Journal decision profile

BMC Public Health

Medicine · Social Sciences

BMC Public Health's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 4.4, ranking Q1 in Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health and 3 other subfields. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

BioMed CentralUnited KingdomeISSN 1471-2458
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Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
4.4

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 5.61.

Review & acceptance time
i
Review & acceptance timeCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED
148 daysmedian

Middle 50%: 96–366 days

100 of 100 PubMed-indexed articles · 100% coverage · 2024–2025

BMC Public Health accepts papers a median of 148 days after submission, including peer review and revisions. That is slower than 78% of comparable journals with PubMed timing data.

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
$2,990

Journal-level estimate only. Verify current charges, taxes, waivers, discounts, and article-type fees with the journal.

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Does your manuscript fit BMC Public Health?

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At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iSubmission-to-acceptanceCalendar days from the received date to the accepted date in recent PubMed records. This includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not the time to first decision and not pure peer-review time. The radar uses a 0–100 cohort percentile with shorter observed timing plotted farther out; it does not measure review quality.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
i
Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
4.42026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
i
Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#10 / 3,131LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
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Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
40.8%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
2.09MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
148 daysIQR 96–366 DAYS
Recent output
i
Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
2749 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share40.8%

4485 of 10,995 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share4.8%

526 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI2.09×

Above field-year expectation

Source output rank#10

of 3,131 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 2.09, so its typical recent paper runs about 109% above its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

40.8% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2016–2025

11242016
10872017
13192018
17652019
19222020
23452021
24632022
25642023
36232024
48522025

Recent work-type mix

10,995 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Article93.5%
Review4.2%
Erratum2.1%
Retraction0.1%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and medical subject coverage

OpenAlex topics show research communities; MeSH keeps the medical taxonomy recognizable.

Major MeSH signals

PubMed-indexed works

Select a MeSH signal to see how much BMC Public Health publishes on it, from PubMed counts for the last five complete years.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
COVID-19 and Mental Health420
HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions355
Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet317
Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy290
Physical Activity and Health266
Smoking Behavior and Cessation263
Health disparities and outcomes224
Global Maternal and Child Health222
COVID-19 epidemiological studies203
Child Nutrition and Water Access191
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-08-12. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 10,995 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthQ1
PhysiologyQ1
HealthQ1
Infectious DiseasesQ1

Is BMC Public Health a good journal?

Yes. A Q1 journal by citation data

Yes. By citation data, BMC Public Health is a strong journal: it is Q1 in Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health and 3 other subfields and ranks #680 of 6,272 Medicine journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 11%). BMC Public Health's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 4.4. Recent papers took a median of 148 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $2,990 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Physiology, and Health, so check that your topic fits its scope.

Best quartile
Q1
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Rank in Medicine
#680 of 6,272
Top 11%
2026 Journal Metrics Score
4.4
Acceptance rate
Not published
By the journal or publisher
Submission to acceptance
148 days
Median, PubMed records
Open access fee (APC)
$2,990
OpenAlex, verify with the journal
Papers published in 2025
4,853
OpenAlex works

Check before you submit

  • Confirm the current article processing charge, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website; the OpenAlex figure is indicative.
  • Confirm the journal is indexed where your institution or funder requires (for example Scopus or PubMed) before you submit.

Verdict from citation data only: quartile and field rank by Journal Metrics Score (OpenAlex), publisher-reported acceptance rates, and PubMed submission and acceptance dates. See how we rank journals and how to verify indexing.

Q1
Subfield Quartile
B2
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#680
of 6,272 Medicine field journals
#679
among Q1 Medicine journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

BMC journals compared

2026 Journal Metrics Scores for 13 of 52 BMC journals published by BioMed Central, highest score first. Each journal is scored separately; there is no combined score for the BMC family.

  1. BMC Medicine7.3Q1
  2. BMC Nursing5.2Q1
  3. BMC Medical Education4.6Q1
  4. BMC Public Healththis journal4.4Q1
  5. BMC Geriatrics3.8Q1
  6. BMC Medical Ethics3.8Q1
  7. BMC Palliative Care3.6Q1
  8. BMC Womens Health3.5Q1
  9. BMC Pharmacology & Toxicology3.1Q1
  10. BMC Infectious Diseases2.9Q1
  11. BMC Pulmonary Medicine2.8Q1
  12. BMC Nutrition2.7Q1
  13. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth2.7Q1

Topics where this journal appears in PubMed searches

These topic links come from cached PubMed keyword snapshots where BMC Public Health is one of the leading matched journals.

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
35,099
H-Index
290
Fully Open Access
Yes
Recent OA Works
35,059
Subject Areas
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthPhysiologyHealthInfectious Diseases

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

How to submit to BMC Public Health

  1. 1

    Check the scope

    OpenAlex classifies BMC Public Health's papers in subfields including Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Physiology, and Health. Read the aims and scope page and a few recent papers close to your topic before you prepare the manuscript.

  2. 2

    Follow the author guidelines

    Article types, word and figure limits, reference style, and the required statements (data availability, ethics, conflicts of interest, author contributions) are set by the journal. Prepare the cover letter and files to match them.

    BMC Public Health homepage ↗
  3. 3

    Submit online

    Use the submit link in BMC Public Health's author guidelines; BioMed Central runs the submission site. Every author usually needs an ORCID iD, and the corresponding author needs an account on the submission site.

  4. 4

    Plan for costs

    OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $2,990 USD for this open-access journal. Check the current fee, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website.

  5. 5

    Know what to expect

    Recent accepted papers took a median of 148 days from submission to acceptance, including revisions (PubMed dates). BMC Public Health does not publish an acceptance rate.

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Common questions about BMC Public Health

Is BMC Public Health a good journal?

Yes. By citation data, BMC Public Health is a strong journal: it is Q1 in Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health and 3 other subfields and ranks #680 of 6,272 Medicine journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 11%). BMC Public Health's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 4.4. Recent papers took a median of 148 days from submission to acceptance, according to PubMed dates. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $2,990 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Physiology, and Health, so check that your topic fits its scope.

What is BMC Public Health's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

BMC Public Health's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 4.4, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What is the acceptance rate of BMC Public Health?

We have not found an official acceptance rate published by BMC Public Health or its publisher, and Journal Metrics does not estimate one because submission counts are not public. What recent PubMed records do show is speed: accepted papers took a median of 148 days from submission to acceptance. To judge selectivity, compare BMC Public Health's quartile and score with similar journals, or ask the editorial office.

What quartile is BMC Public Health in?

BMC Public Health's best quartile is Q1. By OpenAlex subfield: Q1 in Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health; Q1 in Physiology; Q1 in Health; Q1 in Infectious Diseases. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for BMC Public Health will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

How long does BMC Public Health take to accept a paper?

BMC Public Health accepts papers a median of 148 days after submission across 100 recent PubMed records with both dates; the middle half took 96–366 days. This includes peer review, editorial handling, and revisions.

How long is the peer review time at BMC Public Health?

PubMed records when a manuscript was received and accepted, not the individual review stages, so peer review time on its own is not available. The full time from submission to acceptance at BMC Public Health, which includes peer review and revisions, has a median of 148 days. For the time to a first decision, check the journal's own website.

Is BMC Public Health faster than similar journals?

BMC Public Health's median of 148 days from submission to acceptance is slower than 78% of comparable journals with PubMed timing data.

How much does it cost to publish in BMC Public Health?

OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $2,990 USD for BMC Public Health. This journal-level estimate may exclude taxes, waivers, discounts, or article-type fees, so confirm the current charge on the journal's website.

Which journals are alternatives to BMC Public Health?

Comparable journals include Bmj Public Health, Frontiers in Public Health, Public Health, and Plos One. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

How do I submit a paper to BMC Public Health?

Submit online through the link in BMC Public Health's author guidelines on the journal homepage. Before submitting, check the scope, follow the author guidelines for article type, length, and required statements, and prepare a cover letter. Accepted papers took a median of 148 days from submission to acceptance in recent PubMed records.

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