AI can be used for analytic purposes (learning, neural networks, machine learning), interactive functions (chatGPT and AI-powered virtual assistants), image recognition and classification, and natural language processing. Since 2014, there has been more than a five-fold growth in publications on AI applications in health research and practice indexed in PubMed. Applications of AI in the health sector cover a range of different areas including telemedicine, treatment design, medication management, electronic health records, automated image diagnosis, diagnostic accuracy, clinical decision support, virtual nurses, disease forecasting, and personalized medicine. Whilst many of these applications aim to improve clinical healthcare, far fewer support public health activities. However, AI also has huge potential in this area. Possible applications in the public health space include surveillance and outbreak detection, targeting resources, and logistics and supply chain management.

In this call for papers, we invite original articles and high-quality Reviews (all types) addressing the application of AI to Public Health. Topics of interest include:
• Examples of AI applications in health protection, disease prevention, and health promotion
• Examples of AI applications for population health profiling (surveillance)
• Potential hazards related to AI use in public health, including ethics and data security

The call for papers is open until June 30, 2026.

Further information
IJPH publishes Gold Open Access. Article processing charges (APCs) apply. Contributions from researchers and practitioners working in both high-income and low- and middle-income countries are encouraged. IJPH offers APC discounts to first authors from low- and middle-income countries.
IJPH double-blind peer-review and author guidelines apply. Submitted manuscripts must fully comply with journal rules for article type, length and format (please consult the information for authors on the IJPH website).

Please submit the complete manuscript. In case of acceptance after peer review, articles will be published in the online special issue approximately 3 weeks after acceptance.

Keywords: public health, health promotion, disease prevention, artificial intelligence, machine learning, surveillance, data analysis 

Contact:
IJPH Editorial Office: ijph@swisstph.ch

Authors

International Journal of Public Health