Religion and Public Health

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past two decades, researchers and practitioners in the field of public health have begun to recognize the powerful influences of religion in their work.  The global COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated a various ways how religious belief and religious practices impact the health of individuals, communities, and societies.  This special issue will contribute to a growing body of scholarship in the area of religion and public health.

We are pleased to invite submissions to this Special Issue of Religions to explore religion’s varied influences on public health practice.  The aims of the special issue are two-fold: 1) to examine the varied influences of religious belief and practice on health beliefs and behaviors and health policies; and 2) to explore the organizational capacities of religious organizations in the provision of public health programs and services.  To reflect an issue whose scope is international and interdisciplinary, submissions from a variety of scholarly fields (e.g., the social sciences, humanities, and health sciences) and from authors representing perspectives from the Global South are welcome.  In addition, submissions that bridge research and scholarship in the context of public health practice are encouraged. While submissions exploring the influences of religion on the global COVID-19 pandemic are welcome, we also encourage submissions on other topics as well.

In light of the aims and scope of this issue, we welcome submissions from scholars and practitioners working at the intersection of religion and public health, including those working in the areas of global health and international development. Submissions may include research articles, literature reviews, conceptual/theoretical frameworks, or case studies.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. John Blevins
Prof. Dr. Esther Mombo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• religion
• public health
• global health
• international development
• health beliefs
• health behaviors
• COVID-19