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77 interesting medical research topics for 2024

Last updated

25 November 2023

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Short on time? Get an AI generated summary of this article instead

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

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Explore the Best Medical and Health Research Topics Ideas

Table of contents

• 1 How to Choose Medical Research Paper Topics
• 2 New Medical Research Paper Topics
• 3 Medical Research Topics for College Students
• 4 Controversial Medical Topics for Research Paper
• 5 Health Research Topics
• 6 Medicine Research Topics
• 7 Healthcare Research Topics
• 8 Public Health Research Topics
• 9 Mental Health Research Paper Topics
• 10 Anatomy Research Topics
• 11 Biomedical Research Topics
• 12 Bioethics Research Topics
• 13 Cancer Research Topics
• 14 Clinical Research Topics
• 15 Critical Care Research Topics
• 16 Pediatric Research Topics
• 17 Dental Research Topics Ideas
• 18 Dermatology Research Topics
• 19 Primary Care Research Topics
• 20 Pharmaceutical Research Topics
• 21 Medical Anthropology Research Topics
• 22 Paramedic Research Paper Topics
• 23 Surgery Research Topics
• 24 Radiology Research Paper Topics
• 25 Anatomy and Physiology Research Paper Topics
• 26 Healthcare Management Research Paper Topics
• 27 Medical Ethics Research Paper Topics
• 28 Environmental Health and Pollution Research Paper Topics
• 29 Conclusion

Writing an original and compelling research paper is a daunting task in such a complex and broad field as medicine. Each student decides where his interests lie, from investigating public care concerns to cancer treatment studies. We aim to help students find new angles to study and focus on relevant topics. With our resources, you can write an engaging and rigorous paper.

How to Choose Medical Research Paper Topics

Choosing good research paper topics is often more challenging than the writing process itself. You need to select a captivating subject matter that will grab the reader’s attention, showcase your knowledge of a specific field, help you progress in your studies, and perhaps even inspire future research.

To accomplish that, you need to start with brainstorming, followed by thorough research. Here are some great tips to follow:

• Pick an interesting topic – The key is to pick something that you find interesting, and yet make sure it’s not too general or too narrow. It should allow you to delve deep into the subject matter and show that you’re a professional who is ready to take on a challenge when it comes to your chosen field of medicine.
• Narrow down your focus – Once you have a list of potential topics, sift through recent medical research papers to get up-to-date with the latest trends, developments, and issues in medicine and healthcare. Check out textbooks, news articles, and other relevant sources for more information related to your potential topics. If a particular condition or disease interests you (perhaps something that drew you to a career in medicine), there’s your cue for narrowing down your topic.
• Pinpoint the “why,” “how,” and “what” – Whether you are looking into nutrition research paper topics , controversial medical topics, nursing research topics, or anything in-between, ask yourself why each of them is important. How could they contribute to the available medical studies, if any? What new information could they bring to improve the future of medicine? Asking these questions will help you pick the right medical research paper topic that suits you and helps you move forward and reach your aspirations.

To help you on that quest, we’ve compiled a list of topics that you could use or that might inspire you to come up with something unique. Let’s dive in.

New Medical Research Paper Topics

Are you interested in the newest and most interesting developments in medicine? We put hours of effort into identifying the current trends in health research so we could provide you with these examples of topics. Whether you hire a research paper writing service for students or write a paper by yourself, you need an appealing topic to focus on.

• Epidemics versus pandemics
• Child health care
• Medical humanitarian missions in the developing world
• Effectiveness of mobile health clinics in rural Africa
• Homeopathic medicines – the placebo effect
• Comparative study of the efficacy of homeopathic treatments and conventional medicine in managing chronic pain
• Virus infections – causes and treatment
• Trends in COVID-19 vaccine uptake
• Advancements in the treatment of influenza
• Is medical research on animals ethical
• Vaccination – dangers versus benefits
• Artificial tissues and organs
• Rare genetic diseases
• Brain injuries
• Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
• Social behavior shifts due to COVID-19

Medical Research Topics for College Students

You don’t know where to start with your medical research paper? There are so many things you could write about that the greatest challenge is to narrow them down. This is why we decided to help.

• Antibiotics treatments
• Efficacy of mRNA vaccines against viral diseases
• Viability and function of 3D printed tissues
• Chronic diseases
• Palliative treatment
• Battling Alzheimer’s disease
• How modern lifestyle affects public health
• Professional diseases
• Sleep disorders
• Changes in physical and mental health due to aging
• Eating disorders
• Terminal diseases

Controversial Medical Topics for Research Paper

In healthcare, new discoveries can change people’s lives in the blink of an eye. This is also the reason why there are so many controversial topics in medicine, which involve anything from religion to ethics or social responsibility. Read on to discover our top controversial research topics.

• Ethical debates on artificial tissue engineering
• Public opinions on vaccination safety
• Implementing food standards
• Telehealth’s Role in Chronic Illness Management
• Gluten allergy
• Assisted suicide for terminal patients
• Testing vaccines on animals – ethical concerns
• Moral responsibilities regarding cloning
• Marijuana legalization for medical purposes
• Abortion – medical approaches
• Vegan diets – benefits and dangers
• Increased life expectancy: a burden on the healthcare system?
• Circumcision effects

Health Research Topics

Students conducting health research struggle with finding good ideas related to their medical interests. If you want to write interesting college papers, you can select a good topic for our list.

• Impact of location, ethnicity, or age on vaccination rates
• Uses of biomaterials in vaccination technology
• Deafness: communication disorders
• Household air pollution
• Diabetes – a public danger
• Coronaviruses
• Oral health assessment
• Tobacco and alcohol control
• Diseases caused by lack of physical exercise
• How urban pollution affects respiratory diseases
• Healthy diets

Medicine Research Topics

Regardless of the requirements in your research assignment, you can write about something that is both engaging and useful in your future career. Choose a topic from below.

• Causes for the increasing cancer cases
• Insulin resistance
• How terrorism affects mental health
• AIDS/HIV – latest developments
• Treating pregnant women versus non-pregnant women
• Latest innovations in medical instruments
• Genetic engineering
• Successful treatment of mental diseases
• Is autism a disease
• Natural coma versus artificial coma
• Treatments for sleep disorders and their effectiveness
• Role of melatonin supplements in sleep quality

Healthcare Research Topics

Healthcare research includes political and social aspects, besides medical. For college students who want to explore how medicine is affected by society’s values or principles, we provide examples of topics for papers. Select yours from the list below.

• Government investment in healthcare services in the EU versus the USA
• Inequalities in healthcare assistance and services
• Electronic health records systems – pros and cons
• Can asylums treat mental issues
• Health care for prison inmates
• Equipment for improving the treatment of AIDS
• Correlation between economic development and health care services across countries
• Impact of smoking on organs
• Heart attacks – causes and effects
• Breast cancer – recent developments
• Materials used in artificial tissue and their impacts

Public Health Research Topics

For current examples of public health topics, browse our list. We provide only original, researchable examples for which you can easily find supporting data and evidence.

• Public versus private hospitals
• Health Disparities in Diabetes Management Across Different Socioeconomic Groups
• Health care professionals – management principles
• Surgery failures – who is responsible
• What legal responsibilities has the hospital administration
• Patient service quality in public versus private hospitals
• What benefits do national health care systems have
• Estimated costs of cancer treatments
• Public health in developing countries
• Banning tobacco ads – importance for public health
• Government solutions to the anti-vaccine’s movement
• How the COVID-19 pandemic has changed public health regulations

Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Mental health is one of the most complex areas of medicine, where things are never as clear as with other medical issues. This increases the research potential of the field with plenty of topics left for debate.

• Mental Health Impact of Social Media on American Teenagers
• Causes of anxiety disorders
• Bulimia versus anorexia
• Childhood trauma
• Mental health public policies
• Impact of Lifestyle Factors on the Progression of Dementia in the Elderly Population
• Postpartum Depression
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Stress and its effects on sleep quality
• Insomnia and its relation to mental health disorders

Anatomy Research Topics

Anatomy covers everything about the human body and how it works. If you find that intriguing and want to pay for medical research paper, start by selecting a topic.

• Causes and treatments of virus infections
• Chemotherapy: how it affects the body
• Thyroid glands – functions in the body
• Human endocrine system
• Preventative Measures and Treatments for Common Liver Diseases
• Heart diseases
• How does the human muscular system develop
• Lymphatic system – importance
• Investigating genetic diseases
• Digestive system
• Role of the Spleen in the Human Immune System and Related Disorders

Biomedical Research Topics

Biology and medicine often work together. For the newest changes in the biomedical field, check our topics.

• Comparative Efficacy of Alternative Medicine Practices in Chronic Pain Management
• Alzheimer’s disease – paths for treatment
• Vaccines and drug development in the treatment of Ebola
• Antibiotic resistance
• Biological effects caused by aging
• Air pollution effects on health
• Infectious disease past versus present
• Regenerative medicine
• Biomedical diagnostics
• Biomedical technology
• Advanced biomaterials for vaccine delivery

Bioethics Research Topics

A controversial area of medicine, bioethics is where you get the chance to add personal input to a research topic and come up with new insights. You could consider these subjects.

• Organ donation
• Alternative or complementary medicine
• Assisted suicide or the right to die
• Artificial insemination or surrogacy
• Chemical and biological warfare
• Contraception
• Environmental bioethics
• In Vitro Fertilization
• Ethical considerations in medical research on animals

Cancer Research Topics

Are you writing a paper related to cancer causes, diagnosis, treatment or effects? Look below for a hot topic that it’s easy to research and important for medical advance.

• The ability of immune system cells to fight cancer
• Computational oncology
• Metastasis affected by drug resistance
• Stem cells – applications for cancer treatment
• Tumor microenvironment
• Obesity and age in cancer occurrence
• Early cancer detection – benefits
• Artificial intelligence predicting cancer
• Hematologic malignancies
• Pathogen-related cancers
• Impact of COVID-19 on cancer treatment studies

Clinical Research Topics

Learn more about clinical medicine by conducting more in-depth research. We prepared for you a list of relevant issues to touch upon.

• Ethical concerns regarding research on human subjects
• Subject recruitment
• Budget preparation
• Human subject protection
• Clinical trials – financial support
• Clinical practices for health professionals
• Using vulnerable populations in clinical research
• Quality assurance in clinical research
• Academic clinical trials versus clinical trials units
• Data collection and management
• Evolution of clinical symptoms in COVID-19 patients

Critical Care Research Topics

Critical care is a key area in medical studies. Explore these topics in your research paper to gain more valuable knowledge in this field. You can also get in contact with nursing research paper writers .

• Obesity and asthma – clinical manifestations
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Rhythm analysis for cardiac arrest
• Traumatic brain injury – fluid resuscitation
• Hydrocortisone for multiple trauma patients
• Care and nutrition for critically ill adults
• Diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis
• Coma and sedation scales
• Artificial airways suctioning
• Arterial puncture and arterial line
• Long-term cardiac and respiratory effects of COVID-19

Pediatric Research Topics

Any topic that refers to health care for children, pregnant women, mothers, and adolescents goes under pediatric care.

• Early Intervention Methods for Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Preventive healthcare strategies for children
• Impact of early childhood nutrition on long-term health
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Congenital heart disease in newborns
• Adolescent medicine
• Neonatal medicine
• Rare diseases in children and teenagers
• Obesity and weight fluctuations
• Behavioral sleep problems in children
• Children with anemia
• Child healthcare enhancements and innovations

Dental Research Topics Ideas

Choose a topic on oral health or dental care from this list of the most interesting topics in the field.

• How smoking affects oral health
• Children’s risk for dental caries
• Causes of Dental Anxiety and Effective Interventions for Reducing Fear in Patients
• Types of dental materials – new advances
• Bad breath bacteria
• How diabetes affects oral health
• Oral cancer
• Dental pain – types, causes
• Dental implants
• Oral health-related quality of life
• Advancements in treatments for virus infections

Dermatology Research Topics

Find the best research topic for your dermatology paper among our examples.

• Atopic dermatitis
• Contact dermatitis
• Epidemiology behind uncommon skin disorders
• Cutaneous aging
• Risk factors of melanoma skin cancer
• Acne versus rosacea
• Genetic testing for skin conditions
• Effects of cosmetic agents on skin health
• Improving skin barrier with pharmaceutical agents
• Skin manifestations of autoimmune disorders
• Study of virus effects on skin health

Primary Care Research Topics

Write a primary care paper that can demonstrate your research skills and interest in powerful scientific findings.

• Primary care for vulnerable/uninsured populations
• Interpersonal continuity in care treatment
• How primary care contributes to health systems
• Primary care delivery models
• Developments in family medicine
• Occupational/environmental health
• Pharmacotherapy approaches
• Formal allergy testing
• Oral contraception side effects
• Dietary or behavioral interventions for obesity management

Pharmaceutical Research Topics

Pharma students who need paper topics can use one from our list. We include all things related to pharmacy life.

• Drugs that can treat cancer
• Drug excretion
• Elimination rate constant
• Inflammatory stress drug treatment
• Aspirin poising
• Ibuprofen – dangers versus benefits
• Toxicodynamics
• Opioid use disorder
• Pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia
• Ketamine in depression treatment

Medical Anthropology Research Topics

Medical anthropology unites different areas of human knowledge. Find powerful ideas for a paper below.

• Cultural contexts regarding reproductive health
• Women sexuality
• Anthropological aspects of health care
• Contributions of social sciences to public health
• Euthanasia and medical ethics across cultures
• Health-related behavior in adults across cultures
• Transcultural nursing
• Forensic psychiatry
• Symptoms of Celiac Disease – a disease with no symptoms
• Nursing ethics

Paramedic Research Paper Topics

Topics for paramedic research must be based on evidence, data, statistics, or practical experience. Just like ours.

• Trends and statistics in EMS
• Disaster medicine
• Mass casualties
• Pandemics and epidemics
• Infection control
• Basic versus advanced life support
• Scene safety in EMS
• Shock management
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Challenges in medical humanitarian missions during pandemics

Surgery Research Topics

Discover all the intricacies of surgeries that save lives by writing about our topics.

• Medical malpractice and legal issues
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
• Early Detection and Management Strategies for Sepsis in Hospital Settings
• Pain management
• Perioperative nursing
• Wound management
• Colorectal cancer surgery
• Breast cancer surgery
• Minimally invasive surgeries
• Vascular disease
• Changes in surgical practices during pandemics

Radiology Research Paper Topics

Find a radiology topic related to your academic interests to write a successful paper.

• Using MRI to diagnose hepatic focal lesions
• Multidetector computer tomography
• Ultrasound elastography in breast cancer
• Assessing traumatic spinal cord injuries with MRI diffusion tensor imaging
• Sonographic imaging to detect male infertility
• Role of tomography in diagnosing cancer
• Brain tumor surgery with magnetic resonance imaging
• Bacterial meningitis imaging
• Advanced imaging techniques for virus infection detection

Anatomy and Physiology Research Paper Topics

Any ideas for a medical research paper? We have included the most important topics for an anatomy and physiology paper.

• What role has the endocrine system
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Environmental factors that affect development of human muscular system
• What role has the lymphatic system
• An investigation of genetic diseases
• Explaining the aging process
• The digestive tract
• Effects of stress on cells and muscles
• Evolution of the human nervous system
• What role has the cardiovascular system
• Impact of viruses on respiratory health in urban settings

Healthcare Management Research Paper Topics

There are numerous topics you could write about when it comes to healthcare management. There’s a wide range of options to pick, from infrastructure, staff, and financial management to HR and patient management. Here are some of the top healthcare management research paper options.

Medical Ethics Research Paper Topics

Medical ethics is a field that opens the door to numerous compelling topics for research papers. Here are some of the most appealing ones you could tackle.

• Clinical research on humans
• Vaccines and immunization
• Religious beliefs in healthcare
• Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide
• Ethical issues across cultures
• Amniocentesis or prenatal birth defect testing
• Medical malpractice and going back to work
• Racial and ethnic preferences and perceptions in organ donations
• Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare
• Ethical concerns of AI in healthcare
• Debates on animal ethics in medical research
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Environmental Health and Pollution Research Paper Topics

• Environmental Pollutants and Respiratory Health in Urban Areas of the USA
• How environmental changes affect human health
• Long-Term Impact of PM2.5 Exposure on Lung, Heart, and Brain Function
• Health Risks of Air Pollution Across Different Life Stages
• Hospital Admissions and Air Quality in the USA
• Risk Reduction Strategies for Indoor Air Pollution from Gas Stoves
• Impact of Air Pollution on Cognitive Development and Socioeconomic Achievements
• Long-Term Health Effects of Early Childhood Exposure to Air Pollution
• Impact of Traffic Noise on Cardiovascular Health

Selecting the right medical research topic is essential, but the writing process can be equally challenging. If you’re seeking expert help, professional research paper writing services can assist in crafting a well-researched and meticulously written paper.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Public Health

I 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

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)

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300+ Health Related Research Topics For Medical Students(2023)

In the world of academia and healthcare, finding the right health-related research topics is essential. Whether you are a medical student, a college student, or a seasoned researcher, the choice of your research topic greatly impacts the quality and relevance of your work. This blog, health related research topics, is your guide to selecting the perfect subject for your research.

In this post, we will share 5 invaluable tips to help you pick suitable health-related research topics. Additionally, we will outline the crucial elements that every health-related research paper should incorporate.

Furthermore, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 300+ health-related research topics for medical students in 2023. These include categories like mental health, public health, nutrition, chronic diseases, healthcare policy, and more. We also offer guidance on selecting the right topic to ensure your research is engaging and meaningful.

So, whether you are delving into mental health, investigating environmental factors, or exploring global health concerns, health-related research topics will assist you in making informed and impactful choices for your research journey, even within the hardest medical specialties .

What Is Health Research?

Table of Contents

Health research is like detective work to understand how our bodies work and how to keep them healthy. It’s like asking questions and finding answers about things like sickness, medicine, and how to live better. Scientists and doctors do health research to learn new ways to treat illnesses, like finding better medicines or discovering new ways to prevent diseases.

Health research is a puzzle, where scientists collect information, do experiments, and study many people to find out what makes us healthy or sick. They want to find clues and put them together to help us stay well and live longer. So, health research is like a quest to learn more about our bodies and find ways to make them work their best, keeping us happy and strong.

5 Useful Tips For Choosing Health Related Research Topics

Here are some useful tips for choosing health related research topics: 

Tip 1: Follow Your Interests

When picking a health research topic, it’s a good idea to choose something you’re curious and excited about. If you’re interested in a subject, you’ll enjoy learning more about it, and you’ll be motivated to do your best. So, think about what aspects of health catch your attention and explore those areas for your research.

Tip 2: Consider Relevance

Your research topic should be meaningful and have real-world importance. Think about how your research can contribute to solving health problems or improving people’s well-being. Topics that are relevant and can make a positive impact on health and healthcare are usually more valuable.

Tip 3: Check Available Resources

Before deciding on a research topic, make sure you have access to the necessary resources, like books, articles, or equipment. It’s important that you can find the information and tools you need to conduct your research effectively.

Tip 4: Keep It Manageable

Select a research topic that you can handle within the available time and resources. It’s better to choose a more focused and manageable topic rather than something too broad or complex. This way, you can delve deep into the subject and produce meaningful results.

Tip 5: Seek Guidance

Don’t hesitate to ask for guidance from teachers, professors, or experts in the field. They can help you refine your research topic, provide valuable insights, and suggest improvements. Seeking advice can make your research journey smoother and more successful.

Important Elements That Must Be Present In A Health Related Research Paper

Here are some important elements that must be present in a health related research paper: 

1. Clear Title and Introduction

A good health research paper needs a clear title that tells people what it’s about. The introduction should explain why the research is important and what the paper will discuss. It’s like the map that shows the way.

2. Methods and Data

You should describe how you did your research and the data you collected. This helps others understand how you found your information. It’s like showing your work in math so that others can check it.

3. Results and Conclusions

After doing your research, you need to show what you discovered. Share the results and what they mean. Conclusions tell people what you found out and why it’s important. It’s like the “So what?” part of your paper.

4. Citations and References

When you use other people’s ideas or words, you need to give them credit. Citations and references show where you got your information. It’s like saying, “I learned this from here.”

5. Clear Language and Organization

Make sure your paper is easy to read and well-organized. Use clear and simple language so that everyone can understand. Organize your paper logically, with a beginning, middle, and end, like a good story. This makes your research paper more effective and useful.

In this section, we will discuss 300+ health related research topics for medical students(2023): 

Health Related Research Topics

• How living choices affect health and how long people live.
• Ways to make it easier for people in underserved areas to get medical care.
• The role of DNA in determining susceptibility to different diseases.
• There are differences in health between race and ethnic groups and between socioeconomic groups.
• Checking how well health education programs encourage people to behave in a healthy way.
• The effects that stress has on the body and mind.
• Looking at the pros and cons of different vaccine plans.
• The link between how well you sleep and your general health.
• The use of technology to make health care better.
• How cultural beliefs and habits affect how people seek health care.

Mental Health Related Research Topics

• Identifying the factors contributing to the rise in mental health disorders among adolescents.
• Examining the effectiveness of different therapeutic approaches for treating depression and anxiety.
• How social media can hurt your mental health and self-esteem.
• We are looking into the link between traumatic events in youth and mental health problems later in life.
•  Stigma and racism in mental health care, and how they make people less healthy.
•  Ways to lower the suicide rate among people who are at high risk.
•  Exercise and other forms of physical action can help your mental health.
•  The link between using drugs and having mental health problems.
•  Mental health support for frontline healthcare workers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
•  Exploring the potential of digital mental health interventions and apps.

Health Related Research Topics For College Students

• The impact of college stress on physical and mental health.
•  Assessing the effectiveness of college mental health services.
•  The role of peer influence on college students’ health behaviors.
•  Nutrition and dietary habits among college students.
•  Substance use and abuse on college campuses.
•  Investigating the prevalence of sleep disorders among college students.
•  Exploring sexual health awareness and behaviors among college students.
•  Evaluating the relationship between academic performance and overall health.
•  The influence of social media on college students’ health perceptions and behaviors.
•  Ideas for getting people on college grounds to be more active and eat better.

Public Health Related Research Topics

• Evaluating the impact of public health campaigns on smoking cessation .
•  The effectiveness of vaccination mandates in preventing disease outbreaks.
•  Looking into the link between the health of the people in cities and the quality of the air.
•  Strategies for addressing the opioid epidemic through public health initiatives.
•  The role of public health surveillance in early disease detection and response.
•  Assessing the impact of food labeling on consumer choices and nutrition.
•  Looking at how well public health measures work to lower the number of overweight and obese kids.
•  The importance of water quality in maintaining public health.
•  This paper examines various strategies aimed at enhancing mother and child health outcomes in emerging nations.
•  Addressing the mental health crisis through public health interventions.

Mental Disorder Research Topics

• The mental health effects of social isolation, with a particular focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.
•  Exploring the relationship between mental health and creative expression.
•  Cultural differences influence the way in which mental health disorders are perceived and treated.
•  The use of mindfulness and meditation techniques in managing mental health.
•  Investigating the mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals.
•  Examining the role of nutrition and dietary habits in mood disorders.
•  The influence of childhood experiences on adult mental health.
•  Innovative approaches to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health.
•  Mental health support for veterans and active-duty military personnel.
•  The relation between sleep disorders and mental health.

Nutrition and Diet-Related Research Topics

• The impact of dietary patterns (e.g., Mediterranean, ketogenic) on health outcomes.
•  Investigating the role of gut microbiota in digestion and overall health.
•  The effects of food labeling and nutritional education on dietary choices.
•  The correlation between chronic disease prevention and nutrition.
•  Assessing the nutritional needs of different age groups (children, adults, elderly).
•  Exploring the benefits and drawbacks of various diet fads (e.g., intermittent fasting, veganism).
•  The role of nutrition in managing obesity and weight-related health issues.
•  Studying nutrition and mental wellness.
•   Impact of food insecure areas on population health and diet.
•  Strategies for promoting healthy eating in schools and workplaces.

Chronic Disease Research Topics

• The contribution of inflammation to the progression and development of chronic diseases.
•  Evaluating the effectiveness of lifestyle modifications in managing chronic conditions.
•  The impact of chronic stress on various health conditions.
•  Investigating disparities in the management and treatment of chronic diseases among different populations.
•  Exploring the genetics of chronic diseases and potential gene therapies.
•  The impact that environmental factors, including pollution, have on the prevalence of chronic diseases.
•  Assessing the long-term health consequences of childhood obesity.
•  Strategies for improving the quality of life for individuals living with chronic diseases.
•  The importance of maintaining a healthy level of physical activity and exercise for both the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses.
•  Investigating innovative treatments and therapies for chronic diseases, such as gene editing and personalized medicine.

Healthcare Policy and Access Research Topics

• Assessing how the Affordable Care Act affects healthcare access and outcomes.
•  Telehealth’s impact on rural healthcare access.
•  Investigating the cost-effectiveness of various healthcare payment models (e.g., single-payer, private insurance).
•  Assessing healthcare disparities among different racial and socioeconomic groups.
•  The influence of political ideologies on healthcare policy and access.
•  Healthcare professional shortage solutions, including nurses and doctors.
•  The impact of malpractice reform on healthcare quality and access.
•  Examining the role of pharmaceutical pricing and regulation in healthcare access.
•  The use of technology in streamlining healthcare administration and improving access.
•  Exploring the intersection of healthcare policy, ethics, and patient rights.

Environmental Health Research Topics

• The impact of climate change on public health, including increased heat-related illnesses and vector-borne diseases.
•  Studying air pollution’s effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
•  Assessing the health consequences of exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants.
•  Exploring the role of green spaces and urban planning in promoting public health.
•  The impact of water quality and sanitation on community health.
•  Strategies for minimizing the health risks linked with natural catastrophes and extreme weather events.
•  Investigating the health implications of food and water security in vulnerable populations.
•  The influence of environmental justice on health disparities.
•  Evaluating the benefits of renewable energy sources in reducing air pollution and promoting health.
•  The role of public policy in addressing environmental health concerns.

Infectious Disease Research Topics

• Tracking the evolution and spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
•  Investigating the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in preventing outbreaks.
•  Antimicrobial resistance and strategies to combat it.
•  Assessing the role of vector-borne diseases in global health, such as malaria and Zika virus.
•  The impact of travel and globalization on the spread of infectious diseases.
•  Strategies for early detection and containment of emerging infectious diseases.
•  The role of hygiene and sanitation in reducing infectious disease transmission.
•  Investigating the cultural factors that influence infectious disease prevention and treatment.
•  The use of technology in disease surveillance and response.
• Examining the ethical and legal considerations in managing infectious disease outbreaks.

Women’s Health Research Topics

• Exploring the gender-specific health issues faced by women, such as reproductive health and menopause.
• Investigating the impact of hormonal contraception on women’s health.
• Assessing the barriers to accessing quality maternal healthcare in low-income countries.
• The role of gender-based violence in women’s mental and physical health.
• Strategies for promoting women’s sexual health and reproductive rights.
• Exploring the relationship between breast cancer and genetics.
• The influence of body image and societal pressures on women’s mental health.
• Investigating healthcare disparities among different groups of women, including racial and ethnic disparities.
• Strategies for improving access to women’s healthcare services, including family planning and prenatal care.
• The use of telemedicine and technology to address women’s health needs, especially in remote areas.

Children’s Health Research Topics

• The impact of early childhood nutrition on long-term health and development.
• Environmental toxin exposure and child health.
• Assessing the role of parenting styles in children’s mental and emotional well-being.
• Strategies for preventing and managing childhood obesity.
• The influence of media and technology on children’s physical and mental health.
• Exploring the challenges faced by children with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
• The relevance of early child mental wellness and developmental condition intervention.
• Investigating the role of schools in promoting children’s health and well-being.
• Strategies for addressing child healthcare disparities, including access to vaccines and preventive care.
• Adverse childhood experiences and adult health.

Aging and Gerontology Research Topics

• Investigating the factors contributing to healthy aging and longevity.
• Assessing the impact of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease on elderly individuals and their families.
• Strategies for improving elder care services and addressing the aging population’s healthcare needs.
• Exploring the social isolation and mental health challenges faced by the elderly.
• The importance of nutrition and exercise in old age.
• Investigating the impact of age-related chronic diseases, such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
• Assessing the financial and ethical aspects of end-of-life care for the elderly.
• Strategies for promoting intergenerational relationships and support networks.
• The influence of cultural differences on aging and health outcomes.
• Exploring technology and innovation in elder care, including assistive devices and telemedicine.

Health Technology and Innovation Research Topics

• The impact of telemedicine and virtual health platforms on patient care and outcomes.
• Investigating the use of wearable health technology in monitoring and managing chronic conditions.
• Assessing the ethical and privacy considerations of health data collection through technology.
• Investigating medical diagnoses and treatment with AI and ML.
• The role of robotics in healthcare, including surgical procedures and elder care.
• Investigating the use of 3D printing in healthcare, such as prosthetics and medical devices.
• The influence of mobile health apps on patient engagement and self-care.
• Strategies for implementing electronic health records (EHRs) and interoperability.
• The impact of precision medicine and genomics on personalized healthcare.
• Exploring the future of healthcare delivery through telehealth, remote monitoring, and AI-driven diagnostics.

Global Health Research Topics

• Investigating the challenges of global health equity and healthcare access in low- and middle-income countries.
• Assessing the effectiveness of international health organizations in addressing global health crises.
• Resource-limited mother and child health strategies.
• Exploring the impact of infectious diseases in global health, including tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
• The role of clean water and sanitation in improving global health outcomes.
• Investigating the social determinants of health in different global regions.
• Assessing the impact of humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts on public health.
• Strategies for combating malnutrition and food insecurity in developing countries.
• The influence of climate change on global health, including the spread of vector-borne diseases.
• Exploring innovative approaches to global health, such as community health workers and telemedicine initiatives.
• Exploring the artificial intelligence and machine learning in medical treatment.

Health Disparities and Equity Research Topics

• The impact of socioeconomic status on healthcare access and health outcomes.
• Strategies to decrease racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and child health.
• LGBTQ+ healthcare disparities and interventions for equitable care.
• Health disparities among rural and urban populations in developed and developing countries.
• Cultural competence in healthcare and its role in reducing disparities.
• The intersection of gender, race, and socioeconomic status in health disparities.
• Addressing health disparities in the elderly population.
• The role of discrimination in perpetuating health inequities.
• Strategies to improve healthcare access for individuals with disabilities.
• The impact of COVID-19 on health disparities and lessons learned for future pandemics.

Cancer Research Topics

• Advancements in precision medicine for personalized cancer treatment.
• Immunotherapy breakthroughs in cancer treatment.
• Environmental factors and cancer risk: A comprehensive review.
• The role of genomics in understanding cancer susceptibility.
• Cancer treatment and survivorship, as well as quality of life following cancer therapy.
• The economics of cancer treatment and its impact on patients.
• Cancer prevention and early detection strategies in underserved communities.
• Palliative care and end-of-life decisions in cancer patients.
• Emerging trends in cancer epidemiology and global burden.
• Ethical considerations in cancer clinical trials and research.

Pharmaceutical Research Topics

• Repurposing existing medications in order to address uncommon illnesses.
• The impact of nanotechnology in drug delivery and targeting.
• Pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine: Current status and future prospects.
• Challenges and opportunities in developing vaccines for emerging infectious diseases.
• Quality control and safety in the pharmaceutical manufacturing process.
• Drug pricing and access: A global perspective.
• Green chemistry approaches in sustainable pharmaceutical development.
• The part that artificial intelligence plays in the search for new drugs and their development.
• Biopharmaceuticals and the future of protein-based therapies.
• Regulatory challenges in ensuring drug safety and efficacy.

Epidemiology Research Topics

• Emerging infectious diseases and global preparedness.
• The COVID-19 pandemic will have long-term effect on the health of the general population.
• Social determinants of health and their impact on disease prevalence.
• Environmental epidemiology and the study of health effects of pollution.
• Big data and its role in modern epidemiological research.
• Spatial epidemiology and the study of disease clusters.
• Epidemiological aspects of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and obesity.
• Genetic epidemiology and the study of hereditary diseases.
• Epidemiological methods for studying mental health disorders.
• Epidemiology of zoonotic diseases and their prevention.

Alternative and Complementary Medicine Research Topics

• Efficacy and safety of herbal remedies in complementary medicine.
• Mind-body interventions and their role in managing chronic pain.
• Acupuncture and its potential in the treatment of various conditions.
• Integrating traditional and complementary medicine into mainstream healthcare.
• Yoga and meditation for stress reduction and mental health.
• Biofield therapies and their impact on well-being.
• Ayurvedic medicine and its modern applications in health and wellness.
• Chiropractic care and its use in musculoskeletal health.
• Ethical considerations in the practice and regulation of alternative medicine.
• Integrating traditional Chinese medicine into Western healthcare systems.

Occupational Health and Safety Research Topics

• Occupational hazards in healthcare settings and strategies for prevention.
• The impact of remote work on occupational health and well-being.
• Ergonomics and its role in preventing workplace injuries.
• Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals and long-term health effects.
• Mental health in the office: Stress, burnout, and interventions.
• Occupational safety in the construction industry: Recent developments.
• Role of technology in enhancing workplace safety.
• Occupational health disparities among different industries and occupations.
• The economics of workplace safety and the cost-benefit analysis.
• Business impacts of OSHA regulations.

Addiction and Substance Abuse Research Topics

• The opioid epidemic: Current status and future strategies.
• Dual diagnosis: Co-occurring mental health disorders and substance abuse.
• Harm reduction approaches in addiction treatment.
• The role of family and social support in addiction recovery.
• Behavioral addictions: Understanding and treating non-substance-related addictions.
• Novel pharmacotherapies for addiction treatment.
• The impact of COVID-19 on substance abuse and addiction.
• Substance abuse prevention programs in schools and communities.
• Stigmatization of addiction and its impact on treatment-seeking behavior.
• Substance abuse in the elderly population: Unique challenges and solutions.

Biomedical Research Topics

• Recent advancements in gene editing technologies (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9).
• Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering for organ replacement.
• Bioinformatics and its role in analyzing large-scale biological data.
• Stem cell research and its important applications in regenerative medicine.
• Biomarker discovery for early disease detection and monitoring.
• Precision medicine and its potential to transform healthcare.
• The microbiome and its impacts on human health and disease.
• Aging-related research and interventions for healthy aging.
• Neurodegenerative diseases and potential therapeutic approaches.
• Biomedical ethics in the age of cutting-edge research.

Maternal and Child Health Research Topics

• The influence of the mother’s nutrition on the development and health of the fetus.
• Maternal mental health and its positive effects on child development.
• Preterm birth prevention and interventions for at-risk pregnancies.
• Neonatal screening and early diagnosis of congenital diseases.
• Breastfeeding promotion and support for new mothers.
• Pediatric immunization programs and vaccine hesitancy.
• Child obesity prevention and intervention strategies.
• Maternal and child health in low-resource and conflict-affected areas.
• Maternal mortality reduction and improving access to obstetric care.
• Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their long-term health consequences.

Mental Health Stigma Research Topics

• Understanding the origins and perpetuation of mental health stigma.
• Media and pop culture’s impact on mental disease views.
• Reducing stigma in the workplace and promoting mental health support.
• Stigma associated with specific mental health conditions (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder).
• Intersectionality and how it influences mental health stigma.
• Anti-stigma campaigns and their effectiveness in changing public attitudes.
• Stigma in online communities and the role of social media in shaping opinions.
• Cultural and cross-cultural perspectives on mental health stigma.
• The impact of self-stigma on individuals seeking mental health treatment.
• Legislative and policy efforts to combat mental health stigma.

Health Education and Promotion Research Topics

• Health literacy and its impact on informed decision-making.
• Promoting healthy behaviors in schools and educational settings.
• Social marketing campaigns for health behavior change.
• Community-based health promotion programs in underserved areas.
• The role of technology and social media in health education.
• Tailoring health messages to diverse populations and cultural sensitivity.
• The use of behavioral economics in health promotion strategies.
• Investigating the effectiveness of school-based sex education programs.
• Health education for the elderly population: Challenges and solutions.
• Promoting mental health awareness and resilience through education.

Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Research Topics

• Patient-centered care and its impact on healthcare quality.
• Reducing medical errors and negative events in healthcare settings.
• Continuous quality improvement in healthcare organizations.
• The role of healthcare accreditation in ensuring quality and safety.
• Patient engagement and shared decision-making in healthcare.
• Electronic health records and patient safety.
• The ethics of telling patients and families about medical blunders.
• Medication safety and preventing adverse drug events.
• Cultural competence in healthcare and its effect on patient safety.
• Disaster preparedness and response in healthcare settings.

Health Informatics and Data Analytics Research Topics

• Big data analytics in healthcare for predictive modeling.
• Artificial intelligence in medical image analysis and diagnostics.
• Health information exchange and interoperability challenges.
• Electronic health record (EHR) usability and user satisfaction.
• Patient data privacy and security in health informatics.
• Telemedicine and its impact on healthcare delivery and data management.
• Real-time monitoring and data analytics for disease outbreaks.
• Health informatics applications in personalized medicine.
• Natural language processing for clinical notes and text analysis.
• The role of data analyticsin enhancing healthcare quality and outcomes.

Neurological Disorders Research Topics

• Neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s).
• Stroke prevention and rehabilitation strategies.
• Advances in brain imaging techniques for diagnosing neurological disorders.
• Pediatric neurological disorders: Diagnosis and intervention.
• Neurogenetics and the role of genetics in neurological conditions.
• Traumatic brain injury: Long-term effects and rehabilitation.
• Neurorehabilitation and quality of life improvement in patients with neurological disorders.
• Neurological consequences of long COVID and post-viral syndromes.
• The gut-brain connection and its implications for neurological health.
• Ethical considerations in neurological research and treatment.

Bioethics in Health Research Topics

• Informed consent and its challenges in clinical trials and research.
• Ethical considerations in human genome editing and gene therapy.
• Allocation of healthcare resources and the principles of distributive justice.
• The ethics of organ transplantation and organ trafficking.
• End-of-life decision-making, including physician-assisted suicide.
• Ethical issues in the use of Artficial intelligence in healthcare decision-making.
• Research involving vulnerable populations: Balancing benefits and risks.
• Ethical considerations in global health research and disparities.
• Ethical implications of emerging biotechnologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9.
• Autonomy and decision-making capacity in healthcare ethics.

Read More 

• Biology Research Topics
• Neuroscience Research Topics

Points To Be Remembered While Selecting Health Related Research Topics

When selecting a health-related research topic, there are several important considerations to keep in mind to ensure your research is meaningful and effective. Here are 7 key points to remember:

• Interest and Passion: Choose a topic that is according to your interests you, as your enthusiasm will fuel your research.
• Relevance: Ensure your topic addresses a real health issue or concern that can make a positive impact.
• Resources Availability: Confirm that you have access to the necessary materials and information for your research.
• Manageability: Pick a topic that is not too broad, ensuring it’s something you can investigate thoroughly.
• Guidance: Seek advice from experts or mentors to refine your topic and receive valuable insights.
• Ethical Considerations : Always consider the ethical implications of your research and ensure it complies with ethical guidelines.
• Feasibility: Ensure that the research can be completed within the available time and resources.

In the ever-evolving landscape of health research, selecting the right topic is the foundation for meaningful contributions. This blog has provided a roadmap for choosing health-related research topics, emphasizing the importance of personal interest, relevance, available resources, manageability, and expert guidance. Additionally, it has offered 300+ research topics across various domains, including mental health, public health, nutrition, chronic diseases, healthcare policy, and more. 

In addition, with these insights, researchers, students, and healthcare professionals can embark on journeys that not only align with their passions but also address critical healthcare challenges. By making informed choices, we can collectively advance the frontiers of health and well-being.

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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.

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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.

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Change and Innovation in Healthcare: Findings from Literature

Frida milella.

1 IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy

Eliana Alessandra Minelli

2 University Carlo Cattaneo - LIUC, Castellanza, Italy

Fernanda Strozzi

Davide croce.

3 School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg, South Africa

4 Centre for Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management, University Carlo Cattaneo - LIUC, Castellanza, Italy

Change is an ongoing process in any organizations. Over years, healthcare organizations have been exposed to multiple external stimuli to change (eg, ageing population, increasing incidence of chronic diseases, ongoing Sars-Cov-2 pandemic) that pointed out the need to convert the current healthcare organizational model. Nowadays, the topic is extremely relevant, rendering organizational change an urgency. The work is structured on a double level of analysis. In the beginning, the paper collects the overall literature on the topic of organisational change in order to identify, on the basis of the citation network, the main existing theoretical approaches. Secondly, the analysis attempts to isolate the scientific production related to the healthcare context, by analysing the body of literature outside the identified citation network, divided by clusters of related studies.

Methodology

This review adopted a quantitative-based method that employs jointly systematic literature review and bibliographic network analysis. Specifically, the study applied a citation network analysis (CNA) and a co-occurrence keywords analysis. The CNA allowed detecting the most relevant papers published over time, identifying the research streams in literature.

The study showed four main findings. Firstly, consistent with past studies, works reviewed pointed out a convergence on the micro-level perspective for change’s analysis. Secondly, an organic viewpoint whereby individual, organization and change’s outcome contribute to any organizational change’s action has been found in its early stage. Thirdly, works reported change combined with innovation’s concept, although the structure of the relationship has not been outlined. Fourth, interestingly, contributions have been limited within the healthcare context.

Human dimension is the primary criticality to be managed to impede failure of the re-organizational path. Individuals are not passive recipients of change: individual change acceptance has been found a key input. Few papers discussed healthcare professionals’ behaviour, and those available focused on technology-led changes perspective. In this view, individual acceptance of change within the healthcare context resulted being undeveloped and offers rooms for further analyses.

Introduction

Healthcare organizations are in an ongoing state of change forcing to convert themselves incrementally or in radical ways. 7 , 65 Organizational change is defined as the ‘change that involves differences in how an organization functions, who its members and leaders are, what form it takes, and how it allocates resources’. 32

Organizational change constitutes a complex phenomenon that develops in any sector. Change in the specific field of healthcare “requires a vision and understanding of the core functions of the system and infrastructure supporting those core functions”. 29

Accordingly, the paper is built upon two sequentially levels of analysis. First, the paper collects the overall scientific production concerning organizational change topic basis on the citations network. This allows for outlining main ongoing theoretical developments and detecting emerging research strands. This preliminary step is critical to gaining an insight into the depth of scientific production in the healthcare context. Second, the work groups additional contributions extant in the literature but not included in the citation network. The analysis is accomplished by selecting papers based on the occurrence of author keywords within the original set of retrieved papers. Thereby, this stage of analysis draws further conclusions on the existing body of knowledge concerning to organizational change in the healthcare context.

Specifically, the paper addresses the following research questions:

 RQ1: What are the current streams of research on change management?

 RQ2: What is the state-of-the-art of change management in the healthcare field?

A quantitative-based method, called “Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA)”, introduced by Colicchia & Strozzi (2012), that employs jointly systematic literature review and bibliographic network analysis is adopted to carry out the two-stage of analysis. The dynamic perspective, which the method provides, eases the detection even of literature gaps not considered to date in the existing body of research production, due to the heterogeneous contributions.

State of Art in Healthcare

Healthcare organizations, described as “professional bureaucracy”, 40 deserve a specific focus.

Consistent with Harney and Monks (2014), 28 hospitals’ organization is characterized by a particular model: the whole arrangement draws upon the power of its high-skilled employees who are in charge to fulfil operational tasks in a professional and specific way. 4 Andreasson et al (2018) 2 observe that, in such a setting, the individuals and teams’ autonomy 53 enables them to operate into an environment where their knowledge and professional skills guide decisions.

Thereby, medical professionals can manage their patients without considering their peers throughout their activities. 24 , 40 This control over their work is partly offset by the so-called collegial influence 13 – based on professional credibility 43 - further considering that physicians pursue professional norms, work standards and institutional scripts provided externally the organization’s structure. 2 Concerning the autonomy of physicians, clinical judgment must be unrestricted due to the complexity of their job and the challenges of measuring outcomes. 33 As a result of this, managers could not handle the medical problem-solving process since they lack knowledge and skillset developed by long periods of training, apprenticeship, and socialization. 33 Such uneven allocation of power – managers – and knowledge – professionals – could determine tension between them. 49

In such perspective, professional bureaucracy organizations fulfil the function of sustaining the necessities of the professionals, who lead “decision-making on a day-to-day basis”, 12 rather than vice versa. 53 More specifically, in hospital environments, administrators are not involved in physicians’ clinical decisions 33 that aim towards patients’ needs. 1 , 36

Enshrined within this approach, it is clear that managers have to negotiate, seeking to be consistent with the organization’s culture, avoiding imposing working programs, procedures and rules. 27 Accordingly, Andreasson et al (2018) 2 observe that independent professionals and strategic leaders have to jointly approve proposed changes.

Hence, professional bureaucracy has developed drawing upon a bottom-up decision-making arrangement. 2 Striving to yield standardized outputs, the inverted power structure, 13 on the one hand, is conceived as rigid, on the other, is resistant towards the change. 40 Therefore, Andreasson et al (2018) 2 consider professional organizations based on professional workers’ authority “rather than on top-down steering”.

Consistent with Mintzberg (1983), 40 managing such an organizational configuration implies facing three distinct managerial issues. Firstly, as aforementioned, discretion might lead the focus away from the patient’s and organizational needs. 33 Secondly, fitting stable environments, professional bureaucracies tend to render “processes as predictable and routine as possible”: 33 thereby there are barriers to innovate in such a context.

Finally, the problem of coordination occurs due to a considerable autonomy that impedes managers to pursue efficiency and effectiveness of care processes’ coordination. 33

To this respect, what should be considered is the role of the professional community in healthcare organizations. The healthcare organizations can be considered as change-resistant due to the greatly fragmented essence of these organizations (namely numerous professional tribes) and the professionals’ power to block change in this sector in so far as not involved in the change process. 19 , 44 Thus, organizations with a high content of professional autonomy require a definition of the problems and actions to implement organizational changes that are not defined exclusively by the highest levels of management.

Health professionals cannot be equated with passive recipients of change because the lack of involvement would lead to considering the suggested solutions “as being poor fit with the local practice at hand”. 18

Materials and Methods

The data used in the paper were collected from Scopus database that provides coverage around 60% larger than the one of Web of Science. 56

At the beginning, related to the topic, the set of chosen keywords does not include specific terms. The multifaceted nature of the investigated subject and the purpose to obtain a comprehensive state of the art suggests performing a search strategy based on two of the most comprehensive author’s keywords, “change management” or “organizational change”.

Based on PRISMA flow diagram, 41 the selection of papers concerned contributions in subject areas ranging from “Business, Management and Accounting” to “Engineering, Social Science and Health Professions” and the search performed in early January 2019, included only articles or conference proceedings published in the last 10 years (2009–2019), with an output of 1968 documents. The query was performed as displayed below in Figure 1 .

Flow chart of the search strategy.

SLNA method contains the analysis of bibliometric networks based on the paper retrieved, such as citations and keywords analysis, as one of its components (Strozzi et al, 2017). In the following, Citation Network Analysis (CNA) and co-occurrence keywords analysis have been detailed.

To build the network two software packages were used: Vos Viewer and Pajek.

Vos Viewer ( http://www.vosviewer.com/ ) is a software tool for creating and displaying bibliometric networks. Vos Viewer was adopted for the preliminary analysis, in terms of network visualization, for creating the input file for Pajek, and for implementing the analysis of the keywords. Pajek ( http://vlado.fmf.uni-lj.si/pub/networks/pajek/ ) is a software tool for network analyses and, in this work, is employed for displaying and discussing the results of a citation network.

Citation Network Analysis (CNA)

CNA is a method based on citations, which are the links between papers (nodes) in a citation network. The isolated nodes cannot be involved in the analysis, and the citation analysis can be performed only when components are connected. 51

The first step in performing network analysis is extracting the isolated nodes, uploaded in VOS Viewer software. The bibliometric network showed only 1284 documents out of 1968 that received at least one citation, displayed in the Pajek tool. Firstly, the bibliometric network was adjusted by changing the direction of knowledge flow (ie, inverting the direction of arrows from cited to citing papers, that is, from the oldest paper to the most recent one). Secondarily, the analysis revealed that only 840 out of 1284 documents were connected.

CNA connected components in this network were 4. The first component included 353 papers, whilst the remaining components were composed of 26, 10 and 4 papers, respectively. Given the small size of the last identified components (ie, 26, 10 and 4) compared with the first one (ie, 353 papers), only the component with 353 nodes was analysed.

Figure 2 shows the first biggest connected component. In order to gain the backbone of the research line related to a group of connected paper, by recognizing the most relevant ones published over time, 11 , 37 , 51 the so-called “main path component” 37 was extracted. The main path enables to detect the main trend in the development of the research line’s contents, by calling attention to the papers based on prior articles which take on the role of hubs to the next ones. 51

First biggest connected component.

The quantification of the transversal weight of the citation was executed. The method “Search Path Count” allows considering all the paths deriving from each source (ie, a paper that does not cite any other) to each sink (ie, a paper not receiving citations by others).

A cut-off value of 0.5 was set (the default value) to eliminate all arcs having a lower value in the original citation network and to obtain the most relevant connected component. Figure 3 depicts the main path for the biggest connected component.

Main path of the first biggest connected component.

To outline a framework as comprehensive as possible on the subject, only the use of citations to trace the coordinates can be limiting. Some papers are not included in the analysis because other ones did not cite them, despite their contents were significant or they may not be selected since they were published recently, therefore they did not still receive a sufficient number of citations. This suggests that the CNA should be combined with other tools such as the Global Citation Score analysis and keyword analysis. 51

In the following, the citation network analysis is designed to trace the active research streams on the topic of organizational change and to have a preliminary assessment of the extent to which these patterns are present even among the studies dealing with organizational change in the healthcare field. In this view, a first-order analysis based on the main path associated with the biggest connected component may be useful to detect general streams and gain an overall picture. The main path sheds light on the articles that refer to prior papers, which act as hubs concerning later works.

Keywords Analysis

Global Citation Network Score Analysis is a tool to detect seminal or recent breakthrough studies 51 that were not selected in the citation network but received a significant amount of citations in the whole Scopus Database. In that sense, these works are however relevant in the field.

Co-occurrence analysis assumes that the authors’ keywords of a paper may be considered a synthetic descriptor of the content but also a reference for detecting linkages among issues analysed. 51 Therefore, the co-occurrence around the same word or pair of words may point out a research subject or trend in a specific field. 14 The tool allows to also consider the papers not having received citations nor citing others, ie, the isolated nodes of connected components. 9 In this work only the author keywords networks 14 will be performed.

Figure 4 shows the co-occurrence network of authors’ keywords obtained from the original database (1968 papers). The network was built by accounting for a minimum threshold of keywords’ occurrence equals 9 (ie, keywords that appear together at least 9 times).

Co-occurrence network of authors’ keywords.

Co-occurrence keywords analysis detects a cluster of contributions previously excluded as not having received citations nor having cited other authors’ papers. Therefore, this stage contributes to a complete preliminary understanding of which literature strands are being developed on organizational change topic within the healthcare field.

The Main Path of the First Biggest Connected Component

The core subject investigated refers to the role of individuals in implementing change, by focusing on the “individual change acceptance”. 67 Several papers 3 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 34 , 35 , 45 , 52 previously published already started adopting “micro-level perspective on change”. 65

A first research stream dwells on the factors enabling individuals to be prepared for specific change initiatives. Normative-reeducative change strategies and work environment steering towards learning culture demonstrate to be facilitators. 65 Readiness for organizational change is accomplished when individual attitude perceives change action as a necessary step and likely to be successful. 65 Therefore, readiness for organizational change is viewed conceptually similar to Lewin’s notion of the unfreezing step. 3 , 16 The group is limited to 5 papers ( Table 1 ).

Summary of Results Obtained by Citation Network Analysis

A second literature flow deepens personal beliefs that individuals develop about change initiatives. Personal appraisals about individual ability to face change actions, ie, “change self-efficacy”, 30 is referred to being factors making individuals more likely willing to accommodate and accept the change. 65 Individual’s pessimistic viewpoint about management ability to be effective in change implementation, ie “cynicism about organizational change”, 55 may jeopardise organizational change accomplishment, 47 as well as the middle managers’ strategy commitment. 63 The group contains 4 papers ( Table 1 ).

The third flow of literature proposes the adoption of a multi-level approach to organizational change and places emphasis on the change outcomes. Merging the individual-focused micro perspective and the organizational-oriented macro perspective, with inflows from meso-level theory 68 may contribute to obtaining a comprehensive vision on organizational change. Change type and change method should be converging to attain the intended change outcome. 58 The group contains 4 papers ( Table 1 .

Consistent with past studies, this step of literature review through CNA shows that works emphasized the need to give emphasis on individual perceptions towards change. The research trajectory appeared to be unexplored in healthcare. Interestingly, a comprehensive framework involving micro-meso and macro perspective to evaluate change actions and the importance of change outcome was found to be emerging trends only in the general literature on organisational change.

The use of keyword analysis is intended to confirm or to extend this initial finding on existing research streams related to the topic of organisational change in healthcare.

Clusters from Keywords Analysis

The first cluster includes approaches to manage change organization within the production context, 91 by illustrating applications in terms of product development 85 and impact on supply chain management. 83 The cluster is composed of 26 papers.

The second cluster reports supportive tools for change management, by emphasizing the importance of formal and informal communication to promote employees’ commitment to change. 75 The cluster is mainly composed of 7 papers.

The third cluster enlarges supportive and boosting tools of organizational change, containing IT applications such as a monitoring system for organizational development activities, 96 team-based simulations improving readiness for change in university setting, 73 and as a means for gaining business-IT alignment. 77 The cluster is mainly composed of 6 papers.

The fourth cluster encompasses the key role of participation for learning within change, 107 even debating a mix of learning styles to sustain successfully organizational change initiative in the healthcare context. 92 The cluster is mainly composed of 5 papers.

The fifth cluster copes with the performance management issue, by soliciting a change in organizational values to enhance a successful performance management reform. 82 Performance issue in the healthcare context is viewed as an outcome after the organizational change process. 76 Change management’s research address the related performance management issue, but the papers reviewed do not offer structured models or approaches. This is consistent with the result debated in the citation network analysis. The cluster is mainly composed of 6 papers.

The sixth cluster focuses on sustainability change initiatives in Higher Education Institutions. 80 Corporate sustainability issue is even addressed to pinpoint the effects of applying sustainability change efforts. 74 The cluster is mainly composed of 8 papers.

The core of the seventh cluster appears to emphasize the dual nature of change, including organizational and technological aspects (eg, 81 , 84 ), and suggests the need for an in-depth analysis on who has the “role of enabler” in change initiatives. This step was already addressed in the citation network analysis, where Choi and Ruona (2011b) 66 quote Rogers (1983) 48 and Rogers (2003) 49 for “the importance of readiness for change through the innovation-decision process model”. The cluster is mainly composed of 9 papers.

Within the eighth cluster, a first subject investigates the factors affecting physicians’ behaviour in technology-driven changes, assuming that clinicians’ beliefs on technology-induced improvements of patients’ care play a critical role. 93 Scholars address the issue in light of the theory of planned behaviour, 93 or by proposing an ad hoc framework where an impact assessment of individual acceptance should be a step before introducing new IoT technology in workflow. Debate on the individual behaviours involved in healthcare organizational changes points out individuals factors such as “personality, social identity and emotional intelligence” 105 influence coping strategies’ choice to tackle change-related stress, as complementary perspective.

A second related subject focuses on the managerial approach to change, revealing that, on one hand, unclear supporting methods by seniors managers may weak middle managers’ change activities, 88 on the other hand, for hospital managers, fully physicians’ involvement in technology-driven changes should impact positively on physicians’ attitude. 93

The relationship between innovation and change in the healthcare context should be explored. Both external and internal factors trigger the need for change in healthcare organizations. For instance, the current epidemiological and demographic transition is provoking a shifting of care’s need towards users affected by chronic diseases. This is leading to a compulsory changing in the healthcare organizational framework. Likewise, the need to make health processes more efficient, for instance, forms another triggering factor, the inside one, for organizational change. Therefore, the organizational change issue should be investigated by bearing in mind these multiple boosts to changing. This supports the need to investigate deeply the concept of change and innovation in a healthcare setting, by seeking to outline the boundaries of organizational change and innovation. In particular, the analysis should start investigating the issue by emphasizing on the fact that micro-context should not be assumed simply as a backcloth to action. 15

The resistance to organizational change initiative arises when professional logic comes into contrast with the management one. 18 In this regard, the future research should investigate the effect of a “local ownership” 18 of the problems behind the change in order to be recognized as relevant critical issues in the organizations by the professionals. Thus, it becomes a priority to seek a new concept of leadership where the recipients of the change can themselves be those who manage the leaders with the possibility to hinder or sustain proactively their leadership. 18 Healthcare organizations are moving towards multifaceted systems. As the work by Augl (2012) 76 pointed out in cluster number 5 of keyword analysis, the health system might be regarded as a set of social systems where organizations may be considered as communication systems. In this regard, the author suggested a new approach to change management by modifying the current communication paths to contextual collaboration. 76 Integrated systems need three pillars as institutional integration (ie, laws), management integration (ie, operational tools) and professional integration (ie, team), which are not mutually exclusive. 6 The cluster includes 31 documents.

Tables 2 and ​ and3 3 display the 8 clusters obtained by VOS (Visualization of Similarities) clustering technique.

Clusters (1-4) Obtained by VOS (Visualization of Similarities) Clustering Technique

Clusters (5-8) Obtained by VOS (Visualization of Similarities) Clustering Technique

Two contexts emerge clearly from the analysis.

The manufacturing context and the healthcare context. The former analyses the issue of organisational change also concerning supply chain management; the latter pays attention to the attitude of the clinician towards change initiatives linked to the introduction of new technology. Of the remaining clusters, some of them relate the topic of change to the adoption of support systems (IT applications – cluster 3) or support strategies (formal and informal communication – cluster 2; participation – cluster 4) for the implementation of change; further clusters tackle the topic of change as a tool to improve performance management (cluster 5) or combine it with sustainable change initiatives and the concept of innovation.

The keyword analysis shows that the general literature streams obtained in the previous CNA analysis are not yet developed in the healthcare context, although interest in the individual’s attitude to change seems to be an emerging approach.

The Importance of Individuals in Organizational Change

With the analysis carried out so far, a growing interest in the most recent literature on the individual-change relationship emerges (ie, 66 ). The subject is developed by scholars from different perspectives. Some authors focus on the psychological mechanisms that induce the individual to change, deepening the individual perception of change both as a skill that the individual recognizes inadequately pursuing a specific change initiative (ie, 30 ), and as the personal belief on the management’s ability to properly implement a change initiative (ie, 66 ). Furthermore, the literature analysed warns that the individual-organizational change relationship is a broad and articulated subject, which cannot be confined to “change recipients” only, but which deserves adequate study also concerning to the “change agents” themselves (ie, 63 ).

The contributions discussed in this paper clearly define the need to deal with acceptance of change from the perspective of the individual. What the general literature on the subject seems to offer, however, is a reading that does not allow linking the individual’s attitude towards change to the specific organizational context in which the change itself will be implemented, especially in the case of complex organizations. Martínez-García and Hernández-Lemus (2013) 38 recognize for example that

health systems are paradigmatic examples of human organizations that merge a multitude of different professional and disciplinary characteristics in a critical performance environment.

The extensive analysis reported on the topic allows contextualizing the organizational change initiatives in the healthcare world, where the individual-change relationship is central and can offer additional ideas on the profile of change recipients.

The research line takes a position on change recipients, by paying attention to the effects that organizational change causes on persons or, in other words, on the psychological aspects of the organizational change. 68 A unified framework of organizational change perspectives (ie, micro, meso and macro), to connect jointly the individual change acceptance to economic and sociological perspectives, 68 is missing, except one work. 68

Change outcome and organizational performance in change initiative appear to be not adequately explored. The work (see 58 ) illustrates only conceptual models. Studies aimed at identifying and testing empirically specific performance measures in the organizational change context appear to be missing.

Moving to the “second-order analysis”, based on co-occurrence keywords analysis, the results confirm and extend the preliminary understanding provided by the citation network analysis. A summary of the results is provided in the table number 4 ( Table 4 ). Cluster 8 provides some insights on the state of art in the healthcare research field. Beyond case studies, the topic becomes relevant only relative to the spreading of digital services in the care system. Other studies (eg, 62 ), retrieved in the previous step, describe a potential stream of organizational change issues in the healthcare context. Notably, these works address change management only concerning the negative health impact for the individual, without paying attention to the individual behaviour change. Moreover, the papers available do not point out change management in the specific context of professionalized organizations. Therefore, studies aimed at investigating the nature of change that characterizes the healthcare professionalized organizations are needed.

Summary of Results Obtained by Co-Occurrence Keywords Analysis

In summary, the literature reviewed informed us that three potential streams were not yet fully explored. Change management in the context of healthcare organizations, performance evaluations and innovation-organizational change relationship was the most evident gaps found out.

Nevertheless, the present work debates individual-level perspective on the change as a prominent dimension to tackle in designing change initiatives, albeit individual and organizational issues related to change should not be viewed as detached. This stimulates to set aside a polarized perspective on organizational change.

The performed review traces a clear step in the production research on the subject. The findings suggest that literature is seeking to overcome a traditional duality approach between “managerial change agent (the good) and resisters to change (the bad)”, 5 , 22 , 56 by paying attention to the critical role of attitude towards organizational change. Especially in the healthcare context, the literature reviewed highlighted an evident imbalance of scientific production in favour of individual effects of changing. This would be consistent with the literature stream identified, which has been moved to an integrated perspective in the organization’s vision during a change management initiative.

Technology and organization appear to be a double face of the change, being strictly related, but there is not a common perspective in defining the role of enabler for those variables. In this respect, further research should address the above-mentioned issue in the organizational change context.

Likewise, a specific investigation on organizational change and the healthcare field is encouraged. Healthcare organizations ought to adopt change models fitting their specific needs of change. Overall literature stream traces a systemic perspective, whereby an individual, organizational and expected outcome of change should be milestones of any organizational change action.

Healthcare organizations receive multiple external and internal stimuli of change.

The increasing dominancy of chronic diseases is forcing to shift the care gravity’s centre on the patient, by modulating the processes of providing the services according to the user and his changing needs. 21 , 31 The availability of new health technologies is changing the way through which health organizations offer services and deliver values (eg, e-health). New technologies are speeding up the demographic changeover and are increasing the economic burden for the NHS. 10 Health organizations are transforming their organizational models, eg, collaborative networks; 8 integrated hospital-local care; 39 , 42 sharing services 17 for reducing administrative costs. 51

The converging outcome lies on strengthen the equity, the value and the sustainability of healthcare.

In this regard, starting from the micro-level analysis, professionals needs’ integration with the organizational design and the individual technology acceptance should be pursued. Exploratory studies may be useful.

Research on change management is gaining momentum and offering many stimuli. Therefore, the development of research lines to deepen the topic is important, especially in the healthcare field.

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

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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.

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

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.

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 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 

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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 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.

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.

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

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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Are you searching for the most fitting public health research topics for your academic assignments? Don't fret, we've got your back. Many scholars stumble upon this hurdle, but we're here to lend a helping hand. Check this guide from our online paper writing service to find a compelling public health topic idea for your project. We'll spotlight an assortment of fascinating public health topics for research papers to give you various suggestions to choose from.

What Are Public Health Research Topics?

Public health research topics are areas of study within the larger field of public health. They cover diverse issues like community health, disease prevention, and health policies. These research topic ideas help us understand and improve global healthcare. They can explore various factors like environmental impacts on public overall wellbeing or the effectiveness of health policies. In a nutshell, each topic is a chance to improve global health and devise effective strategies.

Characteristics of Good Public Health Research Topics

Choosing the right public health research topic is the first step to anchoring a successful project. A good research idea serves as the foundation providing a frame for your study. Here are some key characteristics that define good public health research topics:

• Unique Your idea should offer a fresh perspective or address underexplored areas within public health.
• Researchable Your topic should be within the scope of your resources and abilities. Make sure there are sufficient and accessible data sources to draw from.
• Information-rich A research idea should evolve around issues that offer enough breadth and depth of information to support a rigorous analysis.
• Specific It must be focused, clearly defined, and concise, preventing the research from becoming too broad or vague.
• Relevant Try to align with current public health issues and trends, or have clear implications for policy, practice, or further research.

How to Choose a Public Health Research Topic?

The selection process can be daunting, but there are numerous ways to come up with an interesting and thought-provoking idea. Here are some tips on picking proper public health research topic ideas:

• Start small Start by exploring areas that interest you and narrow down your search as you go along.
• Explore resources Utilize online databases, literature reviews, and other sources to get more information on your topic.
• Review current trends Check out the most recent publications to know what public health topics are in vogue and how they can be applied to your project.
• Brainstorm ideas Take some time out for brainstorming sessions with your peers or professors. You'll come up with incredible insights that may spark the perfect topic.
• Narrow down the list After you've gathered a sufficient amount of ideas, go through them and cut away any irrelevant or redundant topics.

List of Research Topics in Public Health

Ready to dive into the world of public health research but don't know where to start? Well, grab your pen and get ready to tick public health topics for research that meet your needs. Each of these subjects is original and offers a unique perspective in the global health domain.

• How do climate changes influence public health?
• How is the digital age affecting global health?
• Dissecting health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities.
• Are some health systems more effective than others?
• What role does public health play in pandemic response?
• Confronting the obesity epidemic.
• Understanding the link between clean water access and public health.
• What are some implications of e-cigarettes on public wellbeing?
• Investigating strategies for promoting healthy aging.
• How can we achieve global health security?
• How does nutrition influence global communities?
• Can urban planning affect public health?
• Global crisis of antibiotic resistance.
• What's the impact of stress on overall health?
• Evaluating how air pollution impacts people?

Good Public Health Research Topics

Are you looking for public health project ideas that are both interesting and pertinent? Here's a list of the most compelling ideas to base your study on.

• Social media in the discourse of public health.
• Analyzing the effects of climate change on global disease patterns.
• Exploring how technology is transforming healthcare delivery and access in disadvantaged communities.
• Assessing the impact of health education on health behaviour change.
• Investigating how public transport systems can improve access to healthcare services.
• Analyzing strategies for reducing preventable chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension.
• Private vs public clinics.
• Nature-based interventions in promoting global health.
• Investigating the role of education in healthy lifestyle choices.
• Analyzing how artificial intelligence can be used to combat public health epidemics.
• Examining strategies for managing infectious diseases across borders.
• How does food insecurity influence public health outcomes?
• Analyzing the effectiveness of public health policies in addressing global poverty.
• Investigating how to build resilient and healthy communities after natural disasters.
• Exploring how healthcare workers can better respond to social determinants of health.

Interesting Public Health Research Topics

If you are looking for something more unique and offbeat, check out these public health topics for a research paper or project.

• Natural disasters on global health outcomes.
• Investigating the use of virtual reality in managing hospitals worldwide.
• How video games can promote physical activity?
• How does digital healthcare influence global medical privacy?
• Using mobile healthcare applications in rural areas.
• Exploring the use of drones in global care delivery.
• Evaluating strategies for reducing food waste and its influence on public health outcomes.
• Examining how urban green spaces affect public wellbeing.
• Using big data to predict outbreaks in global communities.
• Artificial intelligence in diagnosing and managing chronic illnesses.
• Analyzing strategies for reducing poverty-related diseases in developing countries.
• Access to healthcare and its influence on mortality rate.
• Using digital platforms in managing health issues across populations.
• Investigating strategies for promoting mental health in underprivileged communities.
• Exploring the influence of media on public health awareness.

Easy Research Topics About Public Health

Are you new to this domain and feeling a bit overwhelmed? We've all been there. That's why our team of seasoned term paper writers has put together a list of simpler topics for beginners. Think of them as the basic steps that will help you reach that balance. Let's set the stage with this simplified list of research topics in public health:

• Understanding basic hygiene and its role in public health.
• Does regular exercise contribute to better public health?
• How does fast food culture affect public health?
• Public health benefits of clean air.
• Can pets improve global community wellbeing?
• Why is health education important in schools?
• Investigating the connection between social wellbeing and clean water.
• Basic nutrition: What everyone should know?
• Vaccinations: Why are they important?
• How does poverty affect public health?
• The role of public parks in promoting community health.
• Stress: Its effects and ways to manage it.
• Why smoking is dangerous?
• AIDS awareness and its influence on global communities.
• Exploring the link between pollution and global health.

Best Public Health Research Topics

Are you trying to make an impression with your global health research? You're on the right track! Below we've whipped up a list of the best public health topics to research that are not only in tune with the times but also versatile enough to fit any research. Just remember to always back up your ideas with strong, reliable evidence.

• Health impacts of urbanization and city life.
• Are healthier food options really healthier?
• Prevalence of obesity: Causes and prevention.
• How do vaccination campaigns affect public health?
• How has COVID-19 reshaped public health policies?
• Worldwide pollution and its effects on respiratory system.
• The rise of telemedicine: A boon or a bane?
• What is the role of physical activity in public health?
• The correlation between education level and health outcomes.
• How does income inequality impact public health?
• Is there a link between social media use and anxiety?
• Evaluating strategies for reducing drug and alcohol abuse within communities.
• How can we achieve gender parity in public health?
• Analyzing public policies for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• What are some implications of e-cigarettes for public wellbeing?

Current Research Topics in Public Health

There are so many topics and so much potential in them! To help you navigate this vast domain, we've gathered some of the best public health research questions that are perfect for a wide array of studies.

• Health impacts of microplastics in our environment.
• Psychological effects of long-term isolation.
• How do urban green spaces influence community health?
• Impact of shift work on physical wellbeing.
• Potential risks of genetically modified foods.
• Food deserts and their effect on community wellbeing.
• How does the gig economy affect workers' health?
• The role of bees in global health.
• Mental health implications of cyberbullying among teenagers.
• Antibiotic overuse in livestock.
• Global consequences of increasing screen time.
• Universal basic income on public health.
• Addressing intimate partner violence as a public health issue.
• Health literacy and its influence on global community.
• Exploring the effect of noise pollution on human health.

Unique Public Health Research Topics

Do you want to stand out from the crowd with your public health research? Check these authentic research topics on public health that will put a spotlight on your hard work.

• Addressing loneliness as a public health issue.
• The role of urban farming in promoting food security.
• Exploring the health effects of microaggressions.
• How does light pollution affect humans?
• Global strategies for dealing with "brain drain."
• The role of architecture in hospital infection control.
• Can we design cities to be healthier?
• What are some negative effects of "fast fashion?"
• Is there a link between deforestation and disease outbreaks?
• Implications of 3D printed food.
• A look into the long-term effects of forest fires.
• Can providing universal internet access improve public health?
• Studying implications of deep-sea mining.
• Effects of climate change on water-borne diseases.
• How does air travel influence global health?

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Controversial Public Health Research Topics

Public health, being as diverse and ever-evolving as it is, certainly has its fair share of topics that stir up debate. They might make you sweat a bit, but they definitely add a kick. Buckle up and get ready to dive into these controversial public health research ideas:

• Should vaccination be mandatory for everyone?
• Are digital health records an invasion of privacy?
• The debate over the global effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• Do energy drinks pose a significant risk?
• Are alternative medicines effective or just a placebo effect?
• Is healthcare a right or a privilege?
• Implications of animal testing in global medical research.
• Should junk food be taxed to combat obesity?
• Use and abuse of ADHD medications.
• Pros and cons of medical marijuana.
• Is the anti-vaccination movement a public risk?
• Impact of consumerism on healthcare quality.
• Implications of surveillance in disease control.
• Debates on the allocation of resources in a pandemic.
• Should doctors be allowed to go on strike?

Public Health Research Topic Ideas for Students

Regardless of whether you are a beginner undergraduate student or an experienced doctoral candidate, the cornerstone of a successful project is an engaging topic. We have compiled a list of public health research question ideas suitable for every academic level. Choose the one you like and consider consulting with professional college paper writers to get expert help.

Public Health Research Topics for High School

High school students are required to carry out both analysis and research. But compared to other academic levels, it shouldn't be too extensive. We've curated a collection of researchable topics in public health that strike a balance between complexity and analysis. So, equip yourself with the spirit of inquiry and let's explore these ideas.

• Local impact of poor air quality on public health.
• Reasons for the rise in teenage smoking rates.
• Analyzing strategies to reduce youth substance abuse.
• What are some effective strategies for preventing teen pregnancies?
• The role of school-based health education in improving public wellbeing.
• What is the relationship between poverty and obesity?
• What are some ways to reduce food insecurity among youth?
• The correlation between school meals and childhood obesity.
• Importance of school nurses in promoting public health.
• The role of public health standards in preventing infectious diseases.
• The impact of surgical site infections on public health.
• The role of sanitation standards in mitigating public health risks.
• School-based interventions for managing childhood diabetes.
• Evaluating the effect of insurance reforms on healthcare accessibility.
• An analysis of HIV/AIDS policies in South Africa.

Public Health Research Topics for College Students

Once you reach college, the research should be a bit more demanding. And so should public health topics for research papers! Here are some interesting ideas that require sufficient analysis and can amaze your professors.

• Global efforts to reduce waterborne diseases.
• Examining healthcare disparities in developing countries.
• A look into methods for preventing cancer screenings disparities.
• Evaluating public health interventions for managing diabetes.
• Are alternative therapies an effective substitute for insulin?
• How can public health education reduce maternal mortality?
• How does telemedicine improve global healthcare delivery?
• Malaria control in Sub-Saharan Africa: Progress and challenges.
• Evaluating the efficacy of workplace wellness programs.
• Assessing strategies to reduce suicide rates among youth.
• Analyzing the prevalence of vaccine-preventable diseases with people.
• Addressing malnutrition in children: A case study of Ethiopia.
• The role of clean water access in public health in Bangladesh.
• Obesity crisis in Mexico: A look into global implications.
• How does Japan's aging population impact policies?

Public Health Research Questions

Now that you are in graduate school, you will be expected to come up with original research topics and explore them in-depth. Here are some creative public health research questions to motivate your advanced studies.

• The role of social media in healthcare communication.
• What role does mental health play in global population, and how can community programs address this?
• How effective are public health campaigns in reducing the prevalence of smoking?
• How has the COVID-19 pandemic shaped future public health strategies?
• How can community initiatives combat the opioid crisis?
• How does access to green space impact community health?
• How can education programs effectively address the rise of sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents?
• How can global systems improve to better accommodate people with disabilities?
• What strategies can be employed to combat health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities?
• How can public initiatives improve maternal health in low-income regions?
• What are some effects of plastic pollution on people and how can it be mitigated?
• Assessing the importance of public health standards in food industries.
• The role of robotic surgery in improving public health outcomes.
• Importance of standard guidelines in managing epidemics.
• Effects of urbanization on residents of Brazil.

Public Health Research Proposal Topics

As a university student in public health, you will be expected to come up with original public health research proposal topics. Here are some thesis ideas and public health dissertation topics you can choose for a lengthy study.

• Evaluating the role of immunization programs in mitigating childhood diseases.
• A comparative study on the impact of public and private systems on population health.
• How does healthcare reform influence access to care for low-income populations.
• Evaluating the impact of the built environment on community health outcomes.
• Are e-health services effective in rural settings?
• Exploring the efficacy of school-based health education in India.
• An analysis of public health initiatives to combat diabetes in Africa.
• Assessing the benefits and risks associated with telemedicine.
• Examining the impact of global warming on public health outcomes.
• How does the use of mobile-health apps improve patient engagement?
• A look into methods to reduce healthcare disparities in LGBTQ+ populations.
• Assessing strategies to reduce homelessness and its impact on public health.
• What changes are needed to improve global pandemic preparedness?
• How can we reduce environmental health risks associated with industrialization?
• Exploring factors that influence infant care practices in low-income regions.

>> Read more: How to Write a Research Proposal

Bottom Line on Public Health Topics for Research Papers

With these ideas in mind, we hope you will be able to craft an outstanding paper that can add value to the global domain. Choose the most appropriate research topic about public health and don't forget to credit your sources as you write. Feel free to look through our blog to find more inspirational ideas, starting from psychology research paper topics to business research topics .

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• Published: 17 September 2024

A systematic review and meta analysis on digital mental health interventions in inpatient settings

• Alexander Diel 1 , 2 ,
• Isabel Carolin Schröter 1 , 2 ,
• Anna-Lena Frewer 1 , 2 ,
• Christoph Jansen 1 , 2 ,
• Anita Robitzsch 1 , 2 ,
• Gertraud Gradl-Dietsch 3 ,
• Martin Teufel 1 , 2 &
• Alexander Bäuerle 1 , 2  

npj Digital Medicine volume  7 , Article number:  253 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

• Psychiatric disorders
• Randomized controlled trials

E-mental health (EMH) interventions gain increasing importance in the treatment of mental health disorders. Their outpatient efficacy is well-established. However, research on EMH in inpatient settings remains sparse and lacks a meta-analytic synthesis. This paper presents a meta-analysis on the efficacy of EMH in inpatient settings. Searching multiple databases (PubMed, ScienceGov, PsycInfo, CENTRAL, references), 26 randomized controlled trial (RCT) EMH inpatient studies ( n  = 6112) with low or medium assessed risk of bias were included. A small significant total effect of EMH treatment was found ( g  = 0.3). The effect was significant both for blended interventions ( g  = 0.42) and post-treatment EMH-based aftercare ( g  = 0.29). EMH treatment yielded significant effects across different patient groups and types of therapy, and the effects remained stable post-treatment. The results show the efficacy of EMH treatment in inpatient settings. The meta-analysis is limited by the small number of included studies.

Introduction

Mental health disorders represent a prevalent set of clinical conditions associated with substantial personal and economic burdens. However, despite their prevalence and impact, there exists a conspicuous deficit in the provision of effective treatment 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 . Across Europe, estimates suggest that 15–40% of the population experiences some form of mental disorder, yet fewer than one-third of these cases receive treatment that meets the established standards of adequacy 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 .

One reason for the lack of adequate treatment of mental disorders are structural supply issues, for example caused by a shortage of mental healthcare providers in more rural areas 10 . Furthermore, negative attitudes towards mental health treatments hinder seeking help especially in mild to moderate cases 11 . Finally, prompt access to mental health treatment is paramount for its efficacy, yet mental health facilities and specialists often impose prolonged waiting periods spanning several months 12 . These extended waiting intervals amplify the economic strain of mental disorders 13 , exacerbate clinical manifestations 14 , 15 , diminish treatment adherence, and elevate dropout rates 16 , 17 . In summary, providing adequate mental health treatment is complicated by a variety of structural issues leading to several other problems like economic and patients’ personal costs.

E-mental health (EMH) interventions aim to provide adequate treatment of mental health disorders through technological means and channels, such as app- or web-based systems, text messages, videos, or digital monitoring. Here, the term EMH is used to describe any digitally delivered interventions with the goal of improving mental health outcomes. Due to the easy accessibility of EMH products, such interventions have many advantages: They can 1) fill structural supply gaps for rural areas, 2) bridge long waiting times for in-person mental health treatment, and 3) provide additional anonymity for those concerned about stigmatization 18 , 19 . Thus, EMH tools have the potential to be a viable method to overcome the various issues hindering adequate mental health treatment.

In outpatient settings, EMH interventions are effective tools to treat mental disorders according to several meta-analyses, including the treatment of anxiety and depression 20 , 21 , 22 eating disorders 23 , posttraumatic stress 24 , or work-related stress 25 . Furthermore, EMH interventions find predominantly positive acceptance from both patients and mental health practitioners 26 , 27 , 28 . Thus, EMH interventions are viable and accepted tools in the treatment of mental disorders in outpatient settings.

Inpatient treatment signals an especially high need for timely and adequate intervention and is indicated for cases considered too severe for outpatient treatment 29 . Inpatient interventions can profit from supportive EMH procedures either to bridge waiting times, to blend with in-person interventions, or to ensure stabilization and relapse prevention in aftercare treatments. Especially the implementation of post-treatment aftercare improves the chances of a favorable and sustained development 30 , 31 , 32 . Thus, EMH treatment can be an important factor in the long-term success of inpatient treatments. Adequate aftercare enhances rehabilitation according to several reviews and meta-analyses 33 , 34 , 35 . Randomized controlled trials (RCT) exist on EMH treatment as add-ons to regular inpatient interventions 36 and aftercare 37 . Furthermore, a systematic review 38 found support for the efficacy of EMH aftercare treatments but was limited by the small number of studies. Yet as of now, there are to our knowledge no meta-analyses on the use of EMH in inpatient treatments, nor are there meta-analyses on EMH for inpatient aftercare. In addition, the systematic review on EMH inpatient care is several years old and does not incorporate the more recent research 38 .

The present study seeks to summarize the findings of previous RCTs on EMH treatments in inpatient settings in a meta-analysis. In addition, the risk of bias of the studies are assessed 39 . Specifically, this meta-analysis seeks to investigate 1) the total effect of EMH treatments on mental health outcomes in inpatient settings; 2) the effects of EMH treatments, divided into interventions and aftercare treatments; 3) the effect of EMH treatments in relationship depending on the mental health disorder; 4) the effect of type of therapy on EMH efficacy; 5) the effects of follow-up measures on EMH interventions are investigated to test long-term effects; and 6) the assessment of bias of the currently published RCT literature. Furthermore, post-hoc analyses were conducted to investigate 1) the role of EMH medium (e.g., app-based, web-based, SMS-based) on EMH treatment efficacy, and 2) the effect of the type of control group on EMH efficacy.

Selected literature

A total of 26 research studies containing 123 effects and a sample size of n  = 6112 ( intervention group  = 3041, control group  = 3071) were included. A summary of the included studies is shown in Table 1 . Five studies used blended treatment during inpatient stay while 21 studies conducted post-inpatient aftercare treatment. The most common patient groups (according to the number of studies) were eating disorders ( k  = 7) followed by mood disorders ( k  = 6), transdiagnostic ( k  = 4), psychotic disorders ( k  = 3), return to work treatments ( k  = 2), mental comorbidities with somatic disorders ( k  = 2), anxiety disorders ( k  = 1), and substance abuse ( k  = 1).

Thirteen out of 26 studies utilized a passive control group for which participants did not receive any type of active treatment (e.g., waiting list); eight studies used an active control group with an active treatment alternative to the EMH treatment (e.g., aftercare e-mail reminders for mental health tools, psychoeducation, rehabilitation activities, or psychosocial support such as counsling); five studies used an active control group to which the EMH treatment as added to in the intervention group; finally, one study used both active and passive control groups.

Three studies used SMS-based EMH interventions. Eighteen studies used web-based interventions such as SUMMIT 40 , IN@ 41 , HEINS 42 , Deprexis 37 , 43 , 44 , GSA Online 45 , and EDINA 46 . Five studies used app-based tools such as MCT & More 47 and Mindshift 36 . Each specified tool was used by only one study except for Deprexis, which was used in three studies.

Out of all included studies, 17 were conducted in Germany, two in Sweden and USA respectively, and one in Hungary, Iran, Finland, Canada, and Australia, respectively.

Study search and selection flow is depicted in Fig. 1 .

Flowchart depicting study selection. The first selection of 726 studies was found in five different databases. Following the evaluation by exclusion criteria, 30 studies were selected for risk of bias evaluation. After four studies were excluded for risk of bias, 26 studies were included in the meta-analysis. EMH e-mental health, RCT randomized controlled trial.

Risk of bias assessment

Four studies were rated as high risk of bias and excluded from the analysis. Out of the remaining studies, 19 were rated as medium risk of bias and seven as low risk of bias. Among the most common bias concerns were asymmetrical attrition rates in control and intervention groups, high attrition rates with unclear reasons, alternating allocations (rather than random allocation), and inadequate information on blinding procedures (e.g., no specifications for statements such as “the procedure was blinded”). All four high risk studies were excluded also due to unclear, high, or uneven attrition rates between groups.

The risk assessment is summarized in Table 1 .

Publication bias analyses

Preliminary analyses were conducted to test for publication bias using funnel plot and p -curve analyses.

Funnel plot analysis

Funnel plots with effect sizes plotted against standard errors are depicted in Fig. 2a .

Funnel plot across all effects ( a ) and after excluding studies with the largest standard errors ( b ). The funnel plots depict the effect sizes (Hedges’ g ) plotted against the studies’ (reversed) standard errors. Asymmetry analyses found a significant asymmetry ( a ), but not when excluding four effects with the largest standard errors ( b ). As the effect size remains unaltered, the results do not indicate publication bias.

Publication bias would express itself in a preference for publishing significant compared to non-significant results. Because smaller studies need a higher effect size to reach significant effects compared to larger studies, an asymmetrical distribution with more smaller studies with larger effect sizes compared to larger studies would indicate publication bias. A regression analysis using standard error as a predictor of effect sizes suggests significant asymmetry ( z  = 3.6, p  < 0.001, i  = 123 effects).

Publication bias can be controlled by excluding the smallest studies 48 . After excluding studies with the largest standard errors ( i  = 4 effects, 3% of the total effects), another regression test showed no indicators of funnel plot asymmetry (z = 1.89, p  = 0.058, i  = 119, Fig. 2b ). The total effect size remained unaltered ( g  = 0.33 [0.2, 0.46], p  < 0.001), showing that the publication bias correction did not impact the results. Thus, the results do not indicate publication bias.

P-curve analysis

P -curve analysis was used to investigate publication bias further. A right-skewed p -curve would indicate an existing effect while a left-skewed p -curve would indicate publication bias or p -hacking as the latter curve would result from a tendency to acquire significant p -values of just below .05 despite the absence of a true effect indicated by a higher rate of results with smaller p -values. The p -curve is depicted in Fig. 3 .

P -curve including the meta-analysis’ 109 significant effects, compared to a hypothetical null-effect curve and a hypothetical 33% power effect curve. Analysis shows a significant right skewedness, indicating the existence of a true effect.

Out of all effects, i  = 109 effects provided a significant effect size of p  < 0.05, out of which i  = 108 showed a p -value of p  < 0.025. The significant right-skewedness test ( p binominal  < 0.001, z Full  = -65.51, z Half  = -64.65, p Half  < 0.001) suggested the existence of a true effect. Furthermore, the non-significant flatness test ( p binominal  = 1, z Full  = 64.13, z Half  = 65.88, p Half  = 1) provided no indicators that a true effect is not present.

In total, both funnel plot and p -curve analysis show no indicators of publication bias or p -hacking, and that the observed effect is true.

Effect size analysis

A summary of all results is presented in Fig. 4 .

Effect sizes, confidence intervals, and number of effects across conditions, controlled for study. Note. Total = across all data; relevant effects = only effects of measures relevant to the mental condition are included; blended = treatment with EMH blended with inpatient care; aftercare = treatment after inpatient care. CBT cognitive-behavioural therapy, PD Psychodynamic therapy.

Total effect

Total effect size with study as random effect revealed a significant positive effect of EMH intervention ( g  = 0.3 [0.2, 0.39], p  < .001, k  = 118). When only including effects of measures relevant to the mental disorder symptoms (e.g., Beck depression scores for depressive disorder patients) and removing measures not directly related to the mental disorder’s symptoms or clinical outcomes (e.g., social support, self-esteem), effect size increased ( g  = 0.36 [0.22, 0.5], p  < 0.001, k  = 83).

As expected given the variety of study designs and conditions, significant heterogeneity was observed for both the total effect (Q(117) = 408.25, p  < .001) and when including only clinically relevant outcomes (Q(82) = 647.91, p  < 0.001).

Treatment type

By-treatment type analysis revealed that both blended interventions during inpatient stay ( g  = 0.42 [0.27, 0.58], p  < 0.001, k  = 19) and aftercare treatments following inpatient stay ( g  = 0.29 [0.24, 0.34], p  < 0.001, k  = 99) showed significant effects.

Mental condition

By-condition analysis revealed significant effects of EMH interventions for eating disorder ( g  = 0.19 [0.07, 0.32], p  = .003, k  = 17), mood disorder ( g  = 0.38 [0.28, 0.49], p  < 0.001, k  = 22), psychotic disorder ( g  = 0.43 [0.27, 0.58], p  < 0.001, k  = 10), return to work ( g  = 0.21 [0.12, 0.3], p  < 0.001, k  = 24), and transdiagnostic patients ( g  = 0.4 [0.31, 0.49], p  < 0.001, k  = 34). No significant effects were found for anxiety disorders ( g  = 0.35 [−0.22, 0.93], p  = 0.23, k  = 3), mental comorbidity with somatic disorders ( g  = 0.19 [−0.02, 0.39], p  = 0.072, k  = 6), and substance abuse ( g  < 0.01 [−0.27, 0.28], p  = 0.964, k  = 2).

Type of therapy

Analysis by type of therapy revealed significant effects for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based treatments ( g  = 0.26 [0.18, 0.34], p  < 0.001, k  = 43) and psychodynamic (PD) treatments ( g  = 0.35 [0.27, 0.43], p  < 0.001, k  = 39).

Follow-up stability

To investigate potential effects of measurement time (e.g., a decrease of intervention efficacy for longer intervals after treatment), a linear mixed model with measurement time as the fixed effect and study as the random effect for effect sizes was calculated. Results showed no significant effect of measurement time ( t (61) = −00.97, p  = 0.337), showing no indication that the strength of the treatment effect is influenced by the time passed between intervention and measurement.

Post-hoc analyses

Post-hoc analyses were conducted to investigate differences between EMH medium/channel and effects of type of control group. EMH medium analysis revealed significant effects for EMH tools implemented as web-based tools ( g  = 0.32, CI [0.25, 0.37], p  < 0.001) and multimedia interventions ( g  = 0.79, CI [0.29, 1.29], p  = 0.002). Effects for app-based and SMS-based EMH tools were not significant. However, multimedia was used by only one study 43 . The only specific EMH tool used by multiple studies was Deprexis, which showed a significant effect ( g  = 0.61, CI [0.46, 0.77], p  < 0.001).

Control group analysis revealed that EMH interventions significantly improve mental health outcomes compared to passive controls (no active treatment; g  = 0.29, CI [0.19, 0.39], p  < .001), active controls (active treatment alternative to EMH; g  = 0.32, CI [0.24, 0.4], p  < .001), and active controls to which the EMH intervention was added to in the intervention condition ( g  = 0.3, CI [0.22, 0.39], p  < 0.001). Thus, EMH interventions show efficacy compared to active treatments and usual and when used in addition to usual treatments.

Few studies focused on patients affected by anxiety disorders, complicating interpretations of the presented results. Meanwhile, studies with transdiagnostic patients often included patients with anxiety disorders and measured anxiety symptoms (e.g., GAD-7). To gain further insight into the effects of EMH treatment on anxiety disoders, an additional post-hoc analysis has been conducted measuring the efficacy of EMH treatment on anxiety symptoms specifically. The analysis showed a significant effect on anxiety symptoms ( g  = 0.39, CI [0.18, 0.59], p  < 0.001).

EMH procedures have shown to be a viable tool for the treatment of mental disorders, yet research on EMH in inpatient settings is relatively sparse. The current work presents, to our knowledge, the first meta-analysis providing evidence for the efficacy of EMH in inpatient treatment and aftercare. We found a significant small effect of EMH treatment ( g  = 0.3).When focusing on disorder symptoms and clinically relevant outcomes, the effect size is further increased (g = 0.36), signalling that EMH procedures are suitable as interventions tailored to mental disorders in inpatient settings. A preliminary analysis further found no indicators of publication bias or p -hacking within the literature.

The effect remained significant when dividing the studies into the common implementation types of EMH, first when blended with in-person inpatient treatment ( g  = 0.42) and second as an aftercare treatment following inpatient intervention ( g  = 0.29). The majority of studies (21 out of 26) used an aftercare setting with the goal to ensure stabilization and prevent relapse of inpatient cases. Inpatient cases tend to be more severe compared to outpatient cases, with worse post-treatment outcomes when not sufficiently supported by aftercare following discharge 30 , 31 , 32 . The present results suggest that EMH can provide such an effective tool, closing an important mental health supply gap.

By-disorder analysis found that EMH was especially effective for psychotic disorders ( g  = 0.42), transdiagnostic patient groups ( g  = 0.4), and mood disorders ( g  = 0.38). The results are comparable to meta-analyses finding small yet significant effects of EMH in outpatient settings for mood disorders 22 , providing evidence that the effects are comparable to inpatient settings.

The positive effect of EMH treatment for psychotic disorders is surprising given that EMH interventions may worsen psychotic patients’ concerns about technology and being recorded due to psychopathological paranoid tendencies 49 . Furthermore, the effect contrasts the negative outcomes reported in studies investigating psychotic patients 42 , 50 , 51 . While the results complement previous research on the effectiveness of EMH outpatient treatments for schizophrenia and psychosis 52 , the usage of EMH interventions for psychotic disorders remains not well developed, and their efficacy cannot be reliably estimated with the current research. For inpatient settings, SMS-based aftercare reminders for medication adherence did not improve patient outcomes 50 . The HEINS web-based aftercare program containing multiple modules (including psychoeducation, crisis plans, contacts to psychiatrists, and supportive monitoring) meanwhile showed positive user acceptance and adherence 42 , and Horyzons, an online social therapy aftercare program containing multiple features (including psychoeducation, skill development support, peer-to-peer conversations, and expert support), improved patient employment and reduced emergency room visits compared to usual care 51 . Given that both Horyzons and HEINS are interactive support units containing multiple modules, the results suggest that more extensive EMH treatment is needed to ensure aftercare of patients with psychosis. Patients with severe illnesses such as psychosis may not be able to effectively utilize digital health tools. EMH tools are to be used with caution when treating patients with psychosis and should be used in addition to in-person treatment instead of an alternative.

For outpatient treatment, the efficacy of EMH treatment for anorexia nervosa is not well researched, potentially due to the severity of the disorder and the presumed necessity for face-to-face treatment by clinicians 21 . Out of seven studies investigating eating disorder patients, four focused mainly on bulimia nervosa 41 , 46 , 53 , 54 . When excluding a follow-up study 55 and a pilot RCT 56 , only one proper RCT study focused on anorexia nervosa 57 . Although the initial results are promising, caution should be taken when transferring the results onto patients with anorexia nervosa given that the disorder leads to severe consequences including somatic complications that may be insufficiently tracked and treated through digital means.

Meanwhile, no significant effects for anxiety symptoms, comorbidity with somatic disorders, or substance abuse disorders were found. However, only one study investigated anxiety symptoms 36 . Meanwhile, multiple studies with transdiagnostic patient groups included patients with anxiety disorders 37 , 39 , 58 . A post-hoc analysis focusing on anxiety symptoms revealed a significant effect ( g  = 0.39). Inpatient treatment is typically not indicated for anxiety disorders, which may explain the low number of studies. Given that EMH interventions are effective in treating anxiety disorders in outpatient settings 22 , and that the post-hoc analysis revealed a significant improvement in anxiety symptoms, the current negative findings on EMH inpatient treatment for anxiety disorders are to be interpreted with caution. A similar caution can be expressed for the negative result on substance abuse patients, which has been investigated by only one study 59 . Furthermore, future research ought to differentiate effects of EMH for different anxiety diagnoses in inpatient care, as EMH outpatient treatment effectiveness has been found to differ across anxiety disorders 22 .

Analysis by type of therapy revealed the effectiveness of both CBT- ( g  = 0.26) and PD- ( g  = 0.35) based interventions, showing that EMH treatment is effective when based on either of these types of psychotherapy

Finally, the result that observation period did not affect outcomes indicates that EMH-based treatment effects do not deteriorate with time passed after treatment, indicating the long-term stability of the effects. However, the latest measurement used in this analysis was 24 months after treatment. Hence, results cannot be interpreted for longer periods.

In general, the meta-analysis shows the efficacy of EMH treatment across different mental health disorders and types of therapy. Hence, mental health treatment can profit from integrating EMH into the patient journey. Given that EMH add-on also significantly improves outcomes compared to a regular active control group ( g  = 0.3), adding EMH to regular practices can improve overall treatment outcomes. Since treatment as usual tends to be minimal for aftercare treatment, EMH can facilitate long-term improvements and remission prevention following inpatient treatment since other aftercare practices are lacking or minimal. Especially web-based EMH treatment has been shown to be effective throughout multiple studies ( g  = 0.32) compared to SMS- or app-based approaches. Hence, practitioners may use EMH tools both as additives and as alternatives to regular treatment, and especially for aftercare following inpatient treatment. Web-based EMH tools have shown efficacy in most studies.

The meta-analysis is limited by the small number of studies especially for subgroup analyses, as some subgroups (e.g., anxiety disorder or substance abuse patients, or whole health approaches) only include a single study each and can thus not be properly interpreted. Although a total effect was found with a sufficient number of trials, further RCT research is needed to conduct more conclusive meta-analyses for subgroup-related research areas.

The small number of studies precludes further interesting analyses relevant to the design and implementation of EMH methods. For example, a previous meta-analysis on outpatient settings found that specific EMH methods were more effective for certain disorders (e.g., chatbots for depression, mood monitoring features for anxiety). Such research questions may be tackled in future meta-analyses when an adequate number of RCTs have been conducted. Meta-analyses and reviews are generally limited by the terms used and search outputs when conducting literature searches. Even though two literature searches (February 2024 and July 2024) were done for this meta-analysis, it may still not include all relevant literature. Furthermore, this meta-analysis was not preregistered. However, all relevant documents are publicly available.

Specific neuropsychological and cognitive measures were excluded from this meta-analysis to focus the research on explicit mental health outcomes. However, mental health deficits often co-occur with cognitive deficits, for example in memory, concentration, or problem-solving tasks. Although disorder-specific questionnaire measures encompass the measurement of such deficits, future research can focus on the effect of EMH interventions for the improvement of cognitive skills in patients affected by mental health disorders specifically.

Out of all 26 included studies 20 were conducted in Western or Northern Europe (17 in Germany, two in Sweden, one in Finland), three were conducted in North America (two in the USA and one in Canada), one in Australia, one in Hungary, and one in Iran. Research from other regions, such as Africa or East Asia, was absent. This may be due to differences in healthcare systems in different regions, and treatments alternative to inpatient treatment for more severe health cases. Thus, the results of this meta-analysis are mainly derived from studies conducted in countries with populations majorly of European descent. In order to generalize the reported findings, future research may aim to investigate EMH tools in more diverse populations.

Engagement and adherence are major concerns when applying EMH tools 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 . Effects of EMH on attrition were mitigated in this analysis by including group attrition effects in the RoB assessment: in fact, all four high risk studies were excluded due to unclear or uneven attrition rates. Engagement can be defined as usage as intended, measured for example through use frequency or completion 60 . Various included studies excluded participants with low engagement despite completion 41 and hence controlled for low engagement. Included studies mostly did not report direct effects on engagement on outcomes. One study found no effect of EMH tool use (assessed via logs) on symptom severity 56 . Similarly, other studies did not find a correlation between EMH use frequency and symptom improvement 47 , completed models and symptom improvement 64 , or differences between high- and low-frequency users 59 . Meanwhile, the number of completed EMH courses did significantly improve symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa 55 . Although there are only few studies and results are not consistent, the results nevertheless indicate that use frequency or intensity does generally not affect the treatment efficacy. Finally, some studies report improved engagement in the intervention compared to a control group 65 , 66 , indicating that EMH intervention may improve engagement behaviour. Future research may investigate effects of such engagement when implementing EMH tools.

Given that various measurement outcomes were used and summarized to generalize a wider range of findings, results do not consistently reflect the most clinically relevant outcomes (e.g., remission or relapse rates) which were only reported by six studies for varying mental disorders. Instead, the majority of research studies relied on symptom questionnaires. In total, a majority of the studies included were assessed with some concerns regarding risk of bias. Due to the low number of high-quality research with low bias and large sample sizes, results should be interpreted with some degree of caution. EMH implementations furthermore involve certain risks 67 such as a lack of quality standards 68 , data privacy issues 18 , or a lack of digital literacy by practitioners 19 . Despite promising results in this meta analysis, in the context of such risks, more high quality RCT research is necessary for a more rigorous assessment of EMH efficacy.

In conclusion, the results indicate that EMH procedures are an effective tool in the treatment and aftercare of inpatients, especially for psychotic, mood disorder, and eating disorder, and patient groups combining different diagnoses. EMH tools can be used both in addition to in-person treatment and when in-person treatment is not available, e.g., for aftercare. Future research should investigate effects of EMH tools for the inpatient treatment of specific disorders and the relevance of the specific tools used. Larger sample sizes and randomized trials are warranted to substantiate these effects.

This review was conducted in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines 69 and Cochrane Handbook guidelines for meta-analyses and systematic reviews 39 .

Literature search

The literature databases SciencGov, PsycInfo, PubMed, and CENTRAL were searched for published literature. In addition, the ProQuest Database was searched for dissertation theses, and ICTRP and ClinicalTrials were searched for trial result registers.

To aim for high sensitivity according to Cochrane guidelines 39 , we used multiple search terms in relation to the following topics: e-mental health (digital, online, e-mental health, technology-based, web-based, internet-based, mobile-based), treatment setting (psychotherapy, psychiatric, psychosomatic), inpatient setting (inpatient, ward patient, hospitalized), and experimental design (RCT, randomized controlled trial). The search term used corresponds to the following: (“digital” OR “online” OR “e-mental health” OR “technology-based” OR “web-based” OR “internet-based” OR “mobile-based”) AND (“psychotherapy” OR “psychiatric” OR “psychosomatic”) AND (“inpatient” OR “ward patient” OR “hospitalized”) AND (“RCT” OR “randomized controlled trial”). Two researchers conducted the literature search in February 2024. Literature search was performed in English and German.

A secondary search was conducted in July 2024 by extending the search to use the terms “e-health”, “mhealth”, and “telemedicine”, and using the mesh terms “digital health”, “telemedicine”, “psychotherapy”, “psychosomatic medicine”, and “inpatients” if applicable, for the databases CENTAL and PubMed. The secondary literature search did not yield any new viable studies.

Literature selection

We included research studies providing EMH interventions during inpatient treatment or aftercare following inpatient treatment, and studies investigating psychiatric symptoms co-occurring in patients hospitalized for physical conditions (e.g., stress or depression symptoms in cancer patients). Cluster and pilot RCTs were included as well.

Studies were excluded if they 1) did not investigate the effect of EMH intervention or aftercare methods, 2) did not investigate inpatients (either during or after inpatient intervention), 3) did not investigate mental health measures as treatment outcomes (e.g., only focusing on somatic symptoms or acceptability of the intervention; specific neuropsychological or cognitive outcomes like problem-solving skills were also excluded), 4) were not randomized controlled trials, 5) did not provide sufficient information to extract the relevant data (e.g., outcome measures or sample sizes), and 6) showed a high risk of bias assessed via the Risk of Bias tool (see next section) 39 . Neuropsychological or cognitive were excluded to focus the meta-analysis on mental health treatment effects. Although cognitive or neuropsychological deficits can be symptoms of mental health disorders, symptom-focused measures of mental health deficits (e.g., depressiveness questionnaires for clinical depression) provide a more discriminative estimation of mental health deficits.

Three independent raters took part in the literature selection. In case of disagreements, the raters discussed the study until agreement was found.

Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) 39 . RoB 2 is designed to assess the risk of an RCT’s bias by classifying the level of risk for the following domains: random sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding of participants and personnel, blinding of outcome assessment, incomplete outcome data, and selective reporting. Examples of risk of bias include non-random or semi-random participant grouping (incl. alternating allocation); high, uneven, or unexplained participant attrition between groups; lack of blinding; or unreported discrepancies between the study protocol and study. If no information on a domain was provided, the particular domain was assessed with medium risk.

Domains were rated on three levels: low, medium, or high risk of bias. Research studies with a high risk of bias were excluded from the analysis.

Measurement selection

For the total analyses, only measures related to clinical symptoms and psychosocial performance were included. These include: metric variables of disorder-related incidents (relapses, readmissions, abstinence, admissions); disorder-related symptom severity measurements; general psychopathology, well-being, or quality of life; employment-related measures (when relevant); and specific mental or psychosocial measures expected to correlate with symptom severity (e.g., self-esteem, positive and negative affect, stress). All relevant measures in a study were included in an analysis and controlled by treating study as a random effect.

Variable summarization

To investigate the relevant research questions, studies and measures were categorized by the following system.

EMH treatment type was categorized into either blended intervention (EMH was implemented into the inpatient setting) or aftercare treatment (EMH was provided after completing inpatient setting).

The variable Disorder type was classified into the following categories based on the patient group investigated in the study: anxiety disorders (ICD-10 diagnoses F40 and F41), eating disorders (ICD-10 diagnoses F50) mood disorders (ICD-10 diagnoses F3), psychotic disorders (ICD-10 diagnoses F2), substance abuse disorders (ICD-10 diagnoses F1x.2), or their DSM-5 diagnostic equivalents. A study treating patient groups from different categories was classified as transdiagnostic . A study was categorized as somatic comorbidity if the effects of EMH interventions on mental health outcomes in somatic inpatient groups were investigated (e.g., stress or anxiety symptoms in cancer patients). Finally, the category return to work was used for studies focussing on outcomes related to workplace reintegration following inpatient care.

The variable type of therapy was classified according to the type of therapy the EMH intervention was based on according to the authors. If no type of therapy was mentioned, the variable was valued as not available .

Data extraction

Data was summarized on multiple variables: author, title, year, country, type (aftercare, blended treatment), treated mental disorder, somatic illness (if present), digital method, type of therapy, type of control group (active, passive), outcome measure, follow-up, sample sizes, and outcome results (means, standard deviations, odds ratios, effect sizes). Data was extracted by one rater and verified by two other independent raters. Study characteristics were tabulated according to the planned subgroup analyses. Studies with insufficient data were excluded from the (sub-)analyses.

Data transformation

Hedges’ g was used to report effect sizes as it outperforms Cohen’s d for small sample sizes. Cohen’s d effect sizes and variances were transformed to Hedges’ g values and variances using the following formulas 48 :

When a study reported odds ratio (OR) values, values were first transformed into Cohen’s d using the following formula 48 :

Cohen’s d values were then transformed into Hedges’ g according to Formula 1.

Data analysis

Heterogeneity was tested and pre-assumed given the variety of setups in research studies and subgroup analyses were therefore decided a priori. Fixed-random effects models were used with study as a random factor. To assess the results’ robustness, the total effect is analysed two times, first using the whole range of data, and second using only outcomes that are clinically relevant (limited to symptom severity and clinical outcomes). Effects’ certainty and confidence were assessed through risk of bias assessment according to Cochrane guidelines and by investigating publication bias using funnel plot and p -curve analyses. The meta-analysis was not preregistered. No protocol is available for the meta-analysis. Confidence was assessed by calculating confidence intervals from standard errors.

Post-hoc analyses were decided after the data was analysed for the main hypotheses. Post-hoc analyses included the effect of EMH medium, the role of control group, and the effect of EMH on anxiety symptoms specifically.

Data availability

Data including the complete list of searched literature, the included studies, extracted data, and risk assessment are publicly available at https://osf.io/bc59e . Thus, all data is provided to replicate assessment of literature according to inclusion criteria and risk of bias, as well as all data necessary to replicate the analyses.

Code availability

The R code for the analysis is publicly available at https://osf.io/bc59e . Main and subgroup analyses and visualization of results were conducted via RStudio (ver. 2021.9.1.0, R version 4.1.2). The R packages dmetar and metafor were used for the analyses 70 , 71 .

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A.D. drafted the manuscript, conducted study search and selection, analysed the data, and revised the manuscript. I.S. and A.L.F. revised the manuscript and validated study search and selection. C.J., A.B., M.T., A.R., and G.G.D. revised the manuscript. M.T. acquired resources and funding.

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Diel, A., Schröter, I.C., Frewer, AL. et al. A systematic review and meta analysis on digital mental health interventions in inpatient settings. npj Digit. Med. 7 , 253 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-024-01252-z

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Published Clinical Research Conducted at the Clinical Center in 2022

Here is a sample of abstracts from the clinical research conducted at the NIH Clinical Center and published in a peer-reviewed medical journal in 2022. Links to the full text and video formats are provided if available.

Maintaining Momentum in Clinical Trials for Respiratory Viruses

Published in: Critical Care Medicine (December 2022)

COVID-19 has taught doctors about preparedness as it relates to emerging infections and clinical trials. Researchers must take the progress made in clinical trial design and infrastructure and build on it, so we are ready to answer research and efficacy questions regarding novel therapeutics for future emerging infections.

Read the article .

Pain Research and Children with Severe Intellectual Disability: Ethical Challenges and Imperatives

Published in: The Lancet (December 2022)

Children with severe intellectual disabilities encounter inequities in pain-related care, yet little pain research includes them. Since they are unable to verbally communicate their pain, it creates challenges for their participation in pain research. However, improving the ethical guidelines for pain research and applying a framework for assessing clinical research is possible.

Longitudinal multi-omics analyses of the gut–liver axis reveals metabolic dysregulation in hepatitis C infection and cirrhosis

Published in: Nature Microbiology (December 2022)

Scientists used a multi-disciplinary analysis of blood, faeces, and liver tissue to characterize the gut-liver axis of patients with Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study gives insight into the gut–liver axis in HCV and non-HCV liver diseases, and provides a foundation for future therapies.

Evaluation of Multi-layer Perceptron Neural Networks in Predicting Ankle Dorsiflexion in Healthy Adults using Movement-related Cortical Potentials for BCI-Neurofeedback Applications

Published in: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (November 2022)

Neural Networks show great potential for minimizing preprocessing steps in Brain-Computer Interface systems. Scientists tested novel methods to rapidly detect brain signals prior to moving the ankle, for use in neurofeedback training for motor rehabilitation.

Universal lymph node detection in T2 MRI using neural networks

Published in: The International Journal for Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (November 2022)

Scientists succeeded in using Artificial Intelligence technology to assist in lymph node detection. This detection can be critical in assessing lymphadenopathy (swelling of lymph nodes) and may lead to a better control of infection and cancer spread (metastases).

Outcomes of Patients With Primary Cardiac Diagnoses Admitted to Cardiac vs Noncardiac Intensive Care Units

Published in: JACC: Advances (October 2022)

Researchers compared outcomes for patients with primary cardiac diagnoses admitted to either noncardiac or cardiac intensive care units (ICUs). Initial analysis showed better outcomes in cardiac ICUs, while noncardiac ICUs favored after including concurrent noncardiac critical illnesses. Highlights importance of Critical Care Medicine training for cardiologists managing critical illnesses in cardiac ICUs.

External walking environment differentially affects muscle synergies in children with cerebral palsy and typical development

Published in: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (September 2022)

Researchers compared the difference in how muscles work together in children with cerebral palsy and children with typical development using three different walking conditions on a treadmill. The former group were more affected by the changes in walking conditions.

Sleep, time, and space—fatigue and performance deficits in pilots, commercial truck drivers, and astronauts

Published in: SLEEP Advances (September 2022)

Researchers reviewed 28 laboratory and field-based studies that had either objective or subjective measurements of sleep or fatigue. Shorter sleep durations, short off-duty time, and early-morning start times were associated with slower reaction times, more lapses in attention, and premature responses on psychomotor vigilance tests.

Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy to Treat Psychiatric and Existential Distress in Life-Threatening Medical Illnesses and Palliative Care

Published in: Neuropharmacology (September 2022)

Studies suggest preliminary evidence that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may provide robust and sustained quality-of-life improvements for patients in life-threatening or palliative situations. These patients experienced less anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and existential distress. More rigorous research is recommended to further assess effectiveness of these psychedelic therapies.

Misclassification Bias in Estimating Clinical Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Published in: The Lancet Journal (September 2022)

Reliance on SARS-CoV-2 test positivity alone to identify cases of COVID-19 hospitalizations could have introduced misclassification bias in a study assessing the severity of SARS-CoV-2 omicron and delta variants.

Plasma Cell-Free DNA Predicts Survival and Maps Specific Sources of Injury in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Published in: Circulation (August 2022)

Risk prediction in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a major challenge. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a noninvasive marker of cellular injury and its significance in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown. In two PAH cohorts, plasma cfDNA was measured and found elevated in patients with PAH compared with healthy controls and increases with disease severity.

An Exploratory Study of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder: MCP-1 and IL-8 Associated with Alcohol Consumption, Sleep Quality, Anxiety, Depression, and Liver Biomarkers

Published in: Frontiers in Psychiatry (August 2022)

Chronic sleep disturbances from heavy alcohol use may contribute to a sustained inflammatory state. Researchers examined pro-inflammatory cytokines in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and found associations with inflammation and alcohol consumption, sleep quality, anxiety and depression. Further research on inflammation in individuals with AUD is needed.

Improvement of Liver Metabolic Activity in People with Advanced HIV After Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy

Published in: AIDS (July 2022)

Using advanced imaging (PET/CT), we found low glucose metabolism in the liver of untreated people living with HIV had improved, but did not resolve completely after long-term antiretroviral therapy. Residual liver metabolic changes in people with HIV after treatment should be further evaluated.

Examining the Relationships Between Sleep Physiology and the Gut Microbiome in Preclinical and Translational Research: Protocol for a Scoping Review

Published in: JMIR Publications (June 2022)

Researchers developed a protocol outlining methods to review research studying sleep and the gut microbiome. This research has been undertaken to determine the methodologies used to quantify sleep and the microbiome and synthesize microbiome responses associated with healthy/unhealthy sleep.

Low-Dose Methylprednisolone Treatment in Critically Ill Patients with Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Published in: Intensive Care Medicine (May 2022)

Severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring Intensive Care Unit admission causes significant morbidity and mortality. Treatments directed at reducing inflammation in severe CAP have potential benefit. In a randomized multi-center trial of 586 patients with severe CAP, corticosteroid treatment did not significantly reduce 60-day mortality.

Early Intervention for Very Young Children with or at High Likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview of Reviews

Published in: Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (May 2022)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with early childhood symptoms. As a result, there is growing movement toward identifying ASD during early, more rapid periods of brain development to initiate interventions sooner. However, while two different approaches show positive effects on outcomes, the added benefits of earlier interventions still lack strong evidence.

Navigating Pandemic Moral Distress at Home and at Work: Frontline Workers' Experiences

Published in: AJOB Empirical Bioethics (April 2022)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers faced a series of challenges balancing family and work responsibilities. This article focuses on frontline workers’ perspectives on making work-life-community decisions in light of their increased COVID-19 exposure.

Fully Automated Abdominal CT Biomarkers for Type 2 Diabetes Using Deep Learning

Published in: Radiology (April 2022)

Researchers investigate computed tomography (CT) biomarkers that may be associated with the presence of type 2 diabetes using fully automated deep learning. The researchers found changes in the pancreases of patients as early as 7 years before the patients were diagnosed with diabetes.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography-Based Spatial Prediction of Drug Dose After Transarterial Chemoembolization Using Radiopaque Drug-Eluting Beads in Woodchuck Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Published in: Investigative Radiology (March 2022)

CT imaging was used to predict the distribution of chemotherapy following intra-arterial delivery of drug-releasing microspheres to a woodchuck liver tumor. This “drug mapping” concept could improve drug targeting and coverage of tumors, reducing side effects and improving treatment outcomes for patients with liver cancer.

Assessment of Aortoiliac Atherosclerotic Plaque on CT in Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment

Published in: PubMed (March 2022)

Researchers compared atherosclerotic plaque in major arteries of the abdomen and pelvis of men with and without prostate cancer. The atherosclerotic plaque in prostate cancer patients did not differ from the normal control group, but were closely associated with age and heart disease.

Increased Serum Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Donors Stimulated with G-CSF

Published in: Journal of Clinical Apheresis (March 2022)

In a case series of 18 healthy stem cell donors who received a common stimulation regimen, a protein that is commonly associated with heart failure increased transiently in their blood. The long-term impact on donor's health is pending evaluation.

IDSA Guidance and ESCMID Guidelines: Complementary Approaches Toward a Care Standard for MDR Gram-Negative Infections

Published in: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (February 2022)

As antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread globally, there is an increasing need for experts to provide recommendations on how to treat these infections. In this editorial, the strengths and weaknesses of the recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases are highlighted.

Breast Cancers Are Immunogenic: Immunologic Analyses and a Phase II Pilot Clinical Trial Using Mutation-Reactive Autologous Lymphocytes

Published in: PubMed (February 2022)

In a pilot clinical trial, 28 of 42 patients with metastatic breast cancer naturally raised immune lymphocytes targeting the expressed products of their cancer mutations. Three of six patients treated with these lymphocytes exhibited cancer regression. This experimental treatment may be an option for patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Treatment of Established Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Improves Interventricular Dependence in the SU5416-Hypoxia Rat Model

Published in: American Journal of Physiology | Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology (January 2022)

High-resolution cardiac MRI demonstrated that mineralocorticoid receptor blockade improved ventricular interdependence in a rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This supports the use of advanced cardiac imaging in an ongoing clinical trial of spironolactone in PAH patients at the NIH Clinical Center.

Cross Cultural Adaptation and Cognitive Testing of a Psycho-Social-Spiritual Healing Measure, the NIH Healing Experiences in All Life Stressors-NIH-HEALS

Published in: Global Advances in Health and Medicine (January 2022)

The face and content validity of the NIH Healing Experiences in All Life Stressors (NIH-HEALS) was assessed in a population of cancer patients in Uganda. Some minor changes are recommended to culturally adapt this survey for the local context.

Adolescents, Parents, and Covid-19 Vaccination - Who Should Decide?

Published in: The New England Journal of Medicine (January 2022)

Researchers review various perspectives, barriers, and approaches regarding the age for informed consent and medical decision-making for COVID-19 vaccination among adolescents aged 12-17. Allowing adolescents to independently consent to the vaccination could increase vaccine uptake in this population.

Read more articles about research in the NIH Clinical Center in 2022.

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Analysis suggests self-reporting of health may lead to underestimation of health inequalities in England

by Queen Mary, University of London

A first-of-its kind analysis of data collected from England's annual health survey found that of the people who reported their health as "poor," those living in areas of high deprivation are likely to have worse health than those living in the least deprived areas. The research has been published in BMJ Public Health .

This could mean that we are underestimating health inequalities across England, and could have implications for public health practice and policy informed by self-reported health data.

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and the University of Warwick analyzed data collected from over 14,000 participants of the 2017 and 2018 waves of the Health Survey for England. They compared participants' simple self-reported health (SRH) statements with a more detailed health-related quality of life measure, EQ-5D, which was collected at the same time.

The analysis assessed differences in the relationship between SRH and EQ-5D by Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile, a widely-used measure of deprivation.

The study found that self-reported good health declined with increasing deprivation, from 82.9% in the least deprived quintile to 63.9% in the most deprived quintile. Analysis also found that participants living in the most deprived two quintiles of areas in England who report poor health have lower EQ-5D scores—and therefore worse health—than would be expected based on their deprivation quintile and SRH status.

While additional research is needed to explore this further and quantify any impact on measures such as healthy life expectancy that incorporate SRH data, this study suggests that basing public health funding and interventions on SRH alone could result in an underestimation of health inequalities based on deprivation .

Oyinlola Oyebode, Professor of Public Health, at Queen Mary University of London, said, "Self-reported health is a widely used measure of health, most importantly, in England, we use it to calculate healthy life expectancy. Our analysis suggests that using self-reported health might underestimate socio-economic health inequalities , which may mean that resources and interventions are not appropriately targeted to the most vulnerable neighborhoods or people."

Rosanna Fforde, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Warwick and Consultant in Public Health at Sandwell Council, said, "Understanding any systematic variation in how people self-report their health is important because this single question measure of health is so widely used, including in large surveys and the Census.

"The resultant large number of responses provides us with valuable granular insights into patterns of health, but this also means that it is important to explore whether 'good' health means the same thing to everyone."

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Public Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

This page offers a thorough list of 100 public health nursing research paper topics , categorized into ten distinct sections, each focusing on different facets of public health nursing. The spectrum of topics encompasses everything from communicable diseases and maternal and child health to global health and health policy and management. This comprehensive list is designed to assist students and researchers in selecting an appropriate topic for their research paper and contributing to the expanding body of knowledge in this vital nursing specialty. The article also explores the importance of public health nursing, examining various aspects such as health promotion, prevention, and community health. Additionally, iResearchNet’s writing services are introduced, providing students the opportunity to order a custom public health nursing research paper on any topic, coupled with a call-to-action encouraging students to leverage this service.

100 Public Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

The field of public health nursing is vast and multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of topics that address the health and well-being of communities and populations. Research in this area is critical for the development of evidence-based interventions and strategies that can lead to improved health outcomes. In this section, we present a comprehensive list of public health nursing research paper topics, categorized into ten distinct areas, to help students and researchers find a topic that resonates with their interests and contributes to this essential field.

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• Communicable Diseases
• The role of public health nurses in controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
• Strategies for tuberculosis prevention and management in high-risk populations.
• The impact of vaccination campaigns on reducing the incidence of infectious diseases.
• Strategies for managing antimicrobial resistance in community settings.
• The role of public health nursing in the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections.
• Strategies for preventing and managing outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on the spread of vector-borne diseases.
• Strategies for managing and preventing healthcare-associated infections.
• The role of public health nursing in the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases.
• Strategies for managing infectious diseases in vulnerable populations, such as homeless individuals and refugees.
• Non-communicable Diseases
• The role of public health nursing in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases.
• Strategies for preventing and managing diabetes in community settings.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on cancer prevention and control.
• Strategies for managing chronic respiratory diseases in community settings.
• The role of public health nursing in the prevention and control of obesity.
• Strategies for preventing and managing mental health disorders in the community.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on the prevention and control of musculoskeletal disorders.
• Strategies for managing chronic kidney disease in community settings.
• The role of public health nursing in the prevention and control of oral diseases.
• Strategies for preventing and managing eye and vision problems in the community.
• Maternal and Child Health
• The role of public health nursing in promoting maternal and child health.
• Strategies for preventing and managing complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing infant and child mortality.
• Strategies for promoting breastfeeding and proper nutrition in infants and young children.
• The role of public health nursing in the prevention and control of childhood diseases.
• Strategies for promoting healthy growth and development in children and adolescents.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing adolescent pregnancy and its associated risks.
• Strategies for preventing and managing injuries in children and adolescents.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting mental health and preventing mental health disorders in children and adolescents.
• Strategies for preventing and managing substance use and abuse in adolescents.
• Mental Health
• The role of public health nursing in promoting mental health in the community.
• Strategies for preventing and managing depression and anxiety in community settings.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on suicide prevention.
• Strategies for preventing and managing substance use and abuse in community settings.
• The role of public health nursing in the prevention and control of mental health disorders in vulnerable populations.
• Strategies for promoting mental health and preventing mental health disorders in the elderly.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing stigma associated with mental health disorders.
• Strategies for preventing and managing stress and burnout in healthcare workers.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting mental health in schools and workplaces.
• Strategies for preventing and managing post-traumatic stress disorder in survivors of natural disasters and conflicts.
• Environmental Health
• The role of public health nursing in promoting environmental health.
• Strategies for preventing and managing health problems associated with air pollution.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases.
• Strategies for preventing and managing health problems associated with exposure to hazardous substances.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting healthy housing and reducing health problems associated with poor housing conditions.
• Strategies for preventing and managing health problems associated with climate change.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing the incidence of vector-borne diseases associated with environmental changes.
• Strategies for promoting food safety and preventing foodborne diseases.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting occupational health and preventing work-related health problems.
• Strategies for preventing and managing health problems associated with exposure to radiation.
• Health Promotion and Prevention
• The role of public health nursing in promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing health problems.
• Strategies for promoting physical activity and preventing sedentary behavior in the community.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on smoking cessation and preventing tobacco use.
• Strategies for promoting healthy eating and preventing obesity in community settings.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting sexual health and preventing sexually transmitted infections.
• Strategies for promoting mental health and preventing mental health disorders in the community.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on preventing injuries and accidents in the community.
• Strategies for promoting healthy aging and preventing health problems in the elderly.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting immunization and preventing vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Strategies for preventing and managing infectious diseases in the community.
• Community Health
• The role of public health nursing in promoting community health and well-being.
• Strategies for promoting social cohesion and reducing social inequalities in health.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing health disparities in disadvantaged populations.
• Strategies for promoting community engagement and participation in health promotion activities.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting healthy environments and reducing environmental health hazards in the community.
• Strategies for promoting health literacy and empowering individuals and communities to take control of their health.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on promoting healthy behaviors and reducing risk factors for chronic diseases.
• Strategies for promoting access to healthcare services and reducing barriers to healthcare in the community.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, refugees, and homeless individuals.
• Strategies for preventing and managing health problems in rural and remote communities.
• Global Health
• The role of public health nursing in promoting global health.
• Strategies for preventing and managing infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing maternal and child mortality in low- and middle-income countries.
• Strategies for promoting access to healthcare services and reducing barriers to healthcare in low- and middle-income countries.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting global health security and preventing the spread of infectious diseases across borders.
• Strategies for promoting health equity and reducing health disparities in low- and middle-income countries.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries.
• Strategies for promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing health problems in low- and middle-income countries.
• The role of public health nursing in addressing the social determinants of health and promoting health equity in low- and middle-income countries.
• Strategies for preventing and managing health problems in humanitarian emergencies and conflicts.
• Health Policy and Management
• The role of public health nursing in health policy and management.
• Strategies for promoting evidence-based policymaking and practice in public health nursing.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on improving the quality of healthcare services.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting healthcare workforce development and capacity building.
• Strategies for promoting interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in public health nursing.
• The impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing healthcare costs and improving healthcare efficiency.
• Strategies for promoting the integration of public health and primary care services.
• The role of public health nursing in promoting health equity and reducing health disparities in the community.
• Strategies for promoting the use of health information technology in public health nursing.
• Health Information Technology
• The role of public health nursing in promoting the use of health information technology.
• Strategies for promoting the use of electronic health records in public health nursing.
• The impact of health information technology on improving the quality of care in public health nursing.
• Strategies for promoting the use of telehealth and mobile health applications in public health nursing.
• The role of health information technology in promoting data sharing and interoperability in public health nursing.
• Strategies for promoting the use of big data and analytics in public health nursing.
• The impact of health information technology on reducing healthcare costs and improving healthcare efficiency.
• Strategies for promoting the use of health information technology in health promotion and disease prevention activities.
• The role of health information technology in promoting access to healthcare services and reducing barriers to healthcare in the community.
• Strategies for promoting the use of health information technology in emergency preparedness and response.

Research in public health nursing is critical for the development of effective interventions and strategies that can lead to improved health outcomes for individuals and communities. The public health nursing research paper topics listed above encompass a wide range of issues affecting the health and well-being of populations, reflecting the current challenges faced by public health nursing professionals. By conducting research in these areas, students and researchers can contribute to the growing body of knowledge in this essential field of nursing and help address the pressing health challenges faced by communities around the world.

The Range of Public Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

Introduction

Public health nursing is a critical and distinct field of nursing practice that focuses on the promotion of health and prevention of diseases in communities and populations. Public health nurses work in various settings, including health departments, schools, community health centers, and non-profit organizations, to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Their role involves assessing the health needs of a community, developing and implementing health promotion and disease prevention programs, and advocating for policies that support public health. The significance of public health nursing in the community cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in addressing the current public health challenges faced by communities around the world.

Broad Range of Public Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

Public health nursing encompasses a wide range of topics, reflecting the diverse and multifaceted nature of public health challenges. As such, public health nursing research paper topics can vary widely, from communicable diseases and maternal and child health to environmental health and health policy and management. The research conducted in these areas is essential for the development of evidence-based interventions and strategies that can lead to improved health outcomes for individuals and communities.

• Communicable Diseases: Research in this area focuses on the prevention and control of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and influenza. Public health nursing research paper topics in this area may include strategies for preventing and managing outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, the impact of vaccination campaigns on reducing the incidence of infectious diseases, and the role of public health nursing in the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections.
• Non-communicable Diseases: Non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer, are a major public health concern worldwide. Research in this area may focus on strategies for preventing and managing these diseases in community settings, the impact of public health nursing interventions on the prevention and control of these diseases, and the role of public health nursing in promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
• Maternal and Child Health: Maternal and child health is a critical area of public health nursing that focuses on the health and well-being of mothers, infants, and children. Research in this area may focus on strategies for preventing and managing complications during pregnancy and childbirth, the impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing infant and child mortality, and the role of public health nursing in promoting breastfeeding and proper nutrition in infants and young children.
• Mental Health: Mental health is an essential component of public health. Research in this area may focus on strategies for promoting mental health and preventing mental health disorders in the community, the impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing stigma associated with mental health disorders, and the role of public health nursing in promoting mental health in schools and workplaces.
• Environmental Health: Environmental health focuses on the impact of environmental factors, such as air pollution, water pollution, and exposure to hazardous substances, on human health. Research in this area may focus on strategies for preventing and managing health problems associated with environmental factors, the impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing the incidence of environmentally related diseases, and the role of public health nursing in promoting healthy environments and reducing environmental health hazards in the community.
• Health Promotion and Prevention: Health promotion and prevention are core components of public health nursing. Research in this area may focus on strategies for promoting healthy behaviors and preventing health problems in the community, the impact of public health nursing interventions on promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing risk factors for chronic diseases, and the role of public health nursing in promoting immunization and preventing vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Community Health: Community health focuses on the health and well-being of specific communities or populations. Research in this area may focus on strategies for promoting community engagement and participation in health promotion activities, the impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing health disparities in disadvantaged populations, and the role of public health nursing in promoting the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, refugees, and homeless individuals.
• Global Health: Global health focuses on public health challenges that affect populations worldwide. Research in this area may focus on strategies for preventing and managing infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries, the impact of public health nursing interventions on reducing maternal and child mortality in low- and middle-income countries, and the role of public health nursing in promoting global health security and preventing the spread of infectious diseases across borders.
• Health Policy and Management: Health policy and management focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies and programs that affect public health. Research in this area may focus on strategies for promoting evidence-based policymaking and practice in public health nursing, the impact of public health nursing interventions on improving the quality of healthcare services, and the role of public health nursing in promoting healthcare workforce development and capacity building.
• Health Information Technology: Health information technology focuses on the use of information technology to improve public health. Research in this area may focus on strategies for promoting the use of electronic health records in public health nursing, the impact of health information technology on improving the quality of care in public health nursing, and the role of health information technology in promoting data sharing and interoperability in public health nursing.

Role of Nurses in Addressing Current Public Health Challenges

Public health nurses play a crucial role in addressing current public health challenges. They assess the health needs of a community, develop and implement health promotion and disease prevention programs, and advocate for policies that support public health. Moreover, public health nurses work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals and community stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Their role is particularly important in addressing health disparities and promoting health equity in disadvantaged populations. Public health nurses have the knowledge, skills, and expertise to develop and implement evidence-based interventions that can lead to improved health outcomes for individuals and communities. By conducting research in the areas mentioned above, public health nurses can contribute to the growing body of knowledge in this essential field of nursing and help address the pressing health challenges faced by communities around the world.

Public health nursing is a critical field of nursing practice that plays a pivotal role in addressing current public health challenges faced by communities around the world. The broad range of public health nursing research paper topics reflects the diverse and multifaceted nature of public health challenges. By conducting research in these areas, students and researchers can contribute to the growing body of knowledge in this essential field of nursing and help address the pressing health challenges faced by communities around the world.

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