📄 Category

public and global health

433 papers

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

A strengths-based, participatory qualitative exploration of digital information access and critical health literacy among culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia

This strengths-based, participatory qualitative study reveals how culturally and linguistically diverse adults in Australia navigate complex online health information environments by leveraging diverse language skills and critically evaluating sources, including the ambivalent use of AI tools, to distinguish credible information from misinformation.

Muscat, D. M., Mustapha-Khodragha, N., Wong, M., Trisnasari, S., Talla, G., Rizkyanti, F., Ng, S., Kapoor, G., Khalid, S (…)2026-06-29
📄 public and global health

Rethinking wellbeing measurement: learning from a scale development study with adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe

This paper details the development and methodological lessons of the Zvandiri Character Strength (ZCS) scale for measuring wellbeing among adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe, highlighting the limitations of applying Western positive psychology instruments in this context and the need for culturally grounded, construct-specific measurement approaches that account for relational dimensions and social desirability biases.

Mavhu, W., Dambi, J. M., Simms, V., Martin, F., Lariat, J., Mbundure, R., Makoni, L., Kafata, L., Wogrin, C., Chitiyo, V (…)2026-06-29
📄 public and global health

Blood Lead Levels and Alzheimer's Disease Mortality in NHANES: Addressing Temporal Confounding Through a Study Exit Covariate

This study demonstrates that structural temporal confounding in historical NHANES cohorts obscures the true relationship between blood lead levels and Alzheimer's disease mortality, revealing a robust inverse association only after adjusting for calendar time at study exit, though this finding likely reflects methodological artifacts rather than a protective effect of lead exposure.

Grossman, A.2026-06-28
📄 public and global health

Meningitis vaccination campaign in the context of COVID-19 in Cameroon

Despite challenges such as insufficient personal protective equipment and difficulties maintaining social distancing, Cameroon's 2020 meningitis vaccination campaign conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic was effective, achieving high coverage rates while identifying key operational lessons for future public health interventions.

Mbang, M. A., Amani, A., Cheuyem, F. Z. L., Tchamani, R., Tatang, C. A., Noula, A. G. M., Bayiha, C. N., Debnet, J., Ebo (…)2026-06-27
📄 public and global health

A Multidomain Model for Dementia Classification using Harmonized LASI and LASI-DAD Data

This study developed and internally validated a multidomain machine learning model using harmonized LASI and LASI-DAD data that integrates cognitive, informant, cardiometabolic, and sociodemographic features to achieve high accuracy in classifying dementia among heterogeneous Indian older adults, demonstrating that non-cognitive variables provide incremental value beyond cognitive measures alone.

Anand, S., Miyapuram, K.2026-06-24
📄 public and global health

Factors associated with the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine: The experiences of postpartum women attending child welfare clinics in three rural districts in the Western Region of Ghana.

This mixed-methods study in rural Ghana found that while IPTp-SP uptake among postpartum women was high and primarily driven by the frequency of antenatal care visits rather than socio-demographic factors, adherence was negatively influenced by side effects and challenges with the medication formulation.

Amugi, G., Agudey, D. T., Gyimah, N. M., Mensah, P., Kwarkye, I., Yengliereh, G. Y. G., Claude, K. J., Brookman-Eshun, B (…)2026-06-24
📄 public and global health

THE SILENT STRUGGLE: EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA

This qualitative study on healthcare communication in Ghana's Northern Region identifies language barriers, provider attitudes, logistical shortages, and cultural factors as critical obstacles to effective patient care, recommending targeted training and professional interpretation to bridge these gaps.

Salifu, i., Abdulai, M., Ibrahim, N.2026-06-23