Announcements

We are pleased to announce the winners of the IJERPH 2025 Outstanding Special Issue Award. All Special Issues closed in 2025 of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601) were considered for the award. Following a review process by the Award Evaluation Committee, four winners were selected.

The award prize:

• CHF 500;
• A certificate and a voucher to waive the Article Processing Charges (APCs) for one submission in the journal (subject to peer review)—valid for one year.

“The Impact of Internet and Social Media Use on Young People's Mental Health”
Guest Editors: Dr. Amelia Rizzo and Dr. Dario Alparone

“Public Health Consequences of Social Isolation and Loneliness”
Guest Editors: Dr. Ami Rokach and David Berman

“Inequities and Interventions in Children's Health and Wellbeing”
Guest Editors: Dr. Hui Huang and Dr. Qi Wu

“Mobile Health and Mobile Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities: 2nd Edition”
Guest Editors: Dr. Michael L. Jones, Dr. Frank Deruyter and Dr. John T. Morris

Please join us in congratulating the winners of the IJERPH 2025 Outstanding Special Issue Award. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Guest Editors for their continued support of IJERPH.

IJERPH Editorial Office

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 12 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 (2024)	5-Year Impact Factor (2024)	CiteScore (2024)	First Decision (median)	APC
	2004	/	/	9.8	29.5	2500
	2009	2.4	2.2	4.2	34.1	1800
	2020	2.2	1.9	3.7	21.9	1400
	2026	/	/	/	19	1000
	2025	/	/	/	19	1000
	2013	/	/	3.7	40.8	1500
	2021	/	/	3.0	28.7	1000
	Pending release	/	/	/	19	1000
	Pending release	/	/	/	19	1000
	2025	/	/	/	19	1000
	Pending release	/	/	/	19	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

The Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) was founded in 1967 to promote the study of reproduction by fostering interdisciplinary communication among scientists, holding conferences, publishing meritorious studies, and contributing to the development and mentoring of young scientists. 

Today we are a global association of more than 1200 active members, including scientists, veterinarians, students, and physicians, representing over 50 countries. Some members are engaged in basic or applied research, while others perform clinical practice. All are dedicated to advancing knowledge of reproductive processes in animals and in humans. 

The SSR 2026 Annual Meeting, themed “Back to the Future, Foundational Knowledge for Future Innovations”, will bring together leading experts, researchers, and industry professionals dedicated to advancing reproductive science. 

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Cells;
• Reprod. Med.;
• Sexes;
• Uro;
• Women;
• IJERPH;
• Life;
• Immuno;
• Endocrines;
• Clinics and Practice;
• BioMed;
• JDB;
• Toxics. 

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the conference and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about this event, please visit the following website: https://ssr.org/events/2026-annual-meeting/.

We are pleased to share that International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN 1660-4601) has received an increased CiteScore of 9.8 in June 2026. The CiteScore ranks the journal 34 out of 725 titles (Q1) in the “Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health” category, an impressive achievement for a journal running in Volume 23.

You can find more statistics on our website.

The current CiteScores measure the average number of citations within a journal over a four-year window (2022–2025). The Scopus database provides a comprehensive suite of metrics that support informed publishing strategies, research evaluation and enable benchmarking of journal performance.

This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our authors, reviewers, and editors. Together we will continue to track the progress of IJERPH and its growing impact in public health.

The 2025 CiteScore metrics have been officially released by Scopus, and the results confirm what has become a consistent pattern for MDPI's journal portfolio: broad recognition across disciplines, steady improvement across the majority of ranked titles, and a growing presence at the top of subject category rankings.

CiteScore, published annually by Elsevier's Scopus database, measures the average citations received by articles published in a journal over a four-year window. As a complement to the Journal Impact Factor, which uses a two-year window based on the Web of Science database, CiteScore provides an alternative, long-term perspective on citation performance.

The 365 MDPI journals in Scopus (as of May 2026) are indexed across a wide range of subject categories, ensuring that open access research remains highly discoverable to a global readership through one of the most widely used platforms in academic publishing.

Data Summary (2025 CiteScores)

• New Additions: 41 MDPI journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
• Trending Upward: 234 of 322 previously ranked journals (73%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
• High Visibility: 314 journals (86%) rank in Q1 or Q2 in at least one subject category.
• Elite Performance: 42 journals rank in the top 10% of their subject categories.

Portfolio Performance

Among the 322 journals that held a CiteScore in 2024, 234 saw an increase this year. Quartile improvements outnumbered declines across the portfolio, with 52 journals moving to a higher quartile and only 20 seeing a decline. Furthermore, no previously ranked journals were removed. The 42 journals now ranked in the top 10% of their subject categories are drawn from a strong foundation of 178 journals holding a Q1 position.

With the large majority of our indexed portfolio ranked in the top half of research fields, researchers can confidently choose MDPI to meet funder mandates for high-quality, fully compliant Open Access publishing.

Exceptional Achievements for Foods and Life

Notably, both Foods and Life achieved a 99th percentile ranking in their respective subject categories for the 2025 CiteScores. This outstanding placement positions them as leading journals in their fields and highlights the high visibility and global impact of the open access research they publish.

Journal Metrics and Beyond

Journal-level metrics describe outlets, not individual articles. An increasing number of funders and institutions—including signatories of DORA and the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment—now explicitly encourage evaluation at the article level rather than by the journal in which research appears. MDPI supports this direction: we report CiteScore alongside the Journal Impact Factor, Journal Citation Indicator, and article-level usage data because no single number captures the full reach and contribution of published research.

Thank You

These results reflect the sustained effort of thousands of editors-in-chief, editorial board members, reviewers, and authors across every field MDPI serves. The metrics are the outcome; the work is yours.

Conference: 18th World Congress on Public Health
Date: 6–8 September 2026
Location: Cape Town, South Africa

MDPI will be attending the 18th World Congress on Public Health, taking place from 6 to 8 September 2026, as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

The congress is a premier international forum for exchanging insights on critical global public health challenges and advancing sustainable and equitable public health worldwide. For the first time, the WCPH will take place in South Africa, offering a powerful platform for African voices to engage and contribute to global public health conversations and collaborations. This theme of this congress is “Health without Borders: Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability”, highlighting the global public health community’s unwavering commitment to envisioning and implementing fair and practical solutions to the world’s complex challenges.

With its breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage, Cape Town provides the perfect setting to address pressing global health challenges, such as health equity and sustainability and inclusivity, while fostering international collaboration and innovation in public health. We look forward to welcoming you all in Cape Town!

The following open access journals will be represented at this conference:

• IJERPH;
• World;
• Adolescents;
• EJIHPE;
• TropicalMed;
• Hospitals;
• Nursing Reports;
• Trends in Public Health;
• JMAHP.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information, please visit https://www.wcph.org/.

Conference: 31st International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP)
Date: 21–25 July 2026
Location: Florence, Italy

MDPI will be attending the 31st International Congress of Applied Psychology as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

ICAP is the flagship congress of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP), an association born more than 100 years ago. As our world becomes increasingly connected and complex, the need for international psychology grows. IAAP serves as a professional home for applied psychologists wishing to expand their international knowledge base and network. IAAP’s mission is to promote the science and practice of applied psychology and to facilitate interaction and communication among applied psychologists around the world. ICAP plays a key role in this mission.

The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:

• Behavioral Sciences;
• Disabilities;
• Adolescents;
• Psychology International;
• J. Intell.;
• Youth;
• Sustainability;
• JMMS;
• Social Sciences;
• IJERPH;
• EJIHPE.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.icap2026.org/.

Welcome to our webinar entitled “Healthy Child, Healthy Adult—Longevity and Healthy Living”. This webinar will focus on the current state of children’s physical activity and nutrition, with regard to current and long-term health issues, NCDs as a public health concern and the consequences for individuals. It will also look at how we can enhance quality of life as we age. We will be paying particular attention to nutrition and physical activity for its long-term benefits and examining some of the current policies and strategies that have been researched and shown to help in this area. We will also be discussing how the current guidelines support these healthy initiatives as part of public health for the population.

Keywords: longevity; children; healthy lifestyles; healthy living; nutrition; physical activity; public health

Date: 22 May 2026
Time: 3:30 p.m. CEST | 9:30 a.m. EDT | 9:30 p.m. CST (Asia)
Webinar ID: 810 6670 0883
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/IJERPH-15

Register now for free!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available to view.

Webinar Chairs and Keynote Speakers:

• Dr. Lindsy Kass, School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, UK;
• Dr. Gillian McLellan, Faculty of Health Sciences & Sport, University of Stirling, Scotland;
• Dr. David Cox, freelance journalist and author;
• Dr. Samantha Robinson, Division of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of the West of Scotland, Scotland;
• Mr. Nathan Phillips, School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health, University of Glasgow, Scotland.

Conference: The Northern European Conference on Travel Medicine (NECTM10)
Date: 3–5 June 2026
Location: Belfast, UK

We are excited to announce that MDPI will participate as an exhibitor at the Northern European Conference on Travel Medicine (NECTM10) from 3 to 5 June 2026.

NECTM was founded by twelve travel health organizations and societies in eight countries to meet common educational needs in the expanding multidisciplinary field of travel medicine. The first biennial conference was successfully held in Edinburgh in 2006, followed by Bergen, Hamburg, Dublin, Helsinki, London, Stockholm, Rotterdam, and Copenhagen. Between 500 and 1000 travel medicine specialists and practitioners across Europe and beyond meet every other year to share the latest scientific updates, discuss ideas, interact, learn, and enjoy the experience together—always with smiles on our faces. Every NECTM is unique and reflects current scientific challenges as well as specific travel medicine issues.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to reach out to us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth 7 and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://mkon.nu/nectm_10/nectm.