Public health is a broad, transdisciplinary field dedicated to protecting and improving the health of populations through disease prevention, health promotion, and the identification of health determinants. It addresses a wide range of factors that influence health outcomes, including environmental exposures, occupational risks, infectious diseases, health behaviors, and access to healthcare services. Public health research and practice aim to reduce health disparities, enhance health systems, and create conditions that enable all individuals and communities to thrive.

MDPI’s cluster of public health journals brings together 11 high-quality, peer-reviewed, open access journals covering key areas such as environmental health, occupational health, epidemiology, infectious diseases, health economics, digital health, health policy, hygiene, and health equity. This cluster provides an integrated platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share evidence-based findings, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, and advance solutions to the world’s most pressing public health challenges.

The 11 participating journals include:

• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) (ISSN: 1660-4601) is a transdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, open access journal that covers global health, healthcare sciences, behavioral and mental health, infectious diseases, chronic diseases and disease prevention, exercise and health-related quality of life, environmental health and environmental sciences. IJERPH is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Paul R. Ward.
• Infectious Disease Reports (ISSN: 2036-7449) is an international, open access peer-reviewed journal that publishes scientific papers about infectious diseases. Manuscripts dealing with research, biology, epidemiology, and clinical aspects of all infection-related diseases are welcome. Infectious Disease Reports publishes original articles, reviews, brief reports and case reports. Please note that we suggest that authors include a literature review to summarize the development of the field to which their paper is related in brief reports and case reports.
• Epidemiologia (ISSN: 2673-3986) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of scientific research in the field of epidemiology. Our aim is to provide an advanced forum for displaying the applicability of epidemiological research, aiming to achieve improved population health outcomes. Epidemiologia is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Antoine Flahault.
• Occupational Health (ISSN: 3042-8637) publishes original research, systematic reviews, and policy-relevant studies aimed at identifying, understanding, and preventing workplace risks while promoting sustainable and health-supportive work systems. Occupational Health is led by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Guang Jia.
• International Journal of Environmental Medicine (IJEM) (ISSN: 3042-7681) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on environmental exposures, human health, and sustainability published quarterly online by MDPI.
• Journal of Market Access & Health Policy (JMAHP) (ISSN: 2001-6689) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal that covers all different subdisciplines of ‘market access’ from economic, technical, scientific, sociological, psychological and policy perspectives, published quarterly online. It is the official journal of the Market Access Society (MAS).
• Hygiene (ISSN: 2673-947X) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to the publication of high-quality scientific papers in the fields of healthcare epidemiology, public health and environmentally related hygiene. We also welcome submissions with a focus on best practices that help maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases. Our aim is to publish research articles, critical reviews, research notes, and short communications with comprehensive experimental details. Interdisciplinary research is also encouraged and may cover the following broader areas:
  • General hygiene: Oral and dental hygiene; hand hygiene; food hygiene; production hygiene; occupational hygiene; disinfection and sterilization; hygiene and epidemiology; regulation and practice policies;
  • Healthcare epidemiology: Surveillance and prevention of healthcare-associated infections; design of healthcare premises;
  • Public health: Disease surveillance; prevention of communicable diseases; infection prevention and control; health risk assessments; population health; susceptible populations; human biomonitoring;
  • Global and environmental health: Health policy implications; sanitation and clean water; veterinary and livestock biosafety; cleanliness and health; tropical diseases.
• Trends in Public Health (ISSN: 3042-8181) is an international open access journal on public health, led by Editor-in-Chief Professor Xiaochuan Pan (Peking University, China). Trends in Public Health publishes regular papers, review articles and comments as well as special issues on particular subjects. Our aim is to advance public health research, practice, policy, and education. We are also committed to utilizing science to advance eco-health equity.
• Digital Health and Innovation (DHI) (ISSN: 3042-9315) focuses on how digital technologies are reshaping the healthcare service model, enhancing patient experience and improving population health outcomes through innovative applications. DHI is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Bijan Najafi.
• Green Health (ISSN: 3042-5832) is an international, open access journal dedicated to advancing knowledge in environmental sustainability and public health, led by Editors-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Hualiang Lin and Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo.
• Health Economics and Policy (ISSN: 3042-898X) is an international, open access journal dedicated to advancing rigorous economic analysis, effective governance, and evidence-informed decision-making across all aspects of health and healthcare systems. We publish comprehensive reviews, original research articles, policy briefs, and short communications that deepen our understanding of how economic principles—and the structures that govern them—can be harnessed to optimize resource allocation, improve equity and access, and shape sustainable health policy worldwide.

Journal	Launch year	Impact Factor (2025)	5-Year Impact Factor (2025)	CiteScore (2025)	First Decision (median)	Acceptance to Publication (median)	APC
	2004	/	/	9.8	24	4	2500
	2009	2.6	2.2	4.2	34.1	5.1	1800
	2020	3.2	1.9	3.7	21.9	6.7	1400
	2026	/	/	/	19	8	1000
	2025	/	/	/	19	8	1000
	2013	/	/	3.7	29.5	/	1500
	2021	2.3	/	3.0	28.7	5.6	1000
	2026	/	/	/	19	8	1000
	Pending release	/	/	/	19	8	1000
	2025	/	/	/	19	8	1000
	Pending release	/	/	/	19	8	1000

MDPI Mission and Values:
As a pioneer of academic open access publishing, MDPI has been serving the scientific community since 1996. Our aim is to foster scientific exchange in all forms across all disciplines. MDPI’s guidelines for disseminating open science are based on the following values and guiding principles:

• Open Access: All of our content is published in open access and distributed under a Creative Commons license, providing free access to science and the latest research, allowing articles to be freely shared and content to be re-used with proper attribution;
• Timeliness and Efficiency: Publishing the latest research through thorough editorial work, ensuring a first decision is provided to authors in under 32 days and papers are published within 7-10 days upon acceptance;
• Simplicity: Offering user-friendly tools and services in one place to enhance the efficiency of our editorial process;
• High-Quality Service: Supporting scholars and their work by providing a range of options such as journal publication at mdpi.com, early publication at preprints.org, and conferences on sciforum.net to make a positive impact on research;
• Flexibility: Adapting and developing new tools and services to meet the changing needs of the research community, driven by feedback from authors, editors, and readers;
• Rooted in Sustainability: Ensuring the long-term preservation of published papers and supporting the future of science through partnerships, sponsorships, and awards;

By adhering to these values and principles, MDPI remains committed to advancing scientific knowledge and promoting open science practices.

Selected Topics and Special Issues:
“Sleep, Digital Health, and Health Equity: Innovations in Population Health Research and Care Delivery”
Guest Editors: Dr. Azizi Seixas and Dr. Mascha Korsch
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2027

“Epidemiology and Control of Influenza Viruses”
Guest Editor: Dr. Matteo Vassallo
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026

“Principles of Biostatistics in Epidemiology and Public Health”
Guest Editors: Dr. Cristina Gena Dascalu and Dr. Sara Conti
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2027

“Regenerative Medicine: From Bench to Bedside to Market”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Mondher Toumi and Prof. Dr. Steven Simoens
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2026

“Oral and Dental Hygiene: Materials, Techniques and Perspectives”
Guest Editor: Dr. Andrea Scribante
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 21 October 2026

Selected Articles:
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH)
“Bridging the Gap: Health Education Needs Among Rural Populations with Chronic Illness and Low Health Literacy in Unincorporated Communities in Southern California”
by Shiloh A. Williams, Ryan C. Shriver and Candace C. Juhala
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23010021

Infectious Disease Reports
“Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Romania Versus Europe: An Epidemiological and Public Health Perspective, 2024 Update”
by Andreea-Iuliana Ciobanu, Sebastian Ionescu, Ana Maria Tudor, Mariana Mărdărescu, Laurențiu-Mihăiță Stratan, Adrian Gabriel Marinescu, Cătălin Tiliscan, Aida-Isabela Adamescu, Oana Ganea, Sorin Ștefan Aramă et al.
Infect. Dis. Rep. 2026, 18(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/idr18010009

Epidemiologia
“Occurrence of Central Nervous System Complications of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis”
by Matteo Riccò, Antonio Cascio, Silvia Corrado, Marco Bottazzoli, Federico Marchesi, Renata Gili, Pasquale Gianluca Giuri, Davide Gori and Paolo Manzoni
Epidemiologia 2024, 5(3), 421–455; https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia5030031

Occupational Health
“Firefighters’ Exposures to Contaminants and Adverse Impacts on Their Health: Why the UK Needs Better Occupational Disease Recognition for Firefighters Along Global Lines, Better Occupational Health Services, and Improved Health Surveillance”
by Andrew Watterson and Rory O’Neill
Occup. Health 2026, 1(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/occuphealth1010008

International Journal of Environmental Medicine
“Biological Retention and Accumulation of Inhaled Environmental Particles Disrupt Immune Homeostasis: Implications for Chronic Lung Disease”
by Akira Onodera
Int. J. Environ. Med. 2026, 1(2), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijem1020007

Journal of Market Access & Health Policy (JMAHP)
“Mapping the Use of Real-World Evidence Across the EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation: Methodological Considerations, Challenges, and Opportunities for Harmonization”
by Grammati Sarri, Bengt Liljas, Keith R. Abrams, Stephen J. Duffield and Murtuza Bharmal
J. Mark. Access Health Policy 2026, 14(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmahp14020020

Hygiene
“Global Trends and Action Items for the Prevention and Control of Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases”
by Silvia De Gaetano, Elena Ponzo, Angelina Midiri, Giuseppe Mancuso, Daniele Filippone, Giovanni Infortuna, Sebastiana Zummo and Carmelo Biondo
Hygiene 2025, 5(2), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene5020018

Trends in Public Health
“The Impacts of Atmospheric PM_2.5 Components on Depression in Middle-Aged and Elderly People”
by Yao Xiao, Zhihu Xu and Guoxing Li
Trends Public Health 2026, 1(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/tph1010004

Digital Health and Innovation (DHI)
“Developing a Novel Augmented Reality-Based Sports Therapy System (STAR): A User-Centered Design Study Focusing on Usability and User Acceptance”
by Niklas Kabisch, John Brandes, Anne Lehmann, Mandy Claus, Stefanie Jacobs, Martin Böhmer, Florian Kehrle, Patrick Jahn and Franziska Fink
Digit. Health Innov. 2026, 1(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/dhi1010002

Green Health
“Health at Risk: Air Pollution and Urban Vulnerability—Perspectives in Light of the 2030 Agenda”
by Marilia Salete Tavares, Camila Tavares Rodrigues, Sara Lucia Silveira de Menezes and Adalgiza Mafra Moreno
Green Health 2025, 1(3), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/greenhealth1030021