Definitions of major methodological approaches to legal epidemiology along with an illustrative global research question, based on the ‘typology of public health law studies’ put forward by Burris et al7
| Major methodological approaches | Illustrative global research question |
| Policymaking studies: To identify factors influencing the likelihood that public health laws will be adopted, the nature of laws adopted and the process through which they are adopted. | What factors were associated with countries’ decisions to close national borders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic? |
| Mapping studies: To analyse the state of the law or the legal terrain and the application of laws surrounding a particular public health topic. | What dietary guidelines are published by national governments and international agencies around the world, and how do they compare? |
| Implementation studies: To examine how and to what extent the ‘law on the books’ is implemented and enforced through legal practices. | How could an international treaty strengthen the implementation of existing national commitments to ban over-the-counter sales of antibiotics? |
| Intervention studies: To assess the effect of a legal intervention on health outcomes or mediating factors that influence health outcomes. | Did the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control decrease global cigarette consumption? |
| Mechanism studies: To examine the specific mechanisms through which the law affects environments, behaviours or health outcomes. | Do treaties have greater impacts through the incorporation of transparency, complaint, oversight or enforcement mechanisms? |