PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-05-14eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609031
Lorraine Frisina Doetter, Gabriela de Carvalho, Emilia Aragon de Leon
{"title":"Defining Competencies for Policymaking in Public Health: A Scoping Review on the State-of- The-Art.","authors":"Lorraine Frisina Doetter, Gabriela de Carvalho, Emilia Aragon de Leon","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609031","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study examines the competencies required for effective public health policymaking, seeking to identify and catalog existing scholarship and to develop an analytical framework organizing competencies into cross-cutting domains to guide training and capacity development.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review of the literature was conducted, analysing 43 peer-reviewed studies that addressed policymaking competencies in public health. Competencies were inductively coded, synthesized, and organized into themes using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>64 competencies were identified and mapped into eight domains: analytical and research, political, leadership and management, design thinking, collaboration and networking, communication, resource mobilization, and technology readiness. Analytical and research competencies were most frequently cited, underscoring the centrality of evidence-based decision-making. Design thinking and collaboration also featured prominently, reflecting the growing emphasis on complexity management and stakeholder engagement. By contrast, communication, resource mobilization, and technology readiness were underrepresented, despite their importance for modern policymaking.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The resulting eight-domain framework consolidates a fragmented field and underscores the need for more comprehensive competency-building strategies. It offers practical guidance for policymakers, educators, and institutions seeking to strengthen public health leadership.</p>","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609031"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13217404/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148139177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-05-04eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609723
Nadia Ahmed, Sophie Mae Harrington, Aikaterina Sidiroglou, Paul Louis Fiedler, Hannah Brunskill, Jennifer Hall, Ledia Lazeri, Joao Breda
{"title":"Risk formulation, lived experience, and patient leadership in European CAMHS.","authors":"Nadia Ahmed, Sophie Mae Harrington, Aikaterina Sidiroglou, Paul Louis Fiedler, Hannah Brunskill, Jennifer Hall, Ledia Lazeri, Joao Breda","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609723","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609723","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609723"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13180714/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147975998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-05-01eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1608853
Alessandra Milani, Luisa Saiani, Ketti Mazzocco
{"title":"Rethinking health priorities for displaced populations through the integration of epigenetics and iterative reasoning.","authors":"Alessandra Milani, Luisa Saiani, Ketti Mazzocco","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1608853","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1608853","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over 120 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, nearly half of them children. Current health responses remain largely emergency-driven, addressing immediate survival needs but overlooking the longer-term biological and psychosocial consequences of chronic trauma.</p><p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Emerging evidence suggests that severe adversities, for example those happening during pregnancy and early childhood, can become biologically embedded through changes in gene regulation. While data on humans are largely observational, and inherited transgenerational effects remain under investigation, the initial evidence reinforces the importance of prioritizing continuity of care, trauma-informed services, and early-life interventions alongside social determinants.</p><p><strong>Policy options: </strong>We propose three complementary actions: (1) scale community-based, culturally responsive, trauma-informed mental health services integrated with primary care; (2) incorporate trauma science, epigenetics, and complex systems-related thinking into medical and social curricula; and (3) adopt iterative, adaptive policy cycles that revisit priorities through shared indicators and stakeholder feedbacks.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Shifting from one-off crisis management to iterative, evidence-informed planning enables health systems to address both immediate needs and longer-term, potentially intergenerational risks, making responses more anticipatory, accountable, and sustainable.</p>","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1608853"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13175940/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147964984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-04-28eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609172
Aaesha Salem Alhebsi, Tareq M Osaili, Dimitrios Papandreou, Falak Zeb, Maysm N Mohamad, Makhayel Sultan Alkaabi, Lily Stojanovska, Ayesha S Al Dhaheri, Leila Cheikh Ismail
{"title":"A Narrative Review on Dietary and Lifestyle Contributors to Non-Communicable Diseases in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.","authors":"Aaesha Salem Alhebsi, Tareq M Osaili, Dimitrios Papandreou, Falak Zeb, Maysm N Mohamad, Makhayel Sultan Alkaabi, Lily Stojanovska, Ayesha S Al Dhaheri, Leila Cheikh Ismail","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609172","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609172","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are significant public health issue in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This review identified and evaluated dietary and lifestyle risk factors associated with NCDs across GCC countries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed were systematically searched for studies published between January 2020 and December 2024. Methodological quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Obesity prevalence ranged from 38% to 47% across GCC countries and emerged as a significant risk factor, with notable socioeconomic association, especially among women. The most prevalent unhealthy eating practices included excessive consumption of fast, processed, and ultra-processed foods, energy-dense diets, high-carbohydrate intake, and insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption. Educational level and income were strongly associated with dietary behaviors and physical activity. Physical inactivity was also consistently identified as a key contributor to obesity and NCD risk.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Poor diet and sedentary behavior are major contributors to NCDs in the GCC. Targeted interventions, public education, promotion of active lifestyles, and supportive policy reforms are needed for both adults and children.</p>","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609172"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13160877/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147933983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-04-23eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609302
Bernard Jackson Zikanga
{"title":"Strengthening Uganda's Climate-Resilient Health Systems: A Position Paper on Climate and Health Policy.","authors":"Bernard Jackson Zikanga","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/phrs.2026.1609302","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609302"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13149204/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-04-22eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609282
Gina Marie Gerlach, Sarah Maria Esther Jerjen, Armin Gemperli
{"title":"Integrating Emergency Medical Services Into Health Systems for Continuous and Resilient Care.","authors":"Gina Marie Gerlach, Sarah Maria Esther Jerjen, Armin Gemperli","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609282","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609282","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are central to acute care, disaster response, and public health. Yet prehospital data in many systems remain disconnected from hospital and follow-up outcomes. This paper examines how fragmented, unidirectional data flows limit quality assurance, system learning, and crisis preparedness, using Switzerland as an illustrative case.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyze data flows across the rescue chain based on regulatory context, current handover practices, and international reference models. The analysis is supported by existing registry initiatives and a conceptual systems framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Across EMS systems, information is generated in silos and transferred through brief handovers without systematic outcome feedback. Evaluation is therefore reduced to operational metrics such as response times, obscuring the clinical impact of prehospital care. In Switzerland, decentralized governance and the absence of national standards reinforce these dynamics. Existing registries demonstrate that outcome tracking is feasible using minimal standardized datasets.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Bidirectional EMS data exchange is essential to transform linear rescue chains into learning health systems. A national EMS minimum dataset with mandatory reporting and outcome feedback would enable transparency, quality improvement, and resilient emergency care.</p>","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609282"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13143843/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147843810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-04-17eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609645
Geneviève Chene, Marie Preau, Paulette Lenert, Yves Martin-Prevel, Roch Giorgi
{"title":"Governing Evidence in Contentious Times: A GUARD Framework for Public Health Leadership.","authors":"Geneviève Chene, Marie Preau, Paulette Lenert, Yves Martin-Prevel, Roch Giorgi","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609645","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609645","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Public health leadership faces widening inequities, uneven life expectancy trends, and growing information disorder. Experience from COVID-19 showed that shortcomings often stem less from lack of evidence than from weaknesses in how evidence inform decisions. This commentary reframes the challenge as one of evidence governance: ensuring that knowledge is interpreted, debated, and translated into fair, accountable action. We introduce GUARD, a practice-oriented framework for governing evidence: Govern in public, User power-sharing, Architect and audit integrity, Resist manipulation of meaning, and Demonstrate legitimacy. Rather than proposing new principles, GUARD operationalizes existing ones into implementable governance routines, offering public health leaders a practical pathway to strengthen legitimacy, reduce inequities, and sustain trustworthiness under uncertainty.</p>","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609645"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13132791/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147821713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-04-14eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609756
Virak Sorn
{"title":"Improving the Quality of Life of Parkinson's Disease Patients in Cambodia: A Perspective on Addressing the Gaps.","authors":"Virak Sorn","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609756","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609756","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609756"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13121084/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWSPub Date : 2026-04-09eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609375
Flavia Pennisi, Carlo Lunetti, Chiara Barbati, Luca Viviani, Anna Carole D'Amelio, Anabela da Conceição Pereira, Tiago Correia, Anna Odone, Carlo Signorelli
{"title":"Interventions Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in the WHO European Region and in North America (United States and Canada): A Systematic Review.","authors":"Flavia Pennisi, Carlo Lunetti, Chiara Barbati, Luca Viviani, Anna Carole D'Amelio, Anabela da Conceição Pereira, Tiago Correia, Anna Odone, Carlo Signorelli","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609375","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609375","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Vaccine hesitancy threatens optimal immunization coverage. This review systematically identified and evaluated interventions addressing vaccine hesitancy in the WHO European Region and in North America (United States and Canada).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library, and Embase from inception to 17 January 2024. Eligible studies evaluated interventions targeting vaccine hesitancy. Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment followed the methodological guidance of the Cochrane Handbook, and reporting adhered to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024565588). Interventions were categorized as educational, communicational, policy-based, organizational, or digital.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 59 studies met the inclusion criteria. Effective approaches included multicomponent strategies, community engagement, reminder and recall systems, educational campaigns, and legislative measures. Digital interventions yielded promising but heterogeneous results. The effectiveness of interventions was often enhanced when tailored to specific population needs and local contexts.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Multifaceted interventions adapted to the sociocultural context appear most effective in reducing vaccine hesitancy in Europe and North America. Further high-quality studies are needed to refine implementation strategies and evaluate long-term impacts.</p><p><strong>Systematic review registration: </strong>https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024565588, identifier CRD42024565588.</p>","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609375"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13112373/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Future Guardians of Health: Involving The Young Generation in the One-Health Program in India.","authors":"Kajal Srivastava, Shweta Chauhan, Sahjid Mukhida, Shaili Vyas","doi":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609453","DOIUrl":"10.3389/phrs.2026.1609453","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35944,"journal":{"name":"PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEWS","volume":"47 ","pages":"1609453"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13079203/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147783886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}