China’s data revolution offers lessons for global health, find experts

“China’s scale makes it a living laboratory for global health, but scale alone isn’t enough. To deliver real impact, research must be rigorous, transparent, and internationally connected.”

Dr Jocalyn Clark 
The BMJ’s International Editor and editorial lead for this special collection

The Collection features six analysis articles and an editorial co-authored by experts from The BMJ, Tsinghua University, and the University of Bristol. Together, they chart the evolution of cohort studies in China, from early occupational cohorts to today’s large-scale initiatives, and set out recommendations for the next phase of collaboration and quality assurance.

Editorial

Enhancing cohort studies in China and international collaboration
A new BMJ Collection examines how well designed, large scale research can benefit global health, but that international collaboration is key to unlocking China’s full potential 

Analysis

Landscape analysis of large scale cohort development in China
Zhibin Hu and colleagues advocate for multi-stakeholder collaboration to promote the sustainable development of large scale cohorts in China

International collaboration in cohort studies in China: opportunities and challenges
Zhengming Chen and colleagues outline the key value, opportunities, and challenges of international collaboration in cohort studies in China

Community based cohort studies in China: critical insights for shaping the future of population and public health
Dongfeng Gu and colleagues review community based cohort studies in China, finding strategies to improve the quality and scale of these studies in China and beyond

Breadth versus depth: balancing variables, sample size, and quality in Chinese cohort studies
Weimin Li and colleagues explore the trade-offs and challenges posed by the increasing scale and complexity of cohort studies, highlighting the central argument that “bigger is not always better”

Building sustainable cohort studies in China: a hybrid model for public health research
Xiangmei Chen and colleagues consider the challenges of conducting cohort studies and how they can be overcome

Transforming Chinese cohort studies through artificial intelligence: a new era of population health research
Tien Yin Wong and colleagues explore how artificial intelligence can tackle persistent challenges in Chinese epidemiological studies and analyse the regulatory frameworks and barriers to implementation that must be overcome to ensure equitable, scientifically rigorous population health research

Funding
This BMJ collection was developed in partnership with West China Hospital, Sichuan University and the First Hospital of Jilin University. The BMJ commissioned, peer reviewed, edited, and made the decisions to publish the articles. John Ji and Jocalyn Clark were the lead editors for The BMJ.

Request an interview with The BMJ international editor, Dr Jocalyn Clark, by contacting the BMJ Group media relations team: mediarelations@bmj.com / +44 (0)7825 118 107

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