Call for Papers for New Theme Issue on Social and Cultural Drivers of Health in Aging Populations

JMIR Aging invites submissions for an upcoming theme issue focused on the Social and Cultural Drivers of Health in Aging Populations.

As aging populations grow worldwide, understanding the social and cultural factors that impact health outcomes in older adults has become a critical area of study. This issue aims to highlight the role of digital health in addressing the unique challenges associated with social and cultural determinants, providing insights that can inform both clinical practice and health policy.

We welcome articles that address one or more of the following topics:

• Digital Health Interventions for Social Isolation and Barriers to Access: Analysis of digital health interventions, such as telehealth, social media, and virtual communities, that address social isolation and examine the barriers older adults face in accessing digital health tools.
• Health Literacy and Digital Engagement: Research on improving digital health literacy in older populations, particularly among groups with low health literacy or limited digital experience, and the role of culturally relevant education.
• Health Policy and Community Engagement: Perspectives on how health care policy and community-based digital programs can address social and cultural drivers to improve the health and well-being of aging populations.
• Social Drivers of Health: Studies exploring how social drivers, such as income, education, and social connections, impact health outcomes in aging populations, with an emphasis on digital health solutions aimed at mitigating these challenges.
• Cultural Influences on Health: Research investigating how cultural beliefs, practices, and values shape health behaviors and perceptions in older adults, and how digital tools can be adapted for culturally sensitive care.

How to Submit

To submit an article to JMIR Aging, please visit the submission page. Consult our Instructions for Authors for more information on how to submit a manuscript. Standard APF applies.

Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025

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Submission Guidelines

We will not accept articles that are solely written using generative artificial intelligence (AI) or other AI tools. For more information, please refer to the JMIR Publications editorial policy and this knowledge base article. 

All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, and accepted articles will be published as part of the theme issue titled “Social and Cultural Drivers of Health in Aging Populations.” 

All articles will be shared and published rapidly through the following mechanisms:

• All peer-reviewed articles will be immediately and permanently made open access. This is the standard for all titles within the JMIR Publications portfolio.
• Articles can be made immediately available (with a DOI) in JMIR Preprints after submission if authors select the preprint option at submission to enable this service.

Submissions not reviewed or accepted for publication in JMIR Aging may be offered cascading peer review or transfer to other JMIR Publications journals, according to standard policies. Authors are encouraged to submit study protocols or grant proposals to JMIR Research Protocols before data acquisition to preregister the study (as a registered report; subsequent acceptance in one of the JMIR Publications journals is then guaranteed).