📄 Category

public and global health

434 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

Effectiveness of an automated text message intervention for weight management in postpartum women with overweight or obesity (Supporting MumS (SMS)): a UK wide, multicentre, two arm, parallel group, randomised controlled trial.

This UK-wide randomized controlled trial found that while a 12-month automated text message intervention did not significantly reduce weight in postpartum women with overweight or obesity compared to an active control group, it successfully improved dietary habits, physical activity levels, and infant feeding practices.

Gallagher, D., Spyreli, E., Calder-MacPhee, N., Crossley, K., Feuillatre, C., Ivory, A., Karatas, B., Kelly, C. B., Lind (…)2026-03-06
📄 public and global health

"You become free, you can tell her anything": Perceptions of a peer-based medication delivery implementation strategy to improve hypertension medication adherence in western Kenya

This study in rural western Kenya utilized focus groups and interviews to assess stakeholder perceptions of a peer-based medication delivery and health information technology strategy for hypertension, revealing that while the approach is valued for improving access and psychosocial support, its success depends heavily on peer competency and communication.

Watiri, C., Wachira, J., Njuguna, B., Gjonaj, J., Kangogo, K., Korir, M., Laktabai, J., Manji, I., Pastakia, S. D., Tran (…)2026-03-06
📄 public and global health

Effectiveness of health mediation to promote organized cancer screening among underserved and under-screened populations in Marseille, France: findings from a repeated cross-sectional survey

A repeated cross-sectional survey in Marseille demonstrates that a multicomponent health mediation program significantly increased breast and colorectal cancer screening uptake and awareness among exposed individuals in disadvantaged neighborhoods, although it did not produce a significant effect at the overall population level.

Legendre, E., Dutrey-Kaiser, A., Attalah, Y., Boyer, G., Nauleau, S., Gaudart, J., Kelly, D., Caserio-Schönemann, C., M (…)2026-03-06
📄 public and global health

Pilot Study to Determine the Efficacy, Feasibility, and Impact of Storage Conditions on At-Home Blood Collection Kits for Proteomic Studies

This pilot study demonstrates that at-home capillary blood collection using the Tasso+ device yields serum proteome results comparable to standard venous draws when processed immediately, provided that pre-processing delays are kept under 48 hours and samples are maintained at refrigeration temperatures to minimize protein level changes.

Scranton, C., Sun, X., Rodriguez, D., Pogreba-Brown, K., Austhof, E., McFadden, C. M., Obergh, V., Cooper, K. K.2026-03-04
📄 public and global health

Securitized Health and Zero Dose Children: Structural and Service Contact Determinants of Non-Vaccination in Nigeria

This study of Nigeria's 2023 Demographic and Health Survey data reveals that zero-dose children status is primarily driven by deep structural exclusion and fragmented early health system contact—specifically the lack of antenatal care visits, maternal education, and facility-based delivery—rather than isolated individual preferences, with regional disparities largely mediated through these systemic pathways.

Mohammed, I. A.2026-03-04
📄 public and global health

A predictive model for differentiating hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and scrub typhus in southwestern China

This study developed and validated a predictive nomogram model based on five independent factors—male sex, positive proteinuria, elevated creatinine, decreased heart rate, and conjunctival congestion—to effectively differentiate hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome from scrub typhus in southwestern China.

Huang, L., Zheng, Y., Gu, S., Li, Z., Li, F., Gu, W., Hu, L.2026-03-04
📄 public and global health

Potential Antenatal Care-Mediated Benefits of Delivering Maternal Immunization in Five Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Modeling Analysis

This modeling analysis demonstrates that integrating maternal immunization into antenatal care services in five low- and middle-income countries could significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes, particularly among the poorest populations, by enhancing engagement with essential health services such as facility delivery, postnatal care, and childhood vaccinations.

Jiao, B., Iversen, I., Sato, R., Getnet, F., Zelalem, M., Tefera, Y. L., Owusu, R., Gatua, J. G., Pecenka, C., Khan, S. (…)2026-03-04