By Natasha Salaria (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
Health Policy and Planning is an open access journal publishing health policy and systems research focusing on low- and middle-income countries. The journal consists of four sections; Health Systems Research, Health Economics, Health Policy Processes and Implementation Research and Evaluation.
Our current impact factor is 3.5, with a 5-year impact factor of 4.2 and CiteScore is 6.1, placing us in the top 15% in our category of Health Policy. We are proud to be celebrating our 40th anniversary this year as a trusted source for research on health policies and health systems. Since its founding in 1986, Health Policy and Planning (HPP), in association with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, has served as a critical global platform for research on the development, implementation, and evaluation of health policies and health systems, with a dedicated focus on low-and middle-income countries. For four decades, the journal has championed a multidisciplinary approach, bridging the gap between rigorous academic inquiry and practical application in global health. The editorial, “Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Health Policy and Planning,” details the journal’s history in full.
The 40th Anniversary Collection marks this milestone by curating a selection of articles that have shaped the field, demonstrating both the journal’s historical depth and its continued relevance. Each journal section will also be publishing an Editorial detailing key thematic contributions from the past decade and future trends and calls for submissions. You can read the Health Systems Research Editorial here.
We have also just published a journal supplement on Changing Health Systems: Advancing Justice and Sustainability through Research, Policy and Practice, part of the legacy of the 8th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Nagasaki 2024 (Health Systems Global 2024) and you can listen to the podcast discussing several papers here.
We also continue to celebrate the top 3 reviewers each year, with 2025 congratulating Drs Olivia Chan, Lana Elliott and Nancy Kagwanja. Be sure to also check out our top ten tips for authors and reviewers in these handy video resources. You can also join our strong and growing reviewer community and see its benefits here.
Below you can find our top most cited, downloaded and most accessed content in the past year from content published in 2025. We continue to thank our esteemed Section Editors, reviewers and authors for their dedication to HPP and continuous dedication to the publication of high-quality health systems and health policy research.
Top Cited
- Power dynamics and intersectoral collaboration for health in low- and middle-income countries: a realist review[LINK]
- Factors influencing the establishment of hospital accreditation programs in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review [LINK]
- The impact of official development assistance for health on health outcomes: a rapid systematic review [LINK]
- Unpacking complexities surrounding tobacco control policy formulation and tobacco industry interference in South Africa: a qualitative study [LINK]
- Health impact of alcohol regulatory interventions: a systematic review of policies in low- and middle-income countries [LINK]
- A political economy analysis of health policymaking in Nigeria: the genesis of the 2014 National Health Act [LINK]
- Political commitment and implementation: the health system response to violence against women in Mexico [LINK]
- Facilitators and barriers of public–private partnerships for universal health coverage in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review [LINK]
- Towards a coherent global health architecture: perspectives on integrating global health security and universal health coverage through diplomacy and governance reforms [LINK]
- Public policies addressing unhealthy diets in the South-East Asia region: identifying and countering the arguments that undermine policy implementation [LINK]
Top Downloaded
- Power dynamics and intersectoral collaboration for health in low- and middle-income countries: a realist review[LINK]
- Strengthening local health systems and governance for Universal Health Coverage: experiences and lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic response in Quezon City, Philippines [LINK]
- Reducing extreme heat impacts on health in pregnant women and infants: a community based intervention in Kilifi, Kenya [LINK]
- Towards a coherent global health architecture: perspectives on integrating global health security and universal health coverage through diplomacy and governance reforms [LINK]
- Factors influencing the establishment of hospital accreditation programs in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review [LINK]
- A political economy analysis of health policymaking in Nigeria: the genesis of the 2014 National Health Act [LINK]
- How has the concept of health system software been used in health policy and systems research? A scoping review [LINK]
- Political commitment and implementation: the health system response to violence against women in Mexico[LINK]
- Health impact of alcohol regulatory interventions: a systematic review of policies in low- and middle-income countries [LINK]
- International price comparisons for national price-negotiated drugs in China: a cross-regional analysis [LINK]
Top Altmetric
- Beyond evidence: how actor dynamics and power shape knowledge translation for health policy in Kenya [LINK]
- Health impact of alcohol regulatory interventions: a systematic review of policies in low- and middle-income countries[LINK]
- Unpacking complexities surrounding tobacco control policy formulation and tobacco industry interference in South Africa: a qualitative study [LINK]
- Factors influencing the establishment of hospital accreditation programs in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review [LINK]
- Towards a coherent global health architecture: perspectives on integrating global health security and universal health coverage through diplomacy and governance reforms [LINK]
- Power dynamics and intersectoral collaboration for health in low- and middle-income countries: a realist review[LINK]
- What affects the performance of hospital financing interventions in low and lower-middle income countries from the program design and implementation perspective? A scoping review [LINK]
- Measuring and monitoring child health and well-being—an integral part of the climate change agenda [LINK]
- Building climate resilient healthcare systems: lessons from Thailand [LINK]
- Cervical cancer prevention and control in Nigeria: mapping and review of policies [LINK]