Public and global health examines how we protect communities from disease, manage outbreaks, and improve well-being across the world. This vital field connects diverse research on everything from infectious disease control and vaccination strategies to the social factors that shape our collective health. Because these studies often impact policy and daily life, understanding them quickly is more important than ever.

At Gist.Science, we track every new preprint published in this category on medRxiv to ensure you never miss a breakthrough. We process each submission to provide both plain-language explanations for general readers and detailed technical summaries for experts, making complex findings accessible to everyone.

Below are the latest papers in public and global health, freshly summarized from the most recent medRxiv releases.

📄 public and global health

Leapfrogging cancer diagnostics with AI: a mixed-methods assessment of implementation determinants in low- and middle-income countries

This mixed-methods study of LMIC cancer diagnostics reveals that institutional readiness for AI implementation varies significantly regardless of national income levels, identifying financial constraints as the primary barrier and collaboration as a key enabler for successfully leveraging AI to overcome local diagnostic limitations.

Schoenpflug, L. A., van den Berg, N. J., Chhut, S. V., Leung, E. Y. L., Looi, L.-M., Lukande, R., Meja, S. J., Parra-Med (…)2026-11-04
📄 public and global health

Applying Diagnostic Network Optimisation analysis to inform the introduction of G6PD testing into Indonesia for improved treatment of relapsing malaria

This study utilizes Diagnostic Network Optimisation (DNO) analysis to demonstrate that strategically allocating G6PD testing devices to a subset of health facilities in Indonesia can significantly reduce implementation costs while maintaining equitable patient access, thereby supporting the safe and scalable introduction of radical cure for relapsing malaria.

Lestari, K. D., Fadilah, I., Nanine, I., Prameswari, H. D., Theodora, M., Kurnia, B., Susanto, H., Hapsari, R. K., Prayo (…)2026-11-04
📄 public and global health

The impact of warning labels versus traffic light labels on food choice and negative emotional responses: two randomised controlled trials among UK adult populations with and without an eating disorder

Two randomized controlled trials involving UK adults with and without eating disorders found that nutrient warning labels were more effective than traffic light labels or no labels in reducing unhealthy food selection, without causing increased negative emotional responses.

Evans, R. K., Latham, R., Finlay, A., Robinson, E.2026-11-03
📄 public and global health

Constructing expert models of adolescent vaping behaviour: A mental models study

This study utilizes a mental models approach to synthesize interviews with 12 Norwegian experts, revealing that adolescent vaping is a multifactorial phenomenon driven by interacting biological, psychological, and social factors that necessitate nuanced, context-aware risk communication strategies beyond simple comparative harm messaging.

Berg, S. H., Stifjell, K., Borch, K. B., Nost, T. H., Roislien, J., Sandanger, T. M.2026-11-02
📄 public and global health

Longitudinal Associations of Cigarette Smoking, Smoking Intensity, and Smoking TrajectoriesWith Emergency Room Utilization Among U.S. Adults

This longitudinal study of U.S. adults demonstrates that current cigarette smoking, particularly at higher intensities and persistent or emerging trajectories, significantly increases subsequent emergency room utilization, whereas smoking cessation reduces this risk to levels comparable to non-smokers.

Guo, W., Yan, X., Tatsuoka, C.2026-11-02
📄 public and global health

The Story of Shukuru - a film to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding schistosomiasis and related elimination interventions in Pemba, Tanzania.

An educational film on schistosomiasis, developed through community input and filmed locally in Pemba, Tanzania, significantly improved knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral willingness among children and adults, though the authors emphasize that lasting behavior change ultimately requires complementary infrastructure investments like clean water access.

Trippler, L., Mohammed, U. A., Amour, H. S., Ali, A. N., Juma, S., Ali, S. M., Knopp, S.2026-10-31
📄 public and global health

Enablers and barriers to scaling an ECD parenting program into primary health care services in rural Bangladesh

This mixed-methods study evaluates the implementation of an evidence-based early childhood development parenting program integrated into rural Bangladesh's primary health care system, identifying strong government ownership and high compliance as key enablers while highlighting insufficient supervision, poor inter-level communication, and material constraints as critical barriers to scaling.

Mehrin, S. F., Hassan, R., Kawsir, M., Hamadani, J. D. D., Baker-Henningham, H.2026-10-30
📄 public and global health

Building a community-academic partnership in public housing: Lessons from applying the CBPR Partnership Readiness Model

This paper demonstrates that applying the CBPR Partnership Readiness Model to a Project Advisory Board effectively strengthened a community-academic partnership focused on improving DASH diet adherence among low-income African American women in public housing, resulting in increased membership and satisfaction with local food equity initiatives.

Sesay, N. A., OoNorasak, K., Brewer, J. E., Bawa, M. S., Mason, D., Hughes, K., Coffie, J., White, B. M.2026-10-30
📄 public and global health

Neuroimaging Inequities in Africa: Health system readiness, diagnostic capacity, and an embedded case study of portable ultra-low-field MRI implementation in Ethiopia

This study highlights the severe neuroimaging inequities and infrastructure gaps across Africa and demonstrates through an Ethiopian case study that portable ultra-low-field MRI offers a feasible, low-resource solution to expand diagnostic access for neurological conditions.

Abate, G. B., Clemensson, P., Bourke, N., Bennallick, C., Williams, S. C. R., Twumasi, R., Giampietro, V.2026-10-28
📄 public and global health

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding priority zoonotic diseases (Mpox, Ebola, and Rabies) and associated factors among households in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2025

A 2025 cross-sectional study of 634 households in Bukavu, DRC, reveals that while attitudes toward zoonotic disease prevention are generally favorable, knowledge and preventive practices remain inadequate, with university education and access to drinking water identified as key factors associated with satisfactory overall knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

Murangaza, A. K., Chiribagula, C. Z., Byamungu, C. M., Mandevu, H. C., Kisangani, G. M., Bigirinama, R. N.2026-10-28