Overview of Public Health
As a scholar in public health, you will be required to conduct research in areas related to your field of study.
Just like the case with health topics for research papers, evidence based practice topics for nurses, or mental health topics for research paper, public health topics for research paper have to be suitable and appropriate.
In this, they not only have to be within the subject or area under study but also within the right scope.
These topics are usually within the context of core disciplines of public health that include:
1. Introduction to public health
2. Epidemiology and public health
3. Biostatistics for public health
4. Social and behavioural aspects of public health
5. Public health policy and administration
6. Environmental factors of health
Note that before you embark on finding these topics, it is necessary to acquire an understanding of what “public health” entails.
In simple terms, public health can be defined as:
“A discipline that focuses on augmenting and protecting the health and well-being of a community”
Deriving from the definition, it is apparent that public health puts more emphasis in prevention within large groups of people.
Components of Public Health
A quick glance at the components of public health is essential in determining areas and issues to look for public health topics for research paper.
These components are:
1. Health
2. Population
3. Societal concerns
4. Vulnerable populations
The health component pertains to the ever increasingly encompassing boundaries of “health”.
These boundaries now cover not only physical health but also mental health and other emerging areas of medical interventions.
Population on the other hand relates to the global community that is sharing more health issues.
Accordingly, the definition of population has evolved from the geographical viewpoint that focused on regions, countries, and cities.
For societal concerns, the term “society-wide concerns” has greatly changed to cover other areas of public health.
While initially the term was interpreted to mean epidemiology, it nowadays includes extensive health issues such as health care costs, safety at work, environmental toxics exposure, emerging technologies, climate change, as well as communicable diseases.
Lastly, the focus of the term “vulnerable populations” has also significantly evolved from high-risk occupations and child and maternal health to cover other groups of people.
For instance, geriatrics, disabled, uninsured, addicted, and HIV/AIDS populations are now considered as vulnerable populations.
Public Health Research
Before you explore suitable public health topics for research paper, it is necessary to understand what public health research entails.
Basically, public health enables researchers to understand the social, genetic, and environmental determinants that influence the health of a population.
Such research is disciplinary and traversing, where it examines population samples, including genetics, biological factors, epidemiology, and biostatistics.
The research makes it possible to determine the characteristics that increase the prevalence of health events affecting a population, for example, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
From the research, it is therefore possible to advocate for interventions and health policies that are founded on scientific knowledge and evidence.
Sources of data in public health research may include:
1. Cross-cutting studies
2. Cohort studies
3. Case-control studies
4. Cause-of-death registries
5. Medical administrative databases
Efforts in public health research are geared towards improving the health of the population.
By gathering data on population behavior, disease trends, and risk factors, it is possible to develop and test interventions critical in disease prevention and health promotion.
Public Health Topics for Research
Drawing from the different areas appropriate for public health topics for research, various topics could be explored.
Note that these topics can be expanded for in-depth research, including dissertations or for basic research such as a 10-page research paper.
Such topics may include:
1. Perceptions and attitudes of nursing mothers toward exclusive breastfeeding in the US.
2. Patient satisfaction levels in public health facilities in rural areas.
3. Use of alternative medicine in the treatment of terminal illnesses.
4. Assessing the impact of social media in the management of the spread of the COVID 19 virus.
5. Role of the family in prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in the US.
6. Evaluating the environmental practices that impact health on urban populations.
7. Approaches towards sex education among school going adolescents.
8. Challenges and risks associated with the handling of waste from technological companies operating in US.
9. Effects of early pregnancies on the education of young teenagers among African Americans.
10. Impact of the Obomacare on the behavior, attitude, and practice among US health workers.
11. Factors associated with high incidence of glaucoma among the elderly in the US.
12. Implications of emerging COVID 19 variants on the population and federal government.
13. Examination of microbial activity in cow milk from local dairy firms.
14. The impact of TV diabetes health campaign programs on public behavior and attitudes.
15. Prevalence and implications of anaemia among pregnant women in the US.
16. Public perceptions on health care service delivery among NGO managed health care facilities.
17. An examination of fungal infestation in bakery products in local stores.
18. Obesity and overweight patterns among school going teenagers in the state of California.
19. An examination of factors affecting the hydrologic cycle and water quality from local wells.
20. Critical examination of emergency readiness plans and birth preparedness among antenatal nurses in public hospitals.
21. An investigation of COVID 19 immunization status of the elderly in rural areas in the US.
22. Perceptions of the US citizens on the role of the health care delivery system in accessibility of opioids.
23. An examination of the risks factors for breast cancer among young adults in the US.
24. The quality status of geriatric health services with primary health care facilities in New York.
25. Injury patterns and accessible emergency care among chain store employees in the US.
26. Nutritional status among school going teenagers from marginalized communities.
27. Assessment of drug use campaigns targeting college students in the US.
28. Examining the effectiveness of community health workers on the management of geriatrics.
29. The long term impacts of CIVID 19 on the financial, social, and health status of the US populations.
30. Effectiveness of communication approaches in the mobilization of populations for HPV immunization.
31. Examination of knowledge on prevention of Hepatitis B infections.
32. Perceptions on the effectiveness of the US health insurance among African American communities.
33. Health implications of unsafe sexual behaviour among school going teenagers.
34. Impact of understaffing among public hospitals on quality of health care.
35. Factors that affect the utilization of family planning services among American minority populations.
36. Public health implications on the people who lost their jobs and homes from the impacts of COVID 19.
37. Implications of increased cervical cancer knowledge and screening among Mexican women.
38. Factors that influence health care seeking behaviour among immigrants.
39. A study of the key risk factors among pregnant women in the US.
40. Prevalence of caesarean section as the delivery method of choice among Caucasian women in the US.
41. Impact of the COVID 10 pandemic on illegal immigrants.
42. Attitude and perceptions of health care workers on the transmission of COVID 19 virus.
43. Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the supply chains in the US.
44. How motivation factors influence adherence to exercise among female students in US colleges.
45. Environmental and health issues associated with the use of agro-chemicals in the US.
46. Using accident sensors to sustainably control accidents in industrial settings.
47. Assessing land use practices that enhance the health and safety of the environment.
48. Evaluating management of industrial waste in the digital technology sector.
49. A study on the antimicrobial activity between 2/3 most commonly used antibiotics in the US.
50. An examination of Hepatitis B prevalence among patients in US public hospitals.
