“Anyone can drown. No one should.” notes WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his foreword to the first WHO Global status report on drowning prevention, released on Dec 13, 2024. Following on from the recommendations of the UN resolution on drowning prevention, championed by the Governments of Bangladesh and Ireland and the 2023 World Health Assembly resolution on accelerating action

Survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer (ie, those aged 15 to 39 years at diagnosis) are a large and growing population. There are more than 2 million survivors of AYA cancer in the USA alone,1 and efforts targeted at reducing late morbidity and mortality are urgently needed. In The Lancet Public Health, Taylor Hughes and colleagues2 evaluate the risk of mortality after a diagnosis of

BackgroundAdolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors are at an increased risk of premature mortality due to their cancer and its treatment. Herein, we aimed to quantify the excess risks of mortality among AYA cancer survivors and identify target populations for intervention. MethodsThe Alberta AYA Cancer Survivor Study is a retrospective, population-based cohort of individuals diagnosed with

BackgroundRapid, accessible, and accurate testing was paramount to an effective US COVID-19 response. Federal partners supported SARS-CoV-2 testing scale-up through an interagency-coordinated approach that focused on expanding supply chains, research and development, validation, and improving patient access. We aimed to provide an overview of the federal efforts to scale up the testing response and

Synthetic illicit drugs, such as nitazenes and fentanyls, are becoming commonplace in countries around the world, including in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, which raises concern for overdose crises like those seen in North America. An important dimension of the risk represented by synthetic drugs is the fact that they are increasingly packaged in counterfeit pill form. These pills—often indistinguishable

The 1990 resolution by the UN General Assembly committed member states to provide health-care equity for people in prison, who are included in the global goals to control HIV and eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. WHO has set ambitious HCV elimination targets by including people who inject drugs (PWID), yet has not prioritised PWID who are incarcerated, a substantial population who have or

Experiences of early childhood adversity are common, with 1 in 6 children having high levels of adversity in their childhood.1 These exposures have detrimental effects on children's health and developmental trajectories and are associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes across the life course.2 Individuals exposed to high levels of childhood adversity might require increased support and

Childhood adversities can negatively affect health and social outcomes. We aimed to assess the association between adversity in childhood and use of public services in early adulthood across three systems: health, social welfare, and justice.

Based on existing cross-sectional studies, case studies, and policy-related reports, experts in the field of assistive technology have long suspected that even in high-income countries such as England not everyone who could benefit from assistive technology has access to it, and that there are inequities in access. However, there was little concrete data on the extent of these gaps. Those data have

Cross-sectional evidence suggests that access to essential mobility assistive products (MAPs) might be dependent on non-clinical factors. However, MAP use is better understood as a dynamic process wherein individuals pass through different states of MAP need and use. We aimed to test associations of demographic, socioeconomic, and social factors with transitions between MAP need and use states.

This December issue of The Lancet Public Health is our annual themed issue on public health in China. It is dedicated to the 1·4 billion people living in China and to the health-care workers, practitioners, and researchers whose work is featured in this issue and presented at The Lancet-Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Conference held in Beijing on Nov 21–22. Nowadays, China faces four important

Preventive health measures offer superior economic returns compared with the ever-increasing costs of treating established diseases, which place unsustainable pressure on health systems. By reducing the incidence and severity of illness, prevention minimises health-care expenditure and maximises societal welfare by lowering the burden of disease. In China, the principle of making prevention a priority

Little evidence is available on the long-term health effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in low-income and middle-income populations. We investigated the associations of long-term NO2 exposure with the incidence of a wide spectrum of disease outcomes, based on data from the China Kadoorie Biobank.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2 aims to end preventable deaths of newborns and children younger than 5 years. China's progress towards SDG 3.2 has not been evaluated on multiple dimensions. We aimed to assess mortality rates in children younger than 5 years (hereafter referred to as under-5 mortality) and to quantify preventable child mortality and geospatial and temporal trends in child mortality

Mental health is an important public health issue in China, compounded by a shortage in psychiatric services. Against this backdrop, digital technologies could offer solutions. Digital mental health interventions use technologies, such as smartphone applications, to improve mental health outcomes. Although there has been a drastic increase in mental health mobile apps available in recent years, current

Without high-quality statistics on mortality inequalities, designing policies to improve the health of people with disability is challenging. We aim to quantify mortality inequalities experienced by people with disability in Australia.

There are about 1·3 billion people with disability globally, and their higher mortality rates mean that they are dying about 14 years earlier than people without disability.1, 2 In this issue of The Lancet Public Health, Yi Yang and colleagues’ study3 adds to this literature. Using large-scale longitudinal data from 15 million Australians, they showed that people with disability have high inequalities—whether

Tetzlaff F, Sauerberg M, Grigoriev P, et al. Age-specific and cause-specific mortality contributions to the socioeconomic gap in life expectancy in Germany, 2003–21: an ecological study. Lancet Public Health 2024; 9: e295–305—In figure 1 of this Article, sex data were plotted incorrectly. This correction has been made as of Nov 25, 2024.

Prevention and control of childhood obesity in China is complex. Despite numerous existing policy endeavours, particularly Healthy China 2030, accompanied by multiministerial initiatives, childhood obesity persists and even exacerbates. In this paper, we review current national policies, assess progress of the existing system managing childhood weight, and identify implementation challenges. Leveraging

China is confronted with the challenge of increasing childhood obesity. Although interventions for childhood obesity have been developed, their effectiveness and implementation can vary considerably across nations. In this paper, we review and consolidate the evidence on childhood obesity intervention strategies aimed at multiple levels and components across life, in China. School-based interventions

Over the past four decades, China has witnessed an important nutritional transition, characterised by a heightened overnutrition burden among children. The country now has the largest population of children with obesity globally. In this paper, we review the epidemiology of childhood obesity in China, its determinants, and risk factors, with a particular focus on school-aged children. Evidence unveils

Overweight and obesity in children have emerged as a major public health challenge in China. National statistics show that the prevalence of overweight and obesity reached up to 10% in children younger than 6 years and 20% in those aged 6–17 years,1 which is projected to continue rising in the next few years.2 In response to this public health imperative, 16 Chinese national agencies, including the

The prevalence of diabetes in China is rapidly increasing. China now has the largest number of people living with diabetes worldwide, accounting for approximately one-quarter of the global diabetes population. Since the late 1970s, China has experienced profound changes and rapid economic growth, leading to shifts in lifestyle. Changing dietary patterns, reduced physical activity, and stress have contributed

During the past 40 years, the prevalence of diabetes in China has increased from less than 1·0% in 1980 to 12·4% in 2018, an increase in line with the rapid growth of the nation's economy. To address such a burden, the Healthy China 2030 initiative and subsequent Action Plan, including a diabetes prevention and control campaign, were launched. A shift from a disease-centred approach to a health-centred

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death globally, accounting for more than 7 million deaths worldwide, including nearly 1·3 million deaths due to second-hand smoke.1 There is no safe threshold of exposure to second-hand smoke, and smoke-free environments are a proven way to adequately protect people from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke without harming businesses.2 Legislation

China has one of the highest levels of tobacco consumption globally, and there is no national smoke-free legislation. Although more than 20 Chinese cities have passed local smoke-free laws since 2008, evidence on their effectiveness in reducing smoking behaviours and their economic benefits is scarce. By exploiting a natural quasi-experiment, whereby a comprehensive public smoking ban was implemented

Tan M. Mandatory salt targets: a key policy tool for global salt reduction efforts. Lancet Public Health 2024; 9: e834–35—In this Linked Comment, the fifth sentence of the third paragraph should have said US$8·0 billion. This correction has been made as of Nov 4, 2024.

2023 was a landmark year for climate change globally, across Asia, and within China. Global average temperatures were 1·45°C higher than the pre-industrial average, making it the warmest year on record since 1850. In Asia, 2023 was the second-hottest year documented. China recorded its highest-ever average temperature at 10·71°C (0·82°C above the 1981–2010 average), had its second-lowest rainfall since

Excess dietary sodium intake has been associated with death and disability. WHO has released global sodium benchmarks for packaged foods to support countries to reduce population sodium intake. This study aimed to assess the potential health effect, costs, and cost effectiveness of implementing these WHO sodium benchmarks in India.

Salt is consumed in excess in most countries, with global salt intake averaging at more than double the recommended maximum limit of 5 g per day. By raising blood pressure, excess salt intake is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of premature death and ill health worldwide. In 2013, all WHO Member States committed to a 30% reduction in average salt intake by 2025. However

Heart failure is a global health burden, with an estimated prevalence of more than 56 million individuals worldwide.1 Notably, heart failure is highly associated with poor quality of life, frequent admissions to hospital, rising health-care costs, and high mortality rates. This complex clinical syndrome poses challenges to therapeutic interventions of heart failure, especially since a higher comorbidity

On average, it takes 15 years from the landmark publication on a cancer control evidence-based intervention to achieve 50% uptake in routine practice.1 In fact, nearly 20 years have passed since the first observational studies showed that human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing had substantially higher sensitivity for detecting cervical precancer and cancer compared with cervical cytology.2 Since then

Excess dietary sodium is a leading cause of death and disability globally. Because packaged foods are a major source of sodium in many countries, including Australia, mandatory limits for sodium might improve population health. We aimed to estimate the long-term health and economic effect of mandating such thresholds in Australia.

Heart failure is common, complex, and often associated with coexisting chronic medical conditions and a high mortality. We aimed to assess the epidemiology of people admitted to hospital with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), including the period covering the COVID-19 pandemic, which was previously not well characterised

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-based cervical screening is a globally recommended public health policy. Randomised clinical trials find superior performance of primary HPV-based screening compared with cytology for preventing cervical cancer. However, additional evidence from real-world public health policies is needed. In preplanned secondary analysis of a randomised health-care policy trial in Sweden

During the COVID-19 pandemic, changes were seen in city mobility patterns around the world, including in active transportation (walking, cycling, micromobility, and public transit use), creating a unique opportunity for global public health lessons and action. We aimed to analyse a global natural experiment exploring city mobility patterns during the pandemic and how they related to the implementation

Alcohol consumption is a leading cause of premature death globally, but there is no large-scale prospective evidence from Mexico.

Termination of pregnancy is a common procedure, accessed globally, irrespective of logistical and legal barriers. We aimed to document changes in procedural characteristics and demographic factors over time in South Australia, as well as to examine how key sociodemographic variables affect gestational age at pregnancy termination.

Migrant workers, a population of 170 million, often work in dangerous or unhealthy working environments and are likely to suffer workplace injuries and labour abuses. However, the risk of mortality in migrant workers compared with local workers is unknown. We aim to synthesise global evidence on migrant worker mortality risk and identify social determinants to inform health and safety protections for

There are little recent data in China regarding contemporary nutritional inequities among children and adolescents, particularly in relation to urban–rural residence and regional socioeconomic status (SES). We aim to assess inequalities in thinness and obesity in Chinese children and adolescents.

Today, we publish the Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling—an inquiry and response to a neglected, understudied, and expanding public health threat. Gambling is not a simple leisure activity; it is a health-harming addictive behaviour. The harms associated with gambling are wide-ranging, not only affecting an individual's health and wellbeing, but also their wealth and relationships, affecting

The global gambling industry is rapidly expanding, with net losses by consumers projected to reach nearly US$700 billion by 2028. Industry growth is fuelled by the rise of online gambling, widespread accessibility of gambling opportunities through mobile phones, increased legalisation, and the introduction of commercial gambling to new areas. Recent expansion is most notable in low-income and middle-income

Cannabis in the USA is transitioning from a nationwide illegal status to liberalisation for medicinal or recreational use across different jurisdictions. As the acceptability and accessibility of cannabis continue to grow, updated knowledge on the cancer risk from recreational cannabis use is necessary to inform recommendations by public health organisations, policy makers, and clinical practitioners

Tuberculosis incidence is increasing in Latin America, where the incarcerated population has nearly quadrupled since 1990. We aimed to quantify the impact of historical and future incarceration policies on the tuberculosis epidemic, accounting for effects in and beyond prisons.

Socioeconomic status is a key social determinant of health. Compared with individual-level socioeconomic status, the association between area-level socioeconomic status and mortality has not been well investigated in China. We aimed to assess associations between area-level socioeconomic status and all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in China, as well as the interplay of area-level and

Rosanna Maletta (Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK) presented a study to understand how discrimination could affect mental health. Indeed, repeated discrimination could result in a build-up of resilience, or a cumulative negative effect could develop. Data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study waves 2015–20 were used. In the cohort of 3863 people, 24% of participants

Understanding structural determinants is crucial in addressing tuberculosis, as these factors define the context in which the disease impacts populations. Incarceration has, in recent years, emerged as a major driver for tuberculosis in Latin America.1, 2 Although tuberculosis notification rates among the general population have remained stable, rates among people deprived of liberty have rapidly escalated

Educational attainment and income are often, but not always, associated with disease incidence. Existing research typically examines single diseases, resulting in disparate analyses with little comparability. In this study, we aimed to assess educational and income inequalities across diseases in Denmark.

Overweight and obesity are important public health issues and contribute to an increased risk of several diseases, negatively affect reproduction, and decrease quality of life. According to WHO, 43% of adults worldwide are overweight and 16% have obesity. Obesity is a contributing factor to infertility and being overweight increases risks during pregnancy for the mother and the child.1 Furthermore

BackgroundSmoking is the leading behavioural risk factor for mortality globally, accounting for more than 175 million deaths and nearly 4·30 billion years of life lost (YLLs) from 1990 to 2021. The pace of decline in smoking prevalence has slowed in recent years for many countries, and although strategies have recently been proposed to achieve tobacco-free generations, none have been implemented to

BackgroundThe tobacco-free generation aims to prevent the sale of tobacco to people born after a specific year. We aimed to estimate the impact of eliminating tobacco smoking on lung-cancer mortality in people born during 2006–10 in 185 countries. MethodsFor this population-based birth-cohort simulation study, we proposed a scenario in which tobacco sales were banned for people born between Jan 1,

BackgroundE-cigarettes are increasingly used by smokers and ex-smokers, often to support smoking cessation, but also among those who have never regularly smoked. The aim of our study is to estimate time trends in vaping prevalence among adults who have never regularly smoked and describe the profile of adult never-regular-smokers who vape. MethodsIn this nationally representative, monthly cross-sectional

BackgroundWhether there are differences in the contribution of overweight and obesity to adverse pregnancy outcomes between migrant and non-migrant women in high-income countries, which might increase health inequalities, remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to estimate the contribution (including the proportion and number of attributable cases) of overweight and obesity to a wide range

Among people infected with measles in England between 2010 and 2019, the proportion of cases who had previously received two doses of vaccine has increased, especially among young adults. Possible explanations include rare infections in vaccinated individuals who did not gain immunity upon vaccination, made more common because fewer individuals in the population were born in the endemic era, before

Increasing the price of alcohol to reduce its affordability has been the cornerstone of alcohol control efforts for decades. WHO considers this approach among the best buy interventions, with substantial evidence showing that raising alcohol prices—through increased taxation or minimum pricing—is associated with reduced population-level alcohol consumption and related harms.1 However, introducing such

Increasing the amount of alcohol taxation is among the most effective measures for addressing the rising global burden of alcohol harm. However, less is known about the effect of changing alcohol tax structures. Substantial reforms to UK alcohol taxation structures enacted in August, 2023, mean that all alcohol is taxed based on its ethanol content, beers and ciders sold in on-trade premises (eg, public

Suicide is prevalent in all countries and is largely preventable. The causes of suicide are multiple and varied. Social determinants of suicide are crucial, but to date these have received insufficient policy attention. This paper, which is the first in a Series on taking a public health approach to suicide prevention, argues for a major change in the way we think about suicide and its prevention.

A public health approach to suicide prevention recognises the powerful influence of social determinants. In this paper—the fifth in a Series on a public health approach to suicide prevention—we consider four major risk factors for suicide (alcohol use, gambling, domestic violence and abuse, and suicide bereavement) and examine how their influence on suicide is socially determined. Cultural factors

The Lancet Public Health Series on public health approaches to suicide prevention, led by Jane Pirkis and Keith Hawton, is timely and important because it highlights the latest evidence for preventing suicide based on a public health model. With more than three quarters of the world's suicides occurring in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), it is important to shed light on suicide prevention

One of the most effective public health measures to prevent suicide is the restriction of access to means used in suicidal acts. This approach can be especially effective if a method is common and readily accessible. Suicide methods vary widely, and there have been several examples where means restriction has been applied, often with considerable success. Factors contributing to availability of suicide