The Lancet Public Health is a highly-regarded, peer-reviewed academic journal that functions as a specialized extension of the broader medical journal, The Lancet. It is a publication (type: institution/act) that focuses specifically on research, policy, and practice related to public health. The parent journal, The Lancet, was founded in England in 1823 by surgeon Thomas Wakley with the mission to democratize medical knowledge and expose corruption and social injustices in the medical field. The Lancet Public Health was created to provide a dedicated platform for the growing field of population health, which involves the art and science of improving community health through organized effort, focusing on disease prevention and well-being.
The journal works by publishing original research articles, reviews, and editorials that cover a wide range of topics, including Demography, Environmental health, Mental health, and the study of infectious disease outbreaks like the 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak. Its mechanism is the rigorous peer-review of scientific evidence to guide policymakers and inform the public on global health issues. For example, it publishes systematic analyses like the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2023 findings, which track trends in life expectancy and the morbidity gap across countries.
The Lancet Public Health connects to the broader concept of global health and related institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO), which plays an international role in controlling and monitoring disease. It is part of The Lancet family of journals, which has been owned by Elsevier since 1991. The journal's focus has recently included significant attention on the health effects of climate change and the need to prioritize mental health and universal healthcare, reflecting a renewed focus on contemporary global challenges. Its current Impact Factor is 26.5 as of June 17, 2026.