life as an asylum seeker in the UK?" is published in the journal Perspectives in Public Health .

Lead researcher Dr. Emily Clark, an academic GP from Norwich Medical School, said, "We know that displaced people face significant trauma and adversity in their country of origin, or during their journey such as war, persecution, or imprisonment.

"Displaced people are less likely to access health and social care and have poorer health than the general population. They are also more likely to be diagnosed with mental health conditions including stress, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"We wanted to better understand the health needs of this group."

The research team ran two community engagement events in conjunction with an organization supporting people seeking asylum and refugees in the East of England.

The events aimed to introduce the concept of health research, increase inclusion, and remove barriers between academic research and this under-researched community.

Dr. Sarah Hanson, from UEA's School of Health Sciences said, "With the help of interpreters, we heard from people at different stages of the asylum process—from newly arrived people seeking asylum in initial hotel accommodation through to refugees who have established their lives in the U.K.

"Asylum seekers are often labeled as 'hard to reach' but these events clearly showed a willingness for under-researched groups to engage with us.

"Post-migration stressors included uncertainty, frustration and hopelessness about the lengthy immigration processes.

"The lack of meaningful activities due to a ban on working and limited volunteering opportunities created abundant time for rumination about the past, worry about family back home and a feeling of being in limbo.

"They also spoke about environmental factors such as living conditions and poverty—with an asylum seeker in initial accommodation receiving just £8 per week towards clothes, non-prescription medicines, sanitary products and travel.

"We also heard that they feel isolated due to language barriers and lack of community cohesion and connection.

"There was a lack of control over their fundamental daily needs such as choice of food, where they live, where they can go and a feeling of monotony.

"And there was deep-seated grief and feelings of loss over relationships, homes, identity and belonging, causing significant sadness and suffering."

One of the refugees the project spoke to was Rasha Ibrahim, who is originally from Sudan and arrived in the U.K. in January 2013.

She spent two and a half years seeking asylum before being granted refugee status and now lives in Norwich, where she co-founded the Zainab Project to help asylum seekers and refugees gain work experience , while offering them support and help to integrate.

Rasha said, "Many of them are educated back home, but because of lots of barriers, when they moved to the U.K., they cannot work.

"The Zainab project helps them through voluntary roles in our catering service to achieve that and build up their CV here, as well as confidence. Also, we help them to integrate and learn to speak English through interacting with customers and communities."

The project fosters a spirit of cultural exchange, so that participants can learn about English customs, while customers can also learn about different cultures from the volunteers.

Rasha said, "This is all done through food, a warm welcome, understanding of what they have been through and a safe space in our café which is open for everyone despite who you are and what your background is.

"We hope by the opportunities that we are offering through the Zainab Project we can make changes in people's lives and help them to settle and become independent. This will, in turn will help the community, society, and the economy of the country."

Commenting on the research, Dr. Hanson said, "What all of this tells us is that the asylum process in the UK is damaging to the health and well-being of people seeking sanctuary.

"But their distress was universally felt to be an entirely natural response to their situation.

"Many spoke of visiting health professionals with symptoms such as poor sleep, pain, headaches and feeling worried—and being given anti-depressants or strong pain medication, which were neither beneficial nor wanted.

"Instead, the people we spoke to wanted to contribute to society, feel secure and safe, and to have some hope of a future to enable them to recover from their past trauma.

"Interventions should therefore be taken out of the health care sphere and placed within communities. For example, instead of prescribing anti-depressants, social prescribing could help displaced people become busy with meaningful activities such as employment or volunteering."

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