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Research Topics & Ideas: Public Health

50 Topic Ideas To Kickstart Your Research Project

If you’re just starting out exploring public health and/or epidemiology-related topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research by providing a hearty list of research ideas , including examples from recent studies in public health and epidemiology.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . These topic ideas provided here are intentionally broad and generic , so keep in mind that you will need to develop them further. Nevertheless, they should inspire some ideas for your project.

To develop a suitable research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan to fill that gap. If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Public Health-Related Research Topics

• Evaluating the impact of community-based obesity prevention programs in urban areas.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of public smoking bans on respiratory health outcomes.
• Investigating the role of health education in reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The impact of air pollution on asthma rates in industrial cities.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of school nutrition programs on childhood obesity rates.
• The role of public health policies in addressing mental health stigma.
• Analyzing the impact of clean water access on infectious disease rates in rural communities.
• The effectiveness of needle exchange programs in reducing the spread of hepatitis C.
• Investigating the impact of social determinants on maternal and child health in low-income neighborhoods.
• The role of digital health interventions in managing chronic diseases.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of workplace wellness programs on employee health and productivity.
• The impact of urban green spaces on community mental health.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases.
• The role of public health initiatives in reducing alcohol-related harm.
• Analyzing the impact of aging populations on healthcare systems.
• Analyzing the impact of urbanization on mental health disorders in metropolitan areas.
• The effectiveness of telemedicine services in improving healthcare access in remote regions.
• Investigating the health impacts of electronic waste recycling practices.
• The role of health literacy in managing non-communicable diseases in aging populations.
• Evaluating the public health response to opioid addiction in rural communities.
• Analyzing the relationship between housing quality and respiratory illnesses.
• The effectiveness of community engagement in improving reproductive health services.
• Investigating the health effects of long-term exposure to low-level environmental radiation.
• The role of public health campaigns in reducing the prevalence of tobacco use among teenagers.
• Analyzing the impact of food deserts on nutritional outcomes in urban communities.

Epidemiology Research Ideas (Continued)

• Investigating the epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospital settings.
• The impact of climate change on the spread of vector-borne diseases.
• Evaluating the factors contributing to the rise in type 2 diabetes prevalence.
• Analyzing the epidemiology of mental health disorders in conflict zones.
• The role of epidemiological surveillance in pandemic preparedness and response.
• Investigating the link between environmental exposures and the incidence of childhood cancers.
• The impact of dietary patterns on the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of intervention strategies in controlling obesity epidemics.
• Analyzing the spread and control of zoonotic diseases in rural communities.
• The role of genetic factors in the epidemiology of autoimmune diseases.
• Investigating the socio-economic disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes.
• The impact of urbanization on the epidemiology of infectious diseases.
• Evaluating the public health consequences of occupational exposures to hazardous substances.
• Analyzing the trends and determinants of mental health disorders among adolescents.
• The role of lifestyle factors in the epidemiology of neurodegenerative diseases.
• Investigating the patterns of mental health service utilization during economic recessions.
• The epidemiology of sports-related concussions in youth athletics.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions in reducing the spread of tuberculosis in high-risk populations.
• Analyzing the geographic distribution of Lyme disease in relation to climate change.
• The role of international travel in the spread of emerging infectious diseases.
• Investigating the demographic predictors of chronic kidney disease in population-based studies.
• The epidemiological impact of air pollution on asthma and other respiratory conditions.
• Evaluating the long-term health effects of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
• Analyzing the incidence and risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders.
• The role of socioeconomic status in the prevalence and management of diabetes.

Recent Studies: Public Health & Epidemiology

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual studies in the public health and epidemiology space to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of recent studies to help refine your thinking. These are actual studies,  so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Tutorials in population neuroimaging: Using epidemiology in neuroimaging research (Godina et al., 2022)
• Application of Big Data in Digital Epidemiology (Naaz & Siddiqui, 2022)
• Response to comment on: Incidence of ocular and systemic disease affecting visual function among state bus drivers (Kohli et al., 2022)
• Why epidemiology is incomplete without qualitative and mixed methods (Lane-Fall, 2023)
• Teaching epidemiology: An overview of strategies and considerations (Hossain, 2022)
• Social Epidemiology: Past, Present, and Future (Roux, 2022)
• Population health assessment project: An innovative strategy for teaching principles of epidemiology (Keen et al., 2022)
• The functions of veterinary epidemiology in public health (Shaffi, 2023)
• Readying the Applied Epidemiology Workforce for Emerging Areas of
• Public Health Practice (Daly et al., 2022)
• Some Social Epidemiologic Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic (Schnake-Mahl & Bilal, 2023)
• The Filth Disease: Typhoid Fever and the Practices of Epidemiology in Victorian England by Jacob Steere-Williams (review) (Steere-Williams et al., 2022)
• Epidemiology of Adult Obesity, Measurements, Global Prevalence and Risk Factors (Orukwowu, 2022).
• Which disciplines form digital public health, and how do they relate to each other? (Pan, 2022)
• Information Flow and Data Gaps in COVID-19 Recording and Reporting at National and Provincial Levels in Indonesia (Barsasella et al., 2022). Epidemiology Blog of Neal D. Goldstein, PhD, MBI (Goldstein, 2023)
• Sensitivity analysis of SEIR epidemic model of Covid 19 spread in Indonesia (Rangkuti et al., 2022)

As you can see, these research topics are a lot more focused than the generic topic ideas we presented earlier. So, for you to develop a high-quality research topic, you’ll need to get specific and laser-focused on a specific context with specific variables of interest.  In the video below, we explore some other important things you’ll need to consider when crafting your research topic.

Get 1-On-1 Help

If you’re still unsure about how to find a quality research topic, check out our Research Topic Kickstarter service, which is the perfect starting point for developing a unique, well-justified research topic.

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Exercise habits in youth create better health outcomes for some

Forming a long-term recreational exercise habit as a young person has a beneficial impact on physical and mental health later in life, but some groups, such as females and academic high-achievers, miss out on these benefits disproportionately.

A University of Adelaide study found females, people with low self-efficacy, reluctant exercisers, higher academic achievers, and those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage are all most at risk of failing to establish regular exercise patterns during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood.

The finding was made by examining data collected as part of the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth (LSAY), which also showed young Australians on average exercise less regularly every year after transitioning from high school to university and work.

"It is well known that sustained regular exercise in young people improves fitness, physical health, self-esteem, reduces distress and sets up long-term patterns that reduce disease risk in adulthood," said Associate Professor Oliver Schubert from the University of Adelaide's Adelaide Medical School and the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network.

"There seems to be a critical period in people's teens, around the age of 15, to establish these behaviours."

While women's sport is increasing in prominence, the researchers say multiple factors contribute to the gender disparity.

"The disadvantage experienced by females is influenced by reduced opportunity, lower access, and lack of sports diversity, but also divergent parental and cultural expectations, stereotypes, and role models," says Dr Julie Morgan, Clinical Associate Lecturer at the University of Adelaide's Discipline of Psychiatry and lead author of the study.

"Psychological factors, such as perceived sports competency and self-efficacy, may play an additional role. Our study highlights that more needs to be done to promote long-term regular of exercise to female adolescents."

Females were not the only at-risk group that came as a surprise to the researchers.

"The risk for academic high achievers was unexpected and highlights the need to promote a balance between study and self-care to this group," said Associate Professor Scott Clark, Head of the University of Adelaide's Discipline of Psychiatry.

Prior research has shown similar findings regarding the benefits of forming exercise habits, but the LSAY data provides a clearer understanding than previously possible.

"The large size and high follow-up rate of LSAY, which follows Australian youth as they transition from school to study or work, makes it an extremely valuable resource for analysing the impact of changes in society and policy that can influence educational, occupational and physical- and mental-health outcomes," says Jana Bednarz, a senior statistician from the University of Adelaide who conducted the longitudinal modelling analyses.

"Our trajectory-based analysis of repeated measurements provides more robust data than previous cross-sectional studies, where data are collected only once, and therefore provides good evidence for youth exercise policy development in Australia."

The researchers say outreach is required at an early stage to encourage the at-risk groups they've identified to develop long-term exercise habits.

"Given the predictors of these patterns are identifiable at age 15, there is a key role for secondary school, especially in the last years, when academic achievements become more central for young people," said Associate Professor Schubert.

"Equally, universities and vocational training institutions could run programs to support and encourage physical activity and sport.

"State governments and local councils need to ask whether the current leisure infrastructure supports the needs of young people. Funding and support for grass-roots community sport across gender and socioeconomic groups is critical."

• Chronic Illness
• Teen Health
• Healthy Aging
• Child Psychology
• K-12 Education
• Child Development
• Gender Difference
• Developmental disability
• Anaerobic exercise
• Health benefits of tea
• Aerobic exercise
• Hyperactivity
• Physical exercise

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Adelaide . Original written by Johnny von Einem. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Julie Ayliffe Morgan, Jana Maria Bednarz, Ronnie Semo, Scott Richard Clark, Klaus Oliver Schubert. Long-term recreational exercise patterns in adolescents and young adults: Trajectory predictors and associations with health, mental-health, and educational outcomes . PLOS ONE , 2024; 19 (3): e0284660 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284660

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