The International Journal of Population Data Science (IJPDS) is an electronic, open-access, peer-reviewed journal focussing on the science pertaining to population data. Importantly, this must be population data at the individual person level. Submissions that relate only to aggregated or statistical datasets are out of scope. Furthermore, submissions must address one or more of the categories of Population Data Science.

It publishes articles on all aspects of research, development and evaluation connected with data about people and populations. These include:

  • Accessing distributed data
  • Analytical advances
  • Architectures and infrastructures
  • Capacity building
  • Delivering and measuring impact
  • Data and linkage quality
  • Epidemiology
  • Ethical, legal and societal implications (ELSI)
  • Legal and regulatory issues
  • Linking to emerging/complex data types
  • Outcomes-based research
  • Privacy-protection methodologies
  • Public involvement and engagement
  • Service evaluations
  • Technological advances in data storage and management
  • Using big data

The creation of the IJPDS was inspired by the International Population Data Linkage Network (IPDLN). The journal has a regular section for topics of particular interest to the IPDLN sub-edited by the Director(s) of the network.



Data Use for Positive Impact Bringing together and analysing data from multiple sources Identifying population level insights Developing safe, privacy-sensitive and ethical infrastructure to support research

UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) new policy will increase opportunity for the findings of publicly funded research to be accessed, shared and reused.

Following extensive consultation with the sector, UKRI has published a single Open Access Policy for research publications that acknowledge funding from its councils.

UKRI’s updated policy requires immediate open access for peer-reviewed research articles submitted for publication from 1 April 2022.

For More Information Click Here


IJPDS benefits from an established specialist global audience spanning six continents within the field of population data science through its strategic partner, the International Population Data Linkage Network (IPDLN). We publish articles from around the world in order to highlight how the field of population data science is impacting societies globally.

IJPDS publishes research of interest to a number of sectors including:

  • Academia and research institutes
  • Governments
  • Healthcare and hospitals
  • Third sector organisations
  • Private sector organisations (e.g. Information Technology, Manufacturing, Consultancies)
  • Life Sciences

Our established readership spans a broad spectrum of specialist areas within population data science. Here is an example of the types of experts included in the Journal's readership:

  • Government officials
  • The public
  • Regulators
  • Academics (scholars, researchers, students)
  • Information governance professionals
  • Data Scientists
  • Statisticians
  • Epidemiologists and public health workers
  • Social scientists
  • Technologists (computer and information sciences)
  • Public Engagement professionals
  • Media

The IJPDS has a particular interest in engaging with the public, the ultimate beneficiaries of population data science research, which sets us apart from other scientific journals.

We value research within the field of population data science that truly impacts society and are uniquely committed to connecting academia with the public to keep them informed of exciting new research as it unfolds.



At IJPDS we appreciate that good quality research is presented in different formats.

The Journal distinguishes itself by accepting a broad range of submission formats that may be out of scope for other academic journals. These include:

  • Research articles
  • Review articles
  • Protocol papers
  • Methodological developments
  • Applied papers
  • Case studies
  • Features on a particular topic
  • Commentaries
  • Comments and letters
  • Reports of events
  • Working papers
  • General reader summaries of complex topics
  • Help-sheets and tips
  • Informative reports
  • Consultations


Whilst we are committed to keeping our APCs competitively priced for our authors, we must ensure the sustainability of IJPDS by covering all costs associated with the open access publishing process, from initial submission through to final publication and promotional activities.

Therefore, we will only ever charge what is necessary for the welfare of the journal and the satisfaction of its contributing authors.

Follow this link for details of the IJPDS Article Processing Charges



Sharing the data that accompanies your published research is a positive growing trend for the research community. Whilst we recognise that it is not always possible to share all data openly for ethical or confidentiality reasons, IJPDS encourages the sharing of non-sensitive raw data along with details of the software used wherever possible.


Why Share Research Data?

Benefits to the research community – Datasets are valuable to the research community and re-use of data avoids duplication of effort and the associated costs. This, in turn, can stimulate further research.

Benefits to the public – Stimulating further research through data sharing wherever possible is in the public’s interest as it can help accelerate the pace of research and its subsequent impact.

Satisfying Funders – Research funders are increasingly stipulating the sharing of data as a requirement. For example, in the UK, the ESRC stipulates that grant holders must formally deposit all data in a responsible data repository.

Increase research impact – Publishing your data is not only a good way of demonstrating that you were the first to conduct the research, but if your data is re-used, then you will benefit from citations in addition to the accompanying article.

Scientific Integrity – Sharing data allows others to replicate, validate, and correct your results thereby adding to the integrity of the science.

For details on how and where to submit your data, please refer to the Author Guidelines.



We are very excited here at IJPDS to announce that Crowd is now LIVE – the very first online global Population Data Science community!

This is a dedicated online global meeting space specifically designed for the entire Population Data Science community, to come together wherever you are in the world.

It is free to join this exceptional and diverse international community, which now enables us all to meet, chat, share and showcase, in real-time, whenever we want.

Plus, you will find a growing body of Population Data Science resources on Crowd such as courses to attend, specialist groups to join, live stream conferences and events, webinars and more.

Crowd opens up new possibilities for us all to freely connect with one another for the very first time by removing barriers, borders and restrictions. Now, we can communicate and collaborate, and really create some impact together!

Crowd is now OPEN.
So, let’s all sign up and make this a vibrant global community!


Call for Letters to the Editor

Has an IJPDS article captured your attention?

Do you have something valuable to add?

Then why not submit a Letter to the Editor?

Scientific discourse doesn’t stop on publication – help us to build on these new discoveries with your own knowledge and ideas.

For more details see our author guidelines.

Call for new submissions

IJPDS is now accepting new submissions and publishes on a continual basis. To submit a manuscript, you will be asked to register. IJPDS accepts a wide variety of manuscript types. Please refer to the author guidelines for the full list.


Make a Submission All Calls

IJPDS Standard Issue Vol. 9 No. 1 (2024) All Issues

Latest Articles

A maternal and child health administrative cohort in Scotland: the utility of linked administrative data for understanding early years' outcomes and inequalities

Paul Henery, Ruth Dundas, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi , Alastair H Leyland, Lynda Fenton, Sonya Scott, Claire Cameron, Anna Pearce
Published online: November 27, 2024

Latest News


Latest Conference Proceedings


IJPDS accepted into ANVUR

January 18, 2024

The International Journal of Population Data Science has been recommended to and accepted for inclusion in ANVUR, the Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes, as a Class A journal for the subject "Demography and Social Statistics". https://www.anvur.it/en/homepage/

The Italian Ministry for University opens the possibility to Scientific Societies to suggest Journals for the Class A list annually, and we are grateful to Professors Cecilia Tomassini and Daniele Vignoli, President and Vice President of the Associazione Italiana per gli Studi di Popolazione for their endorsement.  

We look forward to working more closely with our Italian colleagues and publishing some of the fantastic research from the region!

IJPDS is Indexed in the Web of Science

March 22, 2023

IJPDS is indexed in the Web of Science Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)™, the world’s most trusted publisher-independent global citation database. Thank you to our Authors, Editors and Peer Reviewers! 


Data Transparency Special Issue

Data Transparency is an emerging and essential element in building public trust in the use of personal health and social care data (especially sensitive data) and how such data is being used for research.

Access the full details of the call here.

Closing Date: Friday 13th December

All Calls

Special Collection Call - Notes on Population Data

This collection will consist of articles that allow researchers and practitioners to report on unexpected or underestimated data issues they encountered during their population data science projects. These can be any of the aspects of how data was collected, recorded, sampled, captured, processed, standardised, cleaned, transformed, linked, integrated, and merged/fused.

Access the full details of the call here here.

All Calls

Special Collection Call - Data Resource Profiles

This collection will consist of large population datasets that are of interest for Population Data Science research, and that are available for researchers to use. For example (although not limited to) survey data (cohort and longitudinal), administrative data and digital footprint data collected at a regional, national or international level.

Access the full details of the call here here.

All Calls



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