📊 Category

epidemiology

286 papers

Epidemiology is the study of how diseases spread through populations and what factors influence their patterns. Rather than focusing on individual patients, this field examines broader trends to identify outbreaks, track transmission, and guide public health decisions. By analyzing data on infection rates and risk factors, researchers work to prevent future health crises and protect communities worldwide.

On Gist.Science, we process every new preprint in this category directly from medRxiv to make these critical findings instantly accessible. For each study, we provide both a plain-language explanation for general readers and a detailed technical summary for specialists. This dual approach ensures that vital insights into disease dynamics are understood clearly and quickly by everyone who needs them.

Explore the latest research below to see how scientists are currently mapping disease trends and developing strategies to safeguard global health.

📊 epidemiology

Unequal effects of health behaviors in adolescence on adult cardiovascular disease and hypertension by family financial situation in the US: A cohort study

This US cohort study reveals that frequent adolescent alcohol use, particularly when combined with smoking, leads to a significantly higher risk of adult cardiovascular disease and hypertension among individuals from financially disadvantaged families compared to their peers, highlighting the unequal impact of health behaviors across socioeconomic backgrounds.

Noor, N., Jackisch, J., Chiolero, A., Harris, K. M., Carmeli, C.2026-03-12
📊 epidemiology

Combining new interventions with urban development as a path to effective, consistent, and durable control of dengue

A mathematical model projecting dengue control across 1,634 cities to 2050 reveals that while new interventions offer short-term benefits, the most effective and durable strategy for achieving over 90% disease reduction combines these innovations with long-term urban development to eliminate mosquito habitats.

Perkins, A., Susong, K. M., Tiley, K., Majumder, A., Ratnavale, S., Alkuzweny, M., Kraemer, M. U. G., Clapham, H. E. J. (…)2026-03-12
📊 epidemiology

Identifying molecular pathways of type 2 diabetes using proteomics, metabolic, and anthropometric profiles in UK and Chinese adults

This study integrates proteomic, metabolic, and anthropometric data from UK and Chinese biobanks to identify five distinct protein clusters—including two novel groups related to adiposity and kidney function—and pinpoints specific causal proteins and pathways that elucidate the heterogeneous molecular architecture of type 2 diabetes, offering new targets for precision medicine.

LIU, J., Chen, L., Nagy, R., Roberston, N., Traylor, M., Pozarickij, A., Belbasis, L., Said, S., Gan, W., Alta, G., Mill (…)2026-03-11
📊 epidemiology

Estimation of Annual Exposures and Antibody Kinetics Against Norovirus GII.4 Variants from English Serology Data, 2007-2012.

By analyzing serology data from 656 English children using a mathematical model of multi-variant antibody kinetics, this study estimates high annual norovirus GII.4 infection rates, reveals age-specific patterns and moderate evidence for immune imprinting, and highlights the prevalence of asymptomatic infections to better inform epidemic planning.

O'Reilly, K., Hay, J. A., Lindesmith, L., Allen, D., Hue, S., Debbink, K., Kucharski, A., Baric, R., Breuer, J., Edmunds (…)2026-03-11
📊 epidemiology

Wildlife hosts predict the distribution of reported coccidioidomycosis in the western United States

This study demonstrates that the diversity of mammalian reservoirs is the strongest predictor of coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) endemicity in the western United States, outperforming environmental variables and providing a framework to identify underreported disease risk areas by integrating wildlife distribution data with human case surveillance.

Sussman, J., Derieg, K. M., Perry, K. D., Adakai, A., Corrian, R., Merow, C., Brewer, S. C., Walter, K. S.2026-03-11
📊 epidemiology

Multimodal Ageing Biomarkers and Plasma Proteomic Signatures Associated with All-Cause Mortality

This study systematically benchmarks proteomic organ ages against established multimodal ageing biomarkers in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936, revealing that while accelerated liver, immune, and heart ageing predict mortality, traditional markers like brain volume and cognitive function remain stronger predictors, and further identifies specific plasma proteins, notably GDF15, CST3, and COL18A1, as robust signatures of all-cause mortality.

Pyrgioti, M., Eguiagaray, I. M., Redmond, P., Corley, J., Bastin, M. E., Valdes Hernandez, M., Russ, T. C., Wardlaw, J. (…)2026-03-10
📊 epidemiology

An Integrated Multi-Method Framework for Gender-Based Violence Research: A Synthetic Data Demonstration Using Kenya Demographic and Health Survey Parameters

This study proposes and demonstrates a five-phase integrated analytical framework combining predictive machine learning and causal inference methods on synthetic Kenya Demographic and Health Survey data to identify key GBV predictors and test mediation pathways, serving as a proof-of-concept for future application to real-world longitudinal datasets.

Mboya, G. O.2026-03-09
📊 epidemiology

Would Lifting Versus Maintaining COVID-19 Containment Policies Have Reduced Psychological Distress in the US?

This study finds that lifting COVID-19 containment policies in the US during the first year of the pandemic produced immediate but transient reductions in psychological distress, suggesting that extended policies were not the primary driver of persistent mental health declines during that period.

Cudic, M., de la Hoz, J. F., Dall'Aglio, L., Tubbs, J. D., Ebrahimi, O. V., Madsen, E. M., Fatori, D., Zuccolo, P. F., L (…)2026-03-09