Call for Submissions: Research Topic on the Role of Public Health in Preventing Digital Harms
Launched at the 10th Digital Public Health Conference, together with Frontiers in Public Health, DTH-Lab is delighted to announce a new research topic exploring public health response to digital harms.
As digital technologies become increasingly embedded in our lives, they present both opportunities and new challenges for public health. From excessive screen time and misinformation, to mental health issues and social inequalities, digital transformations have created a growing set of public health concerns.
This research topic – The Role of Public Health in Preventing Digital Harms – aims to bring together cutting-edge research, policy insights, and practical case studies that explore how public health can protect individuals and populations in the digital age.
The collection aims to expand the evidence base on public health challenges linked to digital environments, as well as on public health interventions to address digital harms. It also aims to identify best practices for promoting balanced and healthy technology use and define future priorities for research and public health action.
To gather further insights into the multi-faceted public health issues arising from digital transformations, this research topic will examine a broad array of themes that are both current and forward-looking. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
Researchers, academics, policy makers and others can submit original research, reviews and policy analysis, case studies and perspectives and opinion pieces. Contributions from early career researchers and researchers from low and middle-income countries are particularly encouraged.
Key Dates:
The research topic editors are Ilona Kickbusch Director, DTH-Lab; Anurag Agrawal, Dean of Biosciences and Health Research, Ashoka University and founding member of DTH-Lab; Louise Holly, Research and Policy Coordinator, DTH-Lab; and Salman Khan, Regional Youth Champion, DTH-Lab.
Visit the Frontiers in Public Health submission portal to learn more and contribute your work.
Louise Holly has more than 20 years’ experience of global policy analysis, research and evidence-based advocacy focused on advancing the health and rights of children, adolescents and youth.
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Louise Holly has more than 20 years’ experience of global policy analysis, research and evidence-based advocacy focused on advancing the health and rights of children, adolescents and youth. Following roles with Save the Children and UNICEF, Louise worked as an independent consultant for several years supporting the Lancet and Financial Times Commission on Governing Health Futures 2030 and other organizations including Transform Health and PMNCH. In July 2023, Louise became the Policy and Research Coordinator at the DTH-Lab where she coordinates the consortium’s knowledge generation, analysis and policy influencing work.
Ilona Kickbusch is the Director of the DTH-Lab. She is a visiting professor at the University of Geneva, the founding director, chair and senior distinguished fellow of the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. She is known throughout the world for her expertise and is a sought after senior adviser and key note speaker. Her areas of expertise include the determinants of health, health in all policies, and global health governance. She advises countries on their global health strategies, trains health specialists, and is involved in German G7 and G20 health activities. She publishes widely and serves on various commissions and boards. She has been awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz) in recognition of her invaluable contributions to innovation in governance for global health and global health diplomacy. She has also been awarded the WHO Medal in recognition of her contribution to global health.
Professor Anurag Agrawal is Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, India, and former director of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, a national laboratory of CSIR, India. After completing graduate medical education at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, he further trained in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, followed by a PhD in Physiology from Delhi University. His primary research is in respiratory biology and broader interests are in a new vision of health and healthcare seen through the lenses of emerging technologies. He serves on numerous national and global advisory groups, recently chairing the World Health Organization technical advisory group for SARS CoV2 viral evolution, the Lancet-Financial Times commission for governing digital health futures, and serving on the pandemic preparedness subgroup at the Global Partnership for Artificial Intelligence. He received the Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Prize in 2014, the Sun Pharma Foundation award in 2020, and is a fellow of the Indian national science and medical academies.
Climate Change| Communicable Diseases | AMR | SRHR
Salman Khan is a dedicated public health advocate with over seven years of leadership in youth-led initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Grant Government Medical College, Mumbai, India. His work spans critical areas like non-communicable diseases (NCDs), antimicrobial resistance (AMR), climate change and health, and health systems strengthening. Salman has represented medical students on global platforms, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW). With experience at local, national, and international levels, Salman has held key roles in multiple NGOs, including the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), as the Director of the Standing Committee on Public Health and Liaison Officer for Public Health Issues, leading campaigns that impacted over 120 countries.
