📊 Category

epidemiology

407 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

Neurocysticercosis in California: Clinical Characteristics and Associated Comorbidities Across the University of California Health System

This cross-sectional study of the University of California Health System reveals that neurocysticercosis, which disproportionately affects Hispanic/Latino patients with socioeconomic barriers, is strongly associated with epilepsy and a broad spectrum of neuropsychiatric comorbidities, underscoring the need for greater recognition of this disease in non-endemic U.S. settings.

Islam, T. M., Allen, S. E.2026-09-08
📊 epidemiology

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies in relation to Self-Reported Better Sleep across Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States

Using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, this study found that while several Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies like massage and yoga are associated with perceived better sleep across racial and ethnic groups, the effectiveness of other therapies such as chiropractic manipulation and herbal supplements varies significantly by race and ethnicity.

Singh, R., Gaston, S. A., Payne, C., Neo, D. T., Bertisch, S. M., Jonas, W. B., Jackson, C. L.2026-09-08
📊 epidemiology

Differential Methylation at Novel Putative Imprinting Control Regions on Chromosome 20 Associated with Childhood Obesity

This study utilized a novel Human Imprintome Array on 586 newborns to identify differential methylation at seven novel imprinting control regions, particularly on chromosome 20, in umbilical cord blood that are associated with sustained childhood obesity and persist into later childhood, suggesting these epigenetic patterns could serve as early-life biomarkers for obesity risk.

Everly, C. F., Allen, T. K., Skaar, D. A., Corliss, B. A., Jima, D. D., Maguire, R. L., Jadallah, H., Jirtle, R. L., Mur (…)2026-09-07
📊 epidemiology

Pitfalls and Solutions in Clone-Censor-Weight for Target Trial Emulation: Insights from Review, Simulation, and Real-World Analyses

This study demonstrates that while the clone-censor-weight (CCW) method yields accurate estimates with nominal coverage when correctly implemented, it is susceptible to significant bias and under-coverage if time-varying covariates or pre-existing censoring are mishandled, or if the inverse probability of censoring weights exhibit heavy tails indicative of strong confounding.

Kimura, Y., Takazawa, Y., Yasunaga, H.2026-09-07
📊 epidemiology

The effect of herpes zoster vaccines on incident dementia in England: Protocol for an OpenSAFELY regression discontinuity study

This paper outlines a protocol for an OpenSAFELY regression discontinuity study designed to evaluate the impact of England's herpes zoster vaccination program, which transitioned from Zostavax to Shingrix, on the incidence of dementia using linked electronic health records.

Walker, V., Schaffer, A. L., Hulme, W. J., Wood, C., Tamborska, A., Walker, A. J., MacKenna, B., Goldacre, B., Sterne, J (…)2026-09-07
📊 epidemiology

Population Genomics of Salmonella Enteritidis in Saudi Arabia Reveals Globally Circulating Food- and Human-Associated Lineages and Plasmid-Mediated Antimicrobial Resistance

This study utilizes a large-scale One Health genomic analysis of Salmonella Enteritidis in Saudi Arabia to reveal that the local population consists of globally circulating lineages introduced repeatedly from international sources, where food reservoirs act as transmission hubs and the emergence of epidemic clones is driven by the acquisition of plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance.

Alreshoodi, F., Zhou, G., Huang, J., Hinkova, N., Alsufyani, A., Alotaibi, N. M., Alarawi, M. S., Alzahrani, K. O., Al S (…)2026-09-07
📊 epidemiology

Genetic and epigenetic architecture of mass spectrometry-derived lipids in blood and their role in lifetime Major Depressive Disorder

This study integrates genetic, epigenetic, and mass spectrometry lipid data from a Scottish cohort to reveal that genetic variants and DNA methylation within the FADS gene cluster influence specific blood lipid species, which in turn are associated with lifetime Major Depressive Disorder.

Smith, H. M., Richmond, A., Adams, M. J., Wretlind, A., Marioni, R. E., Legido-Quigley, C., McIntosh, A. M.2026-09-06
📊 epidemiology

An investigation into ethnic group and deprivation inequalities in influenza and COVID-19 hospitalizations, post-pandemic

This study of England's 2023–2024 data reveals that while ethnic disparities in influenza hospitalizations persist (particularly for Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups) and are partially driven by deprivation, vaccination uptake and deprivation significantly mediate inequalities for both influenza and COVID-19, underscoring the need to prioritize improving vaccination coverage in under-vaccinated populations.

Scott, M., Browning, L., Roberts, T., De Boer, J., Richardson, Z. A., Garda, L.2026-09-04
📊 epidemiology

Testing Claimed Associations of Prenatal Acetaminophen with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Re-analysis Using Bias-Correction Methods

This reanalysis challenges the claim of "strong evidence" linking prenatal acetaminophen exposure to neurodevelopmental disorders by demonstrating that, after applying standard meta-analytic and bias-correction methods, the association for autism spectrum disorder attenuated to non-significance and the evidence for other disorders was inconsistent, leaving only a modest, uncertain association with ADHD.

Grover, A., Reis-Pardal, J., Ellis, R. J., Ioannidis, J., Patel, C. J.2026-09-04