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WHSL Public Health: Journals & Articles

Guide to resources for students and staff of the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand

Finding electronic journals and electronic books

Click on the link below to open a search box where you can enter the title, or part of the title, of the journal you need. This is not for finding articles on a subject, but only for locating a particular journal when you know the title, or part of the title. 

Click on the e-books tab to search for electronic books by title.

 Please select one of the following options, from the drop down list. 

Starts with (this is the default)

  • Match all words (enter the full journal title)
  • Match exact words (enter the words exactly as they appear in the journal title)
  • Match any words (enter any words that may appear in the journal title) 

For subject searching, you need to go to one of the databases such as PubMed.

Please note that if there are errors in this portal. Please report these by email here. We apologise for this, and we will be working on fixing these. 

Finding Journals in Print

Most journals at WHSL are now only available electronically. However, some of the older journals are only available in print. In order to find out if WHSL has a journal, first check for it by using the e-journal finder in the box above. However, if the journal you want is not available elctronically, then check the catalogue for print holdings. Make sure that you change the drop down menufrom Keyword to Journal Title before searching.

Note the LOCATION of the title you want. This indicates the library at Wits at which the journal is kept physically. For example, the print copies of the journal Policy Studies is kept in two different libraries, Cullen (on the East Campus) and Management (at the Business School in Parktown).  The maps (see links below) show library locations. The Witwatersrand Health Sciences Library (location code WHSL) is at the Medical School on the entry level (Level 4) on the Parktown Campus. 

Then note the SHELF NUMBER of the journal. This is the "address" at which the journal is physically housed on the shelves. Note: this location number may be different in different libraries, depending on which classification system is used.

Finally, note the STATUS of the volume and/or issue you want. The status may be ISSUED (ie. it has been taken out, and the date on which it is due to be returned should be reflected as DUE) or NOT ISSUED (ie. it should be on the shelf).

Inter-Library Loans

If the journal article you require is not available either in print or in electronic format at any of Wits Libraries, you may request a copy from another library in South Africa from Inter-Library Loans (ILL). You will be asked to provide your student information and your Library PIN. Please enter as much detail as possible, and submit. You will be contacted once the article arrives if you provide a phone number at which you can be reached during office hours. You may enter this in the column that asks for an amount that you are willing to pay for the article. Please note: there is a nominal charge for all ILLs, depending on from where the article is obtained. 

SA Statistics & Epidemiology

African Health

African Health & Safety

All South African eJournals

The following link provides access to all South African electronic journals (in all subjects).