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Creating culturally-informed protocols for a stunting intervention using a situated values-based approach ( WeValue InSitu ): a double case study in Indonesia and Senegal

International development work involves external partners bringing expertise, resources, and management for local interventions in LMICs, but there is often a gap in understandings of relevant local shared val...

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Cannabis use and its psychosocial correlates among school-going adolescents in Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, adolescents are increasingly engaging in risky activities, including cannabis use, which can lead to substance abuse, poor academic performance, and psychotic symptoms. This study aims to inve...

Unlocking gender dynamics in food and nutrition security in Ghana: assessing dietary diversity, food security, and crop diversification among cocoa household heads in the Juaboso-Bia cocoa landscape

Malnutrition is a worldwide problem that impacts every country, affecting one in three individuals, including Ghana. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 690 million people ...

Development and implementation of a worksite-based intervention to improve mothers’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills in sharing information with their adolescent daughters on preventing sexual violence: lessons learned in a developing setting, Sri Lanka

Sexual violence among adolescents has become a major public health concern in Sri Lanka. Lack of sexual awareness is a major reason for adverse sexual health outcomes among adolescents in Sri Lanka. This study...

Social vulnerability and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents

Social vulnerability can influence in the development of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents (CRF). For this reason, the objective of our study was to evaluate the presence of CRF in adolescents, accord...

What may encourage or deter health services utilization by people living with or at the risk of HIV/AIDS in special health centers? Qualitative evidence from a stigmatized community

Behavioral Diseases Counseling Centers (BDCCs) and Vulnerable Women’s Counseling Centers (VWCCs) in Iran are the main peripheral centers that offer educational, counseling, diagnostic, preventive, curative and...

The relationship between gender, psychosocial factors, pain, health literacy and health-related quality of life in parents of Norwegian adolescents one year into the COVID-19 pandemic

Stress impacts healthy behaviours and may influence life and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). A stressful event occurred when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. The present study aims to explore p...

Size estimation of key populations and ‘bridge populations’ based on the network scale-up method in Ukraine

Correct estimation of the size of key and bridge populations is crucial for an efficient HIV/AIDS response in resource-limited settings, enabling efficient program planning and resource allocation. The hidden ...

Publisher Correction: Effects of Wuxi CDC WeChat official account article features on user engagement in health promotion

The original article was published in BMC Public Health 2024 24 :756

Unmet need for contraception among married women in the Kyrgyz Republic using the datasets from the 2006, 2014 and 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey: a cross-sectional study

Since the beginning of the family program in 1998, the proportion of married women who used contraception has fluctuated. An unmet need for contraception among women in Kyrgyzstan drastically increased from 20...

Trends in prevalence of hearing loss in adults in the USA 1999–2018: a cross-sectional study

A better understanding of how the prevalence of hearing loss and its associated factors change over time could help in developing an appropriate program to prevent the development of hearing loss.

Food safety knowledge and practices among raw meat handlers and the microbial content of raw meat sold at Kumasi Abattoir Butchery Shops in Kumasi, Ghana

Foodborne diseases affect nearly 600 million people each year, that is, one in every ten people, and their outbreaks are most common in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa. This study inve...

Snoring is associated with hypertension and diabetes mellitus among adults in north Sudan: a cross-sectional study

Different levels of association between snoring, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM) are reported. There are few published studies on this topic in African countries, and no investigation was conducted in...

Epidemic intelligence in Europe: a user needs perspective to foster innovation in digital health surveillance

European epidemic intelligence (EI) systems receive vast amounts of information and data on disease outbreaks and potential health threats. The quantity and variety of available data sources for EI, as well as...

Effects of health educational and participatory consumer group interventions in improving food handling practices in regional director of health services area Kalutara, Sri Lanka: non-randomized controlled community trial

Safe and nutritious food is the key to sustaining life and promoting good health. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, the elderly, a...

Exploring barriers of health literacy on non-communicable disease prevention and care among patients in north wollo zone public hospitals; Northeast, Ethiopia, 2023: application of socio-ecological model

Health literacy is the important for the prevention of non-communicable disease to make informed health decisions, and practice healthy and protective behaviours. Therefore, application of socioecological mode...

Longitudinal association between fitness and metabolic syndrome: a population-based study over 29 years follow-up

To examine the longitudinal associations between fitness and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in community-dwelling adults over 29 years of follow-up.

Digital mental health interventions as stand-alone vs. augmented treatment as usual

Smartphone-based digital mental health interventions (DMHI) have been described as a purported solution to meet growing healthcare demands and lack of providers, but studies often don’t account for whether pat...

Correction: “Here, your only relative is money?” why slum social networks do not facilitate neighborhood community development: insights through a sanitation lens

The original article was published in BMC Public Health 2023 23 :2341

Enhancing indicator condition–guided HIV testing in Taiwan: a nationwide case–control study from 2009 to 2015

Although indicator condition (IC)-guided HIV testing (IC-HIVT) is effective at facilitating timely HIV diagnosis, research on IC categories and the related HIV risk in Taiwan is limited. To improve the adoptio...

Community stigma, victimization, and coping strategies among gay, bisexual, and other cis-gender men who have sex with men in slum communities in Ghana. BSGH-003

Gay, bisexual, and cis-gender men who have sex with men (GBMSM) face severe consequences, especially within stigmatized environments. However, very little is known about the experiences of GBMSM living in slum...

Correction: YouTube online videos as a source for patient education of cervical spondylosis—a reliability and quality analysis

The original article was published in BMC Public Health 2023 23 :1831

One Health communication channels: a qualitative case study of swine influenza in Canada in 2020

With increased attention to the importance of integrating the One Health approach into zoonotic disease surveillance and response, a greater understanding of the mechanisms to support effective communication a...

Exploring differences in the utilization of the emergency department between migrant and non-migrant populations: a systematic review

Migrants face several barriers when accessing care and tend to rely on emergency services to a greater extent than primary care. Comparing emergency department (ED) utilization by migrants and non-migrants can...

Cancer statistics in Yemen: incidence and mortality, in 2020

The current cancer epidemiological profile in Yemen suffers from a lack of locally representative data and resources, posing a challenge in determining the real incidence, prevalence, survival and mortality ra...

WHO’s end of TB targets: unachievable by 2035 without addressing under nutrition, forced displacement, and homelessness: trend analysis from 2015 to 2022

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health challenge, despite the World Health Organization (WHO) actively working towards its eradication through various initiatives and programs. Undernutrition, f...

Prevalence, determinants, intervention strategies and current gaps in addressing childhood malnutrition in Vietnam: a systematic review

Childhood malnutrition in all forms is a major public health issue worldwide. This review systematically examined the prevalence and determinants and identify the potential interventions and current gap in add...

Evaluation of a population-wide, systematic screening initiative for tuberculosis on Daru island, Western Province, Papua New Guinea

A population-wide, systematic screening initiative for tuberculosis (TB) was implemented on Daru island in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea, where TB is known to be highly prevalent. The initiative use...

Characterization of adults concerning the use of a hypothetical mHealth application addressing stress-overeating: an online survey

About 40% of people respond to stress by consuming more unhealthy foods. This behavior is associated with increased energy intake and the risk of obesity. As mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) have be...

Trust as a catalyst: revealing the impact of government trust and professional trust on public health policy compliance during a pandemic

Existing research has extensively explored the relationship between government trust and compliance behaviour, but significant controversies exist. Some studies suggest a strong positive correlation between th...

Is a tiered restrictions system an effective intervention for COVID-19 control? Results from Portugal, November-December 2020

In November 2020, similar to other European countries, Portugal implemented a tiered restrictions system to control the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to compare the COVID-19 growth rate across tiers to assess th...

Kidney stones and dietary intake in adults: a population-based study in southwest Iran

The prevalence of kidney stones is on the rise globally. Several risk factors, including lifestyle, contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Nevertheless, there is a contentious debate about the relations...

Effect of long-term care insurance policy on depression in non-disabled people: evidence from China

Policy effect might be multidimensional and spill over to non-recipients. It is unclear how the implementation of Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) policy affects depression in non-disabled people and how this e...

Iron deficiency at birth and risk of hidden hearing loss in infants modification by socioeconomic status: mother-newborn cohort in Shenyang, China

The diagnosis of hidden hearing loss (HHL) in calm state has not yet been determined, while the nutritional status is not involved in its pathogenic risk factors. In utero iron deficiency (ID) may delay audito...

Assessing urogenital schistosomiasis and female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) among adolescents in Anaocha, Anambra State, Nigeria: implications for ongoing control efforts

Urogenital schistosomiasis (UgS) remains a persistent health challenge among adolescents in Anambra State, Nigeria, despite ongoing control efforts. Mass praziquantel treatment programs, initiated in 2013, pri...

Assessing the implementation fidelity, feasibility, and sustainability of community-based house improvement for malaria control in southern Malawi: a mixed-methods study

Despite significant success in the fight against malaria over the past two decades, malaria control programmes rely on only two insecticidal methods: indoor residual spraying and insecticidal-treated nets. Hou...

Concordance between SARS-CoV-2 index individuals and their household contacts on index individual COVID-19 transmission cofactors: a comparison of self-reported and contact-reported information

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, several clinical trials have evaluated postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) among close contacts of an index individual with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Because...

The effect of the Sport Education Model in physical education on student learning attitude: a systematic review

Evidence indicates that the Sport Education Model (SEM) has demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing students' athletic capabilities and fostering their enthusiasm for sports. Nevertheless, there remains a dear...

Nature, prevalence, and risk factors for self-neglect among older people: a pilot study from Vellore, South India

Changes in demography in developing countries haves led to new issues among older rural populations, such as self-neglect which is under researched.Self-neglect identified as poor self-care, unsafe living quar...

Associations between sleep duration, sleep disturbance and cardiovascular disease biomarkers among adults in the United States

Sleep problems are associated with abnormal cardiovascular biomarkers and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, studies investigating associations between sleep problems and CVD biomark...

Adaptation and application of the Parent Attitudes About Childhood Vaccines survey tool in the Vietnamese language: a cross-sectional study

Parental vaccine hesitancy could lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Although parental vaccine hesitancy exists in the Vietnamese community, no research has directly investigated this social phe...

A scoping review of post-earthquake healthcare for vulnerable groups of the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes

Identifying healthcare services and also strengthening the healthcare systems to effectively deliver them in the aftermath of large-scale disasters like the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes, especially for vulner...

Survey of lived experiences and challenges in hepatitis B management and treatment

Almost 300 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B infection worldwide and most remain undiagnosed and at risk for liver cancer. In 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) developed guidelines for ...

Social support predicted subsequent subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study

Subjective well-being (SWB) is associated with social support in cross-sectional studies. However, it remains unclear whether and how social support predicts SWB longitudinally, especially during the COVID-19 ...

Contents analysis of thyroid cancer-related information uploaded to YouTube by physicians in Korea: endorsing thyroid cancer screening, potentially leading to overdiagnosis

Thyroid cancer overdiagnosis is a major public health issue in South Korea, which has the highest incidence rate. The accessibility of information through the Internet, particularly on YouTube, could potential...

Association of relative hand grip strength with myocardial infarction and angina pectoris in the Korean population: a large-scale cross-sectional study

Low hand grip strength (HGS) is associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, but the association between HGS and myocardial infarction/angina pectoris (MIAP) is unclear. Furthermore, there have been no...

A serial mediating effect of perceived family support on psychological well-being

Family has a significant impact on individual mental health. Based on social support theory, family system theory and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF), this research constructed a model of the p...

Recreational cannabis legalization and immigration enforcement: a state-level analysis of arrests and deportations in the United States, 2009–2020

Recreational cannabis laws (RCL) in the United States (US) can have important implications for people who are non-citizens, including those with and without formal documentation, and those who are refugees or ...

The influence of physical activity on internet addiction among Chinese college students: the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating role of gender

The significance of self-esteem in the relationship between physical activity and Internet addiction among college students cannot be over, as it lays a solid foundation for the prevention and control of Inter...

The impact of housing prices on residents’ health: a systematic review

Rising housing prices are becoming a top public health priority and are an emerging concern for policy makers and community leaders. This report reviews and synthesizes evidence examining the association betwe...

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Health Research Paper Topics: 20+ Ideas to Get You Started

by  Antony W

November 26, 2023

If you’re taking a medical course in college or university, there is a high chance you’ll write more than one research papers. The first step is to choose topics, and this can be a laborious and an intensely intimidating process given the vastness of health research.

Fortunately, ideation doesn’t have to be as arduous. We’ve put together a list of 20+ research paper topics on health to make the process easy for you.

So to get started with research paper writing :

• Scan the list
• Pick a topic that interests you.
• Conduct preliminary research.
• Develop your research question .
• Put your findings in writing.

Key Takeaways

• The topic you choose should not only be interesting but also have sufficient research materials available.
• Choose a topic on which you can easily demonstrate critical thinking and subject knowledge without seeming to try so hard.
• Although there are no restrictions to what health topics you can choose, it makes sense to choose a title or theme that focuses on the current trends in medicine.

If you already have a topic on health and you need help to get the paper written, you can take advantage of our research writing assistance . Our professional academic service covers in-depth research, custom writing, and timely delivery.

Health Research Paper Topics and Ideas

The following are some interesting research paper topics on health to get you started:

Public Health Research Topics

Public health focuses on promoting and promoting the health of people and their community. Given how broad public health is, you can easily find many interesting topics to cover in your research paper assignment.

Here are some examples:

• How do alterations in the climate affect public health?
• What impact is the digital era having on world health?
• Recognizing the connection between public health and easy access to clean water
• Analyzing racial and ethnic minorities’ health inequalities
• What part does public health play in the fight against pandemics?
• How can we ensure the security of global health?
• What impact does nutrition have on world communities?
• Can urban design have an impact on public health?
• Looking at the antibiotic resistance issue on a global scale
• What effects does stress have on general health?

Controversial Public Health Research Topics

Within public health are issues that spark great debate. If you think about it, public health is diverse and ever evolving. So it’s likely that some issues may be indeed controversial. In this case, focusing on a controversial topic can give you the chance to find gaps in existing knowledge and equally contribute your argument.

Here are some interesting topics that fall into this category:  

• Global controversy surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
• Assessing the effectiveness of alternative medicines vs. placebo effects
• The global significance of animal testing in medical research
• Taxation as a tool to address obesity: focus on junk food
• Evaluating the public health implications of the anti-vaccination movement
• The role of surveillance in disease control: implications and ethics
• Ethical debates in resource allocation during a pandemic
• Do medical professionals have the right to perform abortions when it’s a question of life or death?
• Examining the moral foundation of artificial insemination in men
• Is it OK to use birth control tablets on youngsters who are in school?
• Why do the majority of male patients like receiving care from female nurses?
• Should families foot the expense for medical care after a loved one passes away?

Health and Medical Research Topics

Medical research is a wide field with hundreds, if not thousands, of topics that a research paper can cover. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Determine whether utilizing simulations in place of real people in a medical class is more successful.
• The benefit of treatment to a nation’s political and economic standing
• Should emergency personnel at an accident scene treat the victims’ wounds?
• How nurses deal with the horrible images that they see on a daily basis while remaining sober
• Compare and contrast the nursing professions in developing and industrialized nations.
• Is the predominance of women in the nursing profession a result of stereotypes?

Covid-19 Medical Research Paper Topics

About a year has passed, but we still have the wounds and scars caused by corona virus. Millions of people lost their lives. Millions equally wish their loved ones hadn’t gone too soon. What’s worse is that Covid-19 is a disease we’ll have to live with.

Here are some interesting topics relating to covid-19 that you can research further:

• Why are there second and third COVID-19 waves spreading over the world?
• Evaluate the safety and efficacy of coronavirus vaccinations.
• How can hand washing help one from getting COVID-19?
• Explain why European countries have more COVID-19-related fatalities than African countries.
• How many nasal swabs should a person take at most one time?
• Describe the science behind using social distance to stop the virus’s transmission.
• Why there are still more coronavirus instances despite the availability of vaccines
• What determines a person’s immunity to the coronavirus?
• Analyze the risk of catching the coronavirus by touching a body.
• Analyze the COVID-19 containment and treatment strategies used in developed and emerging nations.
• The contribution of researchers to the dissemination of medical knowledge during the COVID-19 epidemic

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About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Health Research Paper Topics

Health Assessment and Treatment

1. Adherence to Treatment Regimens 2. AIDS and HIV: Adherence to Medications in Persons With HIV Infection 3. Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: Treatment 4. Anger: Measurement 5. Anxiety: Its Meaning and Measurement 6. Applied Behavior Analysis 7. Arthritis: Behavioral Treatment 8. Asthma: Behavioral Treatment 9. Biofeedback 10. Blood Pressure and Hypertension: Measurement 11. Blood Pressure and Hypertension: Physical Activity 12. Bulimia Nervosa: Treatment 13. Cancer: Psychosocial Treatment 14. Cancer Screening 15. Cardiac Rehabilitation 16. Cardiovascular Psychophysiology: Measures 17. Cardiovascular Reactivity 18. Chronic Disease Management 19. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Psychosocial Aspects and Behavioral Treatments 20. Chronic Pain Management 21. Complementary and Alternative Medicine 22. Depression: Measurement 23. Depression: Treatment 24. Diabetes: Behavioral Treatment 25. Doctor-Patient Communication 26. Drug Abuse: Behavioral Treatment 27. Eating Disorders 28. Ecological Momentary Assessment 29. Evidence-Based Behavioral Medicine 30. Expressive Writing and Health 31. Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment 32. Genetic Testing: Ethical, Legal, and Social Aspects 33. Headaches: Psychological Management 34. Health Care Costs and Behavior 35. Health Care Service Utilization: Determinants 36. Health Communication 37. Hostility: Measurement 38. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Psychological Treatment 39. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI/MMPI-2) 40. Motivational Interviewing 41. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) 42. Obesity in Children: Physical Activity and Nutritional Approaches 43. Obesity: Prevention and Treatment 44. Optimism and Pessimism: Measurement 45. Physical Activity Interventions 46. Psychophysiology: Theory and Methods 47. Quality of Life: Measurement 48. Raynaud’s Disease: Behavioral Treatment 49. Sleep Disorders: Behavioral Treatment 50. Smoking and Nicotine Dependence: Interventions 51. Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Among Youth 52. Support Groups and Health 53. Tailored Communications

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Get 10% off with 24start discount code, basic processes, theory, and methodology.

54. Adoption of Health Behavior 55. Alcohol Abuse and Dependence 56. Allostatis, Allostatic Load, and Stress 57. Anger: Measurement 58. Anxiety: Its Meaning and Measurement 59. Behavioral Genetics and Health 60. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 61. Blood Pressure and Hypertension: Measurement 62. Cardiovascular Psychophysiology: Measures 63. Caregiving and Stress 64. Community-Based Participatory Research 65. Confounding 66. Cost-Effectiveness 67. Crowding and Health 68. Cultural Factors and Health 69. Depression: Measurement 70. Diffusion of Innovation 71. Discrimination and Health 72. Doctor-Patient Communication 73. Ecological Models: Application to Physical Activity 74. Ecological Momentary Assessment 75. Ecosocial Theory 76. Effect Modification 77. Effort-Reward Imbalance 78. Endogenous Opioids, Stress, and Health 79. Erectile Dysfunction 80. Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Biobehavioral Aspects 81. Fundamental Social Causes of Disease and Mortality 82. Gastric Ulcers and Stress 83. Gate Control Theory of Pain 84. General Adaptation Syndrome 85. Genetic Testing: Ethical, Legal, and Social Aspects 86. Health Belief Model 87. Health Communication 88. Hostility: Measurement 89. Immune Responses to Stress 90. Income Inequality and Health 91. Key Informants 92. Metabolic Syndrome and Stress 93. Multilevel Methods, Theory, and Analysis 94. Optimism and Pessimism: Measurement 95. Participatory Research 96. Peptic Ulcers and Stress 97. Psychoneuroimmunology 98. Psychophysiology: Theory and Methods 99. Quality of Life: Measurement 100. Repressive Coping and Health 101. Self-Efficacy 102. Smoking and Nicotine Dependence 103. Social Capital and Health 104. Social Marketing 105. Social or Status Incongruence 106. Stress, Appraisal, and Coping 107. Stress: Biological Aspects 108. Stress-Buffering Hypothesis 109. Successful Aging 110. Television Viewing and Health 111. Theory of Planned Behavior 112. Theory of Reasoned Action 113. Theory of Triadic Influence 114. Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change 115. Vital Exhaustion 116. Wound Healing and Stress

Biopsychosocial Interactions

117. AIDS and HIV: Stress 118. Alcohol Abuse and Dependence 119. Allostatis, Allostatic Load, and Stress 120. Anger and Heart Disease 121. Anger and Hypertension 122. Anger: Measurement 123. Anxiety, Heart Disease, and Mortality 124. Asthma and Stress 125. Autoimmune Disorders: Psychosocial Aspects 126. Behavioral Genetics and Health 127. Blood Pressure, Hypertension, and Stress 128. Cardiovascular Psychophysiology: Measures 129. Cardiovascular Reactivity 130. Caregiving and Stress 131. Cerebrovascular Disease: Psychosocial Aspects 132. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Psychosocial Aspects 133. Chronic Illness: Psychological Aspects 134. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Psychosocial Aspects and Behavioral Treatments 135. Community-Based Participatory Research 136. Comorbid Mental and Other Physical Disorders 137. Control and Health 138. Depression: Mortality and Other Adverse Outcomes 139. Diabetes: Psychosocial Aspects 140. Drug Craving 141. Emotions: Negative Emotions and Health 142. Emotions: Positive Emotions and Health 143. Endogenous Opioids, Stress, and Health 144. Erectile Dysfunction 145. Explanatory Style and Physical Health 146. Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Biobehavioral Aspects 147. Gastric Ulcers and Stress 148. General Adaptation Syndrome 149. Heart Disease: Anger, Depression, and Anxiety 150. Hostility: Psychophysiology 151. Immune Responses to Stress 152. Infertility and Assisted Reproduction: Psychosocial Aspects 153. Lipids: Psychosocial Aspects 154. Metabolic Syndrome and Stress 155. Obesity: Causes and Consequences 156. Pain: Psychosocial Aspects 157. Peptic Ulcers and Stress 158. Placebos and Health 159. Psychoneuroimmunology 160. Psychophysiology: Theory and Methods 161. Stress: Biological Aspects 162. Vital Exhaustion 163. Wound Healing and Stress

Epidemiology of Risk and Protective Factors

164. Acculturation and Health 165. African American Health and Behavior 166. AIDS and HIV 167. Alameda County Study 168. Alzheimer’s Disease: Psychosocial Aspects for Caregivers 169. Anger and Heart Disease 170. Anger and Hypertension 171. Anxiety, Heart Disease, and Mortality 172. Arthritis: Psychosocial Aspects 173. Asian American/Pacific Islander Health and Behavior 174. Asthma and Stress 175. Autoimmune Disorders: Psychosocial Aspects 176. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 177. Bereavement and Health 178. Binge Drinking in College Students 179. Bogalusa Heart Study 180. Cancer and Diet 181. Cancer and Physical Activity 182. Cancer Prevention 183. Cancer and Smoking 184. Caregiving and Stress 185. Cerebrovascular Disease: Psychosocial Aspects 186. Child Abuse, Child Neglect, and Health 187. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Psychosocial Aspects 188. Chronic Illness: PsychologicalAspects 189. Cognitive Function and Health 190. Comorbid Mental and Other Physical Disorders 191. Control and Health 192. Crowding and Health 193. Cultural Factors and Health 194. Depression: Mortality and Other Adverse Outcomes 195. Diabetes: Psychosocial Aspects 196. Disasters and Health 197. Discrimination and Health 198. Divorce and Health 199. Eating Disorders 200. Effect Modification 201. Emotions: Negative Emotions and Health 202. Emotions: Positive Emotions and Health 203. Endogenous Opioids, Stress, and Health 204. Explanatory Style and Physical Health 205. Framingham Heart Study 206. Fundamental Social Causes of Disease and Mortality 207. Gastric Ulcers and Stress 208. Gender Differences in Health 209. Happiness and Health 210. Hardiness and Health 211. Harvard Alumni Health Study 212. Health Care Costs and Behavior 213. Health Care Service Utilization: Determinants 214. Health Disparities 215. Health Literacy 216. Heart Disease: Anger, Depression, and Anxiety 217. Heart Disease and Diet 218. Heart Disease and Physical Activity 219. Heart Disease and Reactivity 220. Heart Disease and Smoking 221. Heart Disease and Type A Behavior 222. Hopelessness and Health 223. Hostility and Health 224. Immigrant Populations and Health 225. Income Inequality and Health 226. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Psychosocial Aspects 227. Job Strain and Health 228. John Henryism and Health 229. Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study 230. Latino Health and Behavior 231. Loneliness and Health 232. Low Birth Weight: Psychosocial Aspects 233. Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT) 234. Multiple Sclerosis: Psychosocial Aspects 235. Neighborhood Effects on Health and Behavior 236. Obesity: Causes and Consequences 237. Obesity in Children: Physical Activity and Nutritional Approaches 238. Obesity in Children: Prevention 239. Occupational Health and Safety 240. Optimism, Pessimism, and Health 241. Physical Activity and Health 242. Physical Activity and Mood 243. Placebos and Health 244. Pregnancy Outcomes: Psychosocial Aspects 245. Repressive Coping and Health 246. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Psychosocial Aspects 247. Self-Reported Health 248. Sickle Cell Disease: Psychosocial Aspects 249. Smoking and Health 250. Social Capital and Health 251. Social Integration, Social Networks, and Health 252. Socioeconomic Status and Health 253. Spirituality and Health 254. Stress-Related Growth 255. Successful Aging 256. Television Viewing and Health 257. Women’s Health Issues 258. Work-Related Stress and Health

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

259. AIDS and HIV: Prevention of HIV Infection 260. Blood Pressure, Hypertension, and Stress 261. Cancer and Diet 262. Cancer and Physical Activity 263. Cancer Prevention 264. Cancer Screening 265. Cancer and Smoking 266. Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: Community-Level Interventions 267. Child Abuse, Child Neglect, and Health 268. Church-Based Interventions 269. Community Coalitions 270. Complementary and Alternative Medicine 271. Diffusion of Innovation 272. Drug Abuse: Prevention 273. Ecological Models: Application to Physical Activity 274. Evidence-Based Behavioral Medicine 275. Expressive Writing and Health 276. Five a Day—for Better Health! Program 277. Health Care Costs and Behavior 278. Health Communication 279. Health Literacy 280. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 281. Heart Disease and Diet 282. Heart Disease and Physical Activity 283. Heart Disease and Reactivity 284. Heart Disease and Smoking 285. Heart Disease and Type A Behavior 286. Hopelessness and Health 287. Hostility and Health 288. Injury Prevention in Children 289. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) 290. Obesity: Causes and Consequences 291. Obesity in Children: Physical Activity and Nutritional Approaches 292. Obesity in Children: Prevention 293. Obesity: Prevention and Treatment Occupational Health and Safety 294. Physical Activity and Health 295. Physical Activity: Interventions 296. Physical Activity and Mood 297. Pregnancy Prevention in Adolescents 298. School-Based Health Promotion 299. Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Prevention 300. Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Among Youth 301. Support Groups and Health 302. Tailored Communications 303. Violence Prevention 304. Worksite Health Promotion

Health Policy and Organizations

305. Center for the Advancement of Health 306. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 307. Genetic Testing: Ethical, Legal, and Social Aspects 308. Health and Behavior Organizations 309. Health Care Service Utilization: Determinants 310. Health Literacy 311. Health Psychology 312. Medical Psychology 313. National Institutes of Health: Health and Behavior Research 314. Research to Practice in Health and Behavior

Social and Cultural Factors

315. Acculturation and Health 316. African American Health and Behavior 317. Asian American/Pacific Islander Health and Behavior 318. Church-Based Interventions 319. Community Coalitions 320. Crowding and Health 321. Cultural Factors and Health 322. Discrimination and Health 323. Ecological Models: Application to Physical Activity 324. Ecosocial Theory 325. Health Disparities 326. Immigrant Populations and Health 327. Income Inequality and Health 328. Latino Health and Behavior 329. Neighborhood Effects on Health and Behavior 330. Social Marketing 331. Social Integration, Social Networks, and Health 332. Social or Status Incongruence 333. Socioeconomic Status and Health 334. Support Groups and Health

Health and behavior research has grown dramatically and has had increased visibility since the early 1980s. This growth is evidenced by a significant increase in the number of published scientific articles and books on the topic; the increase in funding for health and behavior research at federal and private funding agencies; and the appearance of health and behavior topics such as diet, exercise, smoking, and stress in popular publications and in electronic media.

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Collection  29 March 2022

2021 Top 25 Health Sciences Articles

We are pleased to share with you the 25 most downloaded  Nature Communications  articles* in health sciences published in 2021. (Please note we have a separate collection on the Top 25 COVID-19 papers .) Featuring authors from around the world, these papers highlight valuable research from an international community.

Browse all Top 25 subject area collections  here .

*Data obtained from SN Insights (based on Digital Science's Dimensions) and normalised to account for articles published later in the year.

Research highlights

Association of sleep duration in middle and old age with incidence of dementia

Sleep dysregulation has been linked to dementia, but it is unknown whether sleep duration earlier in life is associated with dementia risk. Here, the authors show higher dementia risk associated with short sleep duration (six hours or less) in a longitudinal study of middle and older age adults.

• Séverine Sabia
• Aurore Fayosse
• Archana Singh-Manoux

Longitudinal analysis of blood markers reveals progressive loss of resilience and predicts human lifespan limit

Aging is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases and functional decline. Here, the authors investigate the fluctuations of physiological indices along aging trajectories and observed a characteristic decrease in the organism state recovery rate.

• Timothy V. Pyrkov
• Konstantin Avchaciov
• Peter O. Fedichev

Restoration of energy homeostasis by SIRT6 extends healthy lifespan

Aging is associated with increased frailty and disrupted energy homeostasis. Here, the authors show that SIRT6 overexpression extends the lifespan of male and female mice and demonstrate that SIRT6 optimizes energy homeostasis in old age, which delays frailty and preserves healthy aging.

• A. Roichman
• S. Elhanati
• H. Y. Cohen

Triptonide is a reversible non-hormonal male contraceptive agent in mice and non-human primates

No male contraceptive pills are currently available. Here, the authors use triptonide, a compound derived from a Chinese plant, to deform sperm so that they cannot move properly, thereby causing reversible infertility in male mice and monkeys.

• Zongliang Chang
• Weibing Qin

Fasting alters the gut microbiome reducing blood pressure and body weight in metabolic syndrome patients

Nutritional modification including fasting has been shown to reduce cardiometabolic risk linked to western diet. Here the authors show implementation of fasting resulted in alterations to the intestinal microbiota, and circulating immune cells, improving blood pressure and body weight in patients with metabolic syndrome.

• András Maifeld
• Hendrik Bartolomaeus
• Sofia K. Forslund

Transneuronal delivery of hyper-interleukin-6 enables functional recovery after severe spinal cord injury in mice

The CNS has limited ability to regenerate following injury, Here, the authors show that a single injection of AAV-hyper-interleukin-6 in the sensory motor cortex results in corticospinal and raphe spinal tracts regeneration in the injured spinal cord as well as functional recovery in mice.

• Marco Leibinger
• Charlotte Zeitler
• Dietmar Fischer

Spatially resolved transcriptomics reveals the architecture of the tumor-microenvironment interface

During tumor progression, cancer cells contact different neighboring cell types, but it is unclear how these interactions affect cancer cell behavior. Here, the authors use spatially resolved transcriptomics and single-cell RNA-seq to study the role of cilia at the tumormicroenvironment interface.

• Miranda V. Hunter
• Reuben Moncada
• Richard M. White

Adjuvant oncolytic virotherapy for personalized anti-cancer vaccination

Viruses expressing tumour antigens can prime and boost anti-tumour immunity but the efficiency of this approach depends on the capacity of the virus to infect the host. Here, the authors show that vaccination with oncolytic viruses co-administered with tumour antigenic peptides is as efficient as antigen-engineered oncolytic viruses.

• K. Geoffroy
• M.-C. Bourgeois-Daigneault

Detection and characterization of lung cancer using cell-free DNA fragmentomes

DNA from tumour cells can be detected in the blood of cancer patients. Here, the authors show that cell free DNA fragmentation patterns can identify lung cancer patients and when this information is further interrogated it can be used to predict lung cancer histological subtype.

• Dimitrios Mathios
• Jakob Sidenius Johansen
• Victor E. Velculescu

A randomized controlled trial of pharmacist-led therapeutic carbohydrate and energy restriction in type 2 diabetes

Community pharmacists are accessible healthcare providers with expertise in medication management. Here the authors show that a low-carbohydrate, low-energy diet implemented by community pharmacists reduced diabetes medication use and improved glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.

• Cody Durrer
• Sean McKelvey
• Jonathan P. Little

A metabolome atlas of the aging mouse brain

Metabolites play an important role in physiology, yet the complexity of the metabolome and its interaction with disease and aging is poorly understood. Here the authors present a comprehensive atlas of the mouse brain metabolome and how it changes during aging.

• Oliver Fiehn

Investigating immune and non-immune cell interactions in head and neck tumors by single-cell RNA sequencing

The tumor microenvironment (TME) has an important role in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) progression. Here, using single-cell RNA sequencing and multiplexed imaging, the authors report the cellular complexity of the TME in patients with HNSCC, exploring inflammatory status, stromal heterogeneity and immune checkpoint receptor-ligand interactions.

• Cornelius H. L. Kürten
• Aditi Kulkarni
• Robert L. Ferris

Single-cell profiling of tumor heterogeneity and the microenvironment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Comprehensive profiles of tumour and microenvironment are critical to understand heterogeneity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, the authors profile 42 late-stage NSCLC patients with single-cell RNA-seq, revealing immune landscapes that are associated with cancer subtype or heterogeneity.

• Fengying Wu
• Caicun Zhou

Biomimetic nanoparticles deliver mRNAs encoding costimulatory receptors and enhance T cell mediated cancer immunotherapy

Antibodies targeting OX40 or CD137, two T cell costimulatory receptors, have been shown to improve antitumor immunity. Here the authors design a phospholipid-derived nanoparticle to deliver OX40 or CD137 mRNA to T cells in vivo, improving efficacy of anti-OX40 and anti-CD137 antibody therapy in preclinical tumor models.

• Xinfu Zhang
• Yizhou Dong

Sexual dimorphism in glucose metabolism is shaped by androgen-driven gut microbiome

Male sex is a risk factor for impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes. Here the authors identify that androgen modulates the gut microbiome, which drives insulin resistance and contributes to sexual dimorphism in glucose metabolism in mice.

• Weiqing Wang

Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total and cause-specific mortality from 17 prospective studies

Associations between of omega-3 fatty acids and mortality are not clear. Here the authors report that, based on a pooled analysis of 17 prospective cohort studies, higher blood omega-3 fatty acid levels correlate with lower risk of all-cause mortality.

• William S. Harris
• Nathan L. Tintle
• The Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE)

Multi-omics analysis identifies therapeutic vulnerabilities in triple-negative breast cancer subtypes

Triple negative breast cancer can be divided into additional subtypes. Here, using omics analyses, the authors show that in the mesenchymal subtype expression of MHC-1 is repressed and that this can be restored by using drugs that target subunits of the epigenetic modifier PRC2.

• Brian D. Lehmann
• Antonio Colaprico
• X. Steven Chen

Daily caloric restriction limits tumor growth more effectively than caloric cycling regardless of dietary composition

Caloric restriction (CR) has been shown as an effective intervention to reduce tumorigenesis, but alternative less stringent dietary interventions have also been considered. Here, the authors show that in a murine model of breast cancer CR has a larger effect on preventing tumorigenesis and metastasis compared to periodic caloric cycling.

• Laura C. D. Pomatto-Watson
• Monica Bodogai
• Rafael de Cabo

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab induces major pathological responses in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Immune checkpoint blockade has become standard care for patients with recurrent metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here the authors present the results of a non-randomized phase Ib/IIa trial, reporting safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant nivolumab monotherapy and nivolumab plus ipilimumab prior to standard-of-care surgery in patients with HNSCC. .

• Joris L. Vos
• Joris B. W. Elbers
• Charlotte L. Zuur

9p21 loss confers a cold tumor immune microenvironment and primary resistance to immune checkpoint therapy

The molecular mechanisms of resistance to immune checkpoint therapy remain elusive. Here, the authors perform immunogenomic analysis of TCGA data and data from clinical trials for antiPD-1/PD-L1 therapy and highlight the association of 9p21 loss with a cold tumor microenvironment and resistance to therapy.

• Guangchun Han
• Guoliang Yang
• Linghua Wang

Gut bacteria identified in colorectal cancer patients promote tumourigenesis via butyrate secretion

Several bacteria in the gut microbiota have been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) but it is not completely clear whether they have a role in tumourigenesis. Here, the authors show enrichment of 12 bacterial taxa in two cohorts of CRC patients and that two Porphyromonas species accelerate CRC onset through butyrate secretion.

• Shintaro Okumura
• Yusuke Konishi

Elevated circulating follistatin associates with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes

Follistatin promotes in type 2 diabetes (T2D) pathogenesis in model animals and is elevated in patients with T2D. Here the authors report that plasma follistatin associates with increased risk of incident T2D in two longitudinal cohorts, and show that follistatin regulates insulin-induced suppression lipolysis in cultured human adipocytes.

• Chuanyan Wu
• Yang De Marinis

Tau activates microglia via the PQBP1-cGAS-STING pathway to promote brain inflammation

Brain inflammation generally accelerates neurodegeneration but the mechanisms of this are not fully characterised. Here the authors show that PQBP1 in microglia is important for sensing extrinsic Tau 3 R/4 R proteins and triggers an innate immune response through cGAS and STING resulting in cognitive impairment.

• Hiroki Shiwaku
• Hitoshi Okazawa

Long-term treatment with senolytic drugs Dasatinib and Quercetin ameliorates age-dependent intervertebral disc degeneration in mice

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a leading cause of chronic back pain and disability. Here the authors show that long term treatment with senolytic compounds Dasatinib and Quercetin reduces disc senescence burden and ameliorates age-dependent degeneration in mice.

• Emanuel J. Novais
• Victoria A. Tran
• Makarand V. Risbud

DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide technology for regulating lymphocytes in vivo

Using gene silencing to regulate lymphocyte function is a promising therapeutic approach for autommunity, inflammation and cancer. Here the authors use a heteroduplex oligonucleotide for improved potency, efficacy and longer retention times.

• Masaki Ohyagi
• Tetsuya Nagata
• Takanori Yokota

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