Thank you to The Lancet Public Health's reviewers in 2025

Thank you to The Lancet Public Health's reviewers in 2023

Thank you to The Lancet Public Health's reviewers in 2024.

Thank you to The Lancet Public Health's reviewers in 2022

Migrant and minority health has always been an issue of special concern in public health. While migration is not a new phenomenon, the number of refugees and migrants across the globe grew rapidly in 2015, with large numbers from the Middle East and Africa. Furthermore, the recent migrant crisis in Europe—sparked by civil wars in Syria and Libya and continuing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan—has escalated to the level of a humanitarian emergency requiring immediate action.We conducted an international workshop on migrant and minority health in Salzburg from 3 to 9 April 2016 to examine migrant and minority health issues in greater depth, sponsored by the American Austrian Foundation and in cooperation with the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) and Public Health Reviews (PHR). To continue this discussion within the academic literature, PHR’s special issue on migrant and minority health includes articles from conference participants and other experts in medicine and public health from the European region and beyond.Informed by the contribution of senior representatives of the European Union, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and public health practitioners and investigators from over 30 countries, this editorial summarizes recommendations of the conference participants for improving migrant and minority health in Europe. They include (i) developing a conceptual framework for health care intervention for migrants, (ii) oversight and coordination of migrant and minority health activities, (iii) reaching a consensus on implementation practices, and (iv) mobilizing sufficient resources for addressing the health needs of migrants.

K. Wahlbeck's paper 1 provides a good overview of the field of public mental health. Right from the first paragraphs, the paper makes it explicit that public mental health deals with mental health promotion, prevention of mental disorders and of suicide, integrated and comprehensive mental health service, and the fight against stigma and human right abuses. These issues are of importance to every country or community, irrespective of their level of economic or social development. There may of course be a need for contextualizing the specific solutions to the various challenges that the issues pose, but developing those solutions should nevertheless be on the public health agenda of every country, from the low- to the high-income categories. The relevance of these issues to every country, irrespective of their developmental stage, is an important point to stress. Even though psychiatry constantly grapples with the challenge of finding the most valid ways to categorize and classify mental health problems, any notion that seeks to deny, either explicitly or implicitly, that human beings share some common biological features irrespective of their race is an absurd one. Those features make them vulnerable to develop health, including mental health, problems irrespective of where they live. It is of course also true that those health problems are influenced by where and how they live and may respond differently to various interventions, some of which may also be shaped and informed by where people live. So, while it can be said that “diagnoses” are social constructs, shaped by current understanding and consensus and reflecting the imperfect nature of the process of classifying them 2, the disorders that they seek to characterize are not. Mental disorders have consequences everywhere and, while there can be debates about the labels we ascribe to them, practicing clinicians know that the syndromes they deal with have effects on the lives of those experiencing them. A review of public mental health is in a sense a review of global mental health, and to deny the importance of one is to deny the relevance of the other. In this regard, and in addition to the points articulated in Wahlbeck's paper, the emphasis must be placed on bridging the gap in treatment for mental disorders. Global mental health is essentially the mobilization of resources to meet the challenges of population health needs and strive for equity in doing so. Given the large unmet need for mental health service in low- and middle-income countries, it is understandable that global mental health will often be seen as having a major focus on those countries. However, treatment gap for mental disorders exists everywhere across the world 3. Also, the gap is driven by essentially the same issues across the world: inadequate resources, inequity, and lack of parity with physical health. Inequity exists between countries in their ability to provide adequate mental health service for their populations, but it also exists within countries, including high-income countries. Stigma is an overarching issue and often dictates what resources are made available to provide mental health service. Addressing the challenge posed by poor policy attention to mental health service and the negative attitude to persons with mental disorders by the public requires a good understanding of the principles of public health. Unfortunately, a lack of that understanding by mental health professionals has been a major barrier to developing effective mental health service 4. Responding to the treatment gap for mental disorders is a public health imperative for which public and political support is crucial. Concerted advocacy efforts are required. The skills necessary for mounting such efforts, however, are unfortunately uncommon among mental health professionals. A broad perspective of public mental health will emphasize what is known about the burden of mental disorders, and the social determinants that underlie the burden, but will also focus on the issues that engender inequity between communities in their access to adequate mental health care, lack of parity between mental and physical conditions, and the overarching barriers that stigma and policy neglect constitute. Efforts at building leadership and advocacy skills among mental health practitioners and stakeholders and at improving access to care through appropriate capacity building for non-specialists must be of central concern to public mental health 5.

Improving mental health in the workplace

Suicide in India: a complex public health tragedy in need of a plan

Informing NCD control efforts in India on the eve of Ayushman Bharat

Domestic violence is a major public health problem throughout the world. Domestic violence against women is perpetrated by intimate male partners on family members, and may give rise to both physical and mental health sequelae. Mental health consequences include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, dissociative disorder, somatization, and self-harm behaviours. Psychiatrists may be called upon to assess and/or treat victims or perpetrators of domestic violence or to act as expert court witnesses. This paper reviews some of the mental health aspects of domestic violence..

BackgroundThe coronavirus pandemic has exerted significant impacts on primary care, causing rapid digital transformation, exacerbating social isolation, and disrupting medical student and General Practice [GP] trainee education. Here we report on a medical student telephone initiative set-up by a final year GP trainee (the equivalent of a family medicine resident), which aimed to support patients at high risk and vulnerable to the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 [Covid-19]. In addition, it was hoped the project would mitigate a digital divide, enable proactive anticipatory planning, and provide an active learning environment to compensate for the pandemic’s impact on medical education.MethodsThirty-three medical students conducted daily telephone conversations with high risk and vulnerable patients as specified by the initial NHSE published lists. They confirmed public health messages, offered details for voluntary support groups, established need for medication delivery, explored levels of digital connectivity, and prompted discussions around end-of-life choices. Students had access to online reflective resources and daily remote debriefing sessions with the GP trainee.A convergent mixed-methods evaluation was subsequently undertaken, using quantitative process and descriptive data and individual qualitative interviews were conducted according to a maximal variation sampling strategy with students, General Practitioners [GPs], and the GP trainee. Inductive thematic analysis was then applied with cross-validation, respondent validation, and rich evidential illustration aiding integrity.ResultsNinety-seven ‘high risk’ and 781 ‘vulnerable’ calls were made. Individuals were generally aware of public heath information, but some struggled to interpret and apply it within their own lives. Therefore respondents felt students provided additional practical and psychological benefits, particularly with regard to strengthening the links with the community voluntary groups. The project was widely liked by students who reported high levels of skill development and widened awareness, particularly valuing the active learning environment and reflective feedback sessions.ConclusionThis study demonstrates utilization of medical students as wider assets within the primary health care team, with an initiative that enables support for vulnerable patients whilst promoting active medical education. Ongoing integration of students within ‘normal’ primary health care roles, such as chronic disease or mental health reviews, could provide similar opportunities for supported active and reflective learning.

Objective1) Describe HCPH’s disease surveillance and prevention activities within the NRG Center mega-shelter; 2) Present surveillance findings with an emphasis on sharing tools that were developed and may be utilized for future disaster response efforts; 3) Discuss successes achieved, challenges encountered, and lessons learned from this emergency response.IntroductionHurricane Harvey made landfall along the Texas coast on August 25th, 2017 as a Category 4 storm. It is estimated that the ensuing rainfall caused record flooding of at least 18 inches in 70% of Harris County. Over 30,000 residents were displaced and 50 deaths occurred due to the devastation. At least 53 temporary refuge shelters opened in various parts of Harris County to accommodate displaced residents. On the evening of August 29th, Harris County and community partners set up a 10,000 bed mega-shelter at NRG Center, in efforts to centralize refuge efforts. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) was responsible for round-the-clock surveillance to monitor resident health status and prevent communicable disease outbreaks within the mega-shelter. This was accomplished through direct and indirect resident health assessments, along with coordinated prevention and disease control efforts. Despite HCPH’s 20-day active response, and identification of two relatively small but potentially worrisome communicable disease outbreaks, no large-scale disease outbreaks occurred within the NRG Center mega-shelter.MethodsActive surveillance was conducted in the NRG shelter to rapidly detect communicable and high-consequence illness and to prevent disease transmission. An online survey tool and novel epidemiology consulting method were developed to aid in this surveillance. Surveillance included daily review of onsite medical, mental health, pharmacy, and vaccination activities, as well as nightly cot-to-cot resident health surveys. Symptoms of infectious disease, exacerbation of chronic disease, and mental health issues among evacuees were closely monitored. Rapid epidemiology consultations were performed for shelter residents displaying symptoms consistent with communicable illness or other signs of distress during nightly cot surveys. Onsite rapid assay tests and public health laboratory testing were used to confirm disease diagnoses. When indicated, disease control measures were implemented and residents referred for further evaluation. Frequencies and percentages were used in the descriptive analysis.ResultsHarris County’s NRG Center mega-shelter housed 3,365 evacuees at its peak. 3,606 household health surveys were completed during 20 days of active surveillance, representing 7,152 individual resident evaluations, and 395 epidemiology consultations. Multifaceted surveillance uncovered influenza-like illness and gastrointestinal (GI) complaints, revealing an Influenza A outbreak of 20 cases, 3 isolated cases of strep throat, and a Norovirus cluster of 5 cases. Disease control activities included creation of respiratory and GI isolation rooms, provision of over 771 influenza vaccinations, generous distribution of hand sanitizer throughout the shelter, placement of hygiene signage, and frequent bilingual public health public service announcements in the dormitory areas. No widespread outbreaks of communicable disease occurred. Additionally, a number of shelter residents were referred to the clinic after reporting exacerbation of chronical conditions or mental health concerns, including one individual with suicidal ideations.ConclusionsEffective public health surveillance and implementation of disease control measures in disaster shelters are critical to detecting and preventing communicable illness. HCPH’s rigorous surveillance and response system in the NRG Center mega-shelter, including online survey tool and novel consultation method, resulted in timely identification and isolation of patients with gastrointestinal and influenza-like illness. These were likely key factors in the successful prevention of widespread disease transmission. Additional success factors included successful partnerships with onsite clinical and pharmacy teams, cooperative and engaged shelter leadership, synergistic internal surveillance team dynamics, availability of student volunteers, sufficient quantities of influenza vaccine, and access to mobile survey technology. Challenges, mostly related to scope and magnitude of response, included lack of pre-designed survey tools, relatively new staff without significant disaster experience, and simultaneous management of multiple surveillance activities within the community. Personal hurricane-related losses experienced by HCPH staff also impacted response efforts. HCPH’s rich disaster response experiences at the NRG mega-shelter and developed surveillance tools can serve as a planning guide for future public health emergencies in Harris County and other jurisdictions.

Background: The cancer health justice lab [CHJL] formed in 2019, is a multidisciplinary lab comprised of underrepresented undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students and diverse professionals in public health, social work, nutrition, medicine, nursing, and criminal justice. Using a social determinants of health framework, CHJL focuses on mentoring and training students from underrepresented backgrounds to increase participation in cancer health disparities research and practice. Methods: In collaboration with the Northeast Regional Alliance HCOP Academy Program (NERA), a program that supports minority and economically disadvantaged undergraduate and high school students interested in health careers, and the Rutgers Bloustein School of Public Policy and Planning, CHJL recruits 3-4 interns per semester. Didactics include leading journal clubs focusing on social determinants of health, health disparities, adverse childhood experiences, and health equity topics. Responsibilities include developing, designing, and implementing a community-based initiative that serves vulnerable populations, grant writing, and peer-reviewed article publications in high impact journals. Results: CHJL currently has 24 members - 14 members are active, including seven interns. Two former interns have been hired as research assistants and are currently pursuing a master's degree in public health. Past members are pursuing postgraduate level education in public health and biomedical sciences. CHJL has generated seven peer-reviewed articles on areas including: systematic reviews of digital cancer education, mental health and social ties of people who are incarcerated and implementing evidence-based practices in state prisons. Current projects include research to understand smoking and vaping behaviors among sexual and gender minority groups; Cancer 101 videos, a short video on COVID-19 for Spanish speakers; auto-complete searches language bias in COVID-19, medication-assisted treatment in jails, group-based counseling, and smoking cessation treatment in prisons, and colorectal cancer screening in urban populations. Conclusion: CHJL addresses health inequities through education, mentoring, advocacy, training, and research. It serves as a model to increase diversity in the health-related workforce and a mechanism for historically underrepresented groups in medicine and public health to contribute to science. This multidisciplinary approach may be useful in educating the next generation of public health and health-related professionals. Furthermore, CHJL could serve as a venue to reduce social isolation and feelings of otherness that may contribute to health inequities. Citation Format: Nadia Smith, Sarah Malarkey, Pamela Valera, Luis Alzate-Duque, Humberto Baquerizo. A health and justice lab to address cancer related health disparities and social determinants of health in marginalized communities: The Cancer Health Justice Lab [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2554.

The intersection of mental health and substance use presents a complex challenge for public health initiatives globally. This review delves into the critical review and integration of mental health and substance use services within public health frameworks. Understanding the intricate relationship between mental health disorders and substance abuse is pivotal in designing effective interventions and policies. The review examines existing literature, policies, and programs aimed at addressing mental health and substance use disorders within public health initiatives. It highlights the interconnectedness of these issues and the need for integrated approaches that consider the biopsychosocial aspects of individuals' well-being. Furthermore, it explores the prevalence of comorbidity and the implications it poses for treatment outcomes and resource allocation. Integration of mental health and substance use services into public health initiatives involves the collaboration of various stakeholders, including healthcare providers, policymakers, community organizations, and individuals with lived experiences. Strategies such as co-location of services, cross-training of professionals, and implementation of evidence-based practices are essential for fostering synergy and enhancing service delivery. Moreover, the review discusses the importance of destigmatizing mental health and substance use disorders to facilitate help-seeking behavior and access to care. Public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives play a crucial role in challenging misconceptions and promoting a culture of acceptance and support. This review underscores the significance of reviewing and integrating mental health and substance use services within public health initiatives. It advocates for a holistic approach that addresses the complex needs of individuals while striving for equity, accessibility, and quality in service provision.
 Keywords: Mental Health, Healthcare, Public Health, Services, Cross-training, Review.

Interconnected healing: A review of Public health, mental health, and mass atrocity prevention.

Digital health care in China and access for older people