3 Ways to Cite the World Health Organization (WHO) in APA Style

As a writer, researcher, or student, it is essential to understand the importance of properly citing authoritative sources in your academic writing. One such organization, which is highly regarded for its accurate and reliable health information, is the World Health Organization (WHO). In this article, we will discuss three ways to cite WHO in the American Psychological Association (APA) style for different types of sources.
1. Citing a WHO Website
Citing a webpage or an online article from WHO’s official website is quite simple. Here’s an example citation for a generic WHO webpage:
World Health Organization. (2020). Title of the webpage. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/url-of-the-page
Remember to replace “Title of the webpage” with the actual title of the page you are citing. Also, make sure to replace “url-of-the-page” with the specific URL of that page. Note that APA does not require including retrieval date unless the cited content is likely to change over time.
2. Citing a WHO Publication or Report
If you are citing a publication or report released by WHO, it is essential to include details like author or editor names, title of the publication, publication year, and DOI (digital object identifier) if available. Here’s an example citation for a document released by WHO:
World Health Organization. (2019). Global health risks: Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. World Health Organization. https://doi.org/10.XXXX/YYYY.ZZZZ
Do not forget to fill in placeholders “XXXX”, “YYYY”, and “ZZZZ” with the actual DOI information posted on the document.
3. Citing a WHO Data Set
If you use data sets provided by WHO for your research project or article, here’s how you can create an APA citation for them:
World Health Organization. (2020). Global Health Observatory Data Repository: Prevalence of stunting, wasting, and overweight [Data set]. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators
Replace the information within brackets “[Data set]” with the specific data set you used from the organization’s Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
In conclusion, learning how to create accurate APA citations for different types of WHO sources will allow you to give proper credit where it is due, strengthen your argument, and help your readers find additional resources on their own. Always make sure to follow the APA citation guidelines closely to maintain the credibility and professionalism of your work.