Peer-reviewed public health journals from Arabic-speaking countries: An updated snapshot

J Public Health Policy. 2017 Feb;38(1):146-157. doi: 10.1057/s41271-016-0049-5.

Abstract

There is a positive association between availability of regional peer-reviewed public health information systems and progressive change in community and population health. The objective of this brief report was to identify public health journals in Arabic-speaking countries actively publishing as of 2016. We conducted an electronic search in several electronic database records for public health journals using a combination of search terms. We excluded journals that focused on human medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing, and other discipline-specific or clinical health professions. We identified twenty-five public health journals for review. Five journals were interrupted or discontinued. Only three journals had a consistent, uninterrupted active publication history of greater than 20 years. Most journals were not in the regional native language. Introduction of regional public health-dedicated journals with in-print and electronic availability and also to be published in region-native languages may require interdisciplinary partnerships. Region-wide public health journals such as the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal could serve as an ideal model for the establishment of additional local and regional public health journals in Arabic-speaking countries.

Keywords: North Africa; middle east; policy, public health journals; public health; research.

MeSH terms

  • Arabs
  • Humans
  • Periodicals as Topic / statistics & numerical data*
  • Public Health* / statistics & numerical data