Instructions for Authors

 
Table of Content:
 

Aims and Scope

Journal of Research & Health (JRH) is an international peer-reviewed bimonthly publication aimed to provide a thoughtful forum for contemporary issues and challenges in Public Health research and practice. Papers reporting from any region of the world are most welcome. Coverage includes contributions from the whole spectrum of public health across the domains of Health Improvement (health education and psychosocial health), Health Protection (international health and disease control), and Health Services (healthcare systems and service quality) with a particular focus on the translation of science into action.

The journal welcomes the submission of original articles, review articles, editorials, viewpoints, short communications (brief reports), commentaries, correspondences, and letters to the editor
.

Editorial Independence

Although JRH has been sponsored financially by the Social Development & Health Promotion Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, it benefits from editorial freedom. The editors evaluate and accept articles based on their significance, originality, validity, and adherence to the aims and scope of the Journal.
Our editorial policy is consistent with the principles of editorial independence presented by the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

JRH Article Types

   Original Article

Original articles must be of primary research, methodologically accurate, and relevant to the public health issues and challenges. Each manuscript should clearly state an objective or hypothesis, the study design and methodology (including the study setting, research participants, inclusion and exclusion criteria, sampling and data source), data analysis and interpretations, the main study results, discussion of the results, study limitations, and the conclusion. For all original articles, a structured abstract is required. The authors should include the Ethical Issues/Statement in the main manuscript under the ethical considerations.
You can submit your manuscript using the Sample Word Template that is provided here.

   Review Article

Review articles consist of systematic review, meta-analysis, scoping review, and narrative review types. The inclusion and exclusion criteria for studies should be described in a flow diagram. The specific type of study or analysis, intervention, population, exposure, outcomes, or tests should be described for each data source or article. The authors should cover the following topics in the “Methods” section: search strategy, selection criteria, data extraction, quality assessment, and data analysis. A structured abstract is required that should include “Background,” “Methods,” “Results,” “Conclusion,” and “Registry Name and Number” (if the protocol of these articles had been registered in a registry system).
For these articles, authors need to complete and include a PRISMA-P checklist (please find it from here) and upload it as a supplementary file. Authors MUST ensure that all points are included and state page numbers where each item can be found. Please see the details in Table.

   Editorial

Editorials are the messages of the JRH and are written in-house by the journal's Editorial Board members. These articles provide state-of-the-art discussions on the JRH main scopes. The title should be short and not descriptive. Preferably, the editorials should be written by no more than 3 authors. Please find further details in the Table.

   Viewpoint

Viewpoints are opinion-based and present a new and unique viewpoint on existing problems, fundamental concepts, or prevalent notions of health improvement, health protection, and health service improvement. The title should be short and not descriptive. Preferably, viewpoints should be written by no more than 3 authors. Please find further details in the Table.

   Short Communication/Brief Report

Short communications or brief reports are short articles (mini-original articles). They present original and important preliminary findings that do not warrant publication as a full-length article but are still worthy of publication. The main text should be subdivided into “Background,” “Methods,” “Results,” and “Discussion,” but should be written as concisely as possible. They should include the Ethical Issues/Statement in the main manuscript under the ethical considerations. Please see the details in Table.

   Commentary

Commentaries, which draw attention to or present criticism on selected JRH publications, are the JRH signature. We aim to strike a balance between rigor and relevance through inviting not only leading scholars in the field (academic/research community) but other key stakeholders in the health system to comment on our selected publications. We strive to spark healthy constructive debates and discussions among key stakeholders and bring about a diversity of perspectives. The authors of the lead/source article and editors decide whom to invite to comment. Please see the details in Table.

   Correspondence

Correspondences are invited only and are written in response to published commentaries by authors whose articles have been subject to commentaries. Please see the details in Table.

   Letter to the Editor

We welcome short letters with topics of interest to the JRH readership. Please see the details in Table.
  

Table: Article Type Details

Article type Submission by Abstract type/word limit Main text word limit Max No. of figures/tables Max No. of authors No. of Ref
Original All authors Structured/250 4000 4 No limit Max 45
Review All authors Structured/300 4500 5 No limit No limit
Editorial Editorial Board members Unstructured/150 1500 2 3 Max 15
Viewpoint All authors No abstract 1500 2 3 Max 15

Short communication/

Brief report

All authors Unstructured/200 2500 3 No limit Max 25
Commentary Invitation only Unstructured/150 1500 2 No limit Max 15
Correspondence Invitation only No abstract 1000 1 No limit Max 10
Letter to the Editor All authors No abstract 800 1 3 Max 6
Case Report All authors Unstructured/150 1500 1 table
3 figures
No limit Max 15

Manuscript Submission

Submission to this journal occurs online. Manuscripts submitted via email are not processed. Please read the following instructions carefully and follow them closely to ensure that the review and publication of your article are done as efficiently and quickly as possible. The Journal of Research and Health only considers the materials submitted in electronic form via the journal's online submission system. The editorial office reserves the right to return manuscripts that are not following the JRH instructions for authors. Once you have prepared your manuscript according to the instructions below, you can submit your work via our online submission platform.
 
During the online submission process, authors are asked to provide:
1) Manuscript Type: Please see the details here.
2) Manuscript Title: Authors need to insert the main and running titles.
3) Journal section: It includes Health Education; Psychosocial Health; Health Protection; and Health Services.
4)
Abstract: Please see the details here.
5) Keywords: Please see the details here.  
6) Related Subjects: Authors need to insert the related subject.
7) Additional Comments: In this section, authors can mention any concerns or issues that the editorial office needs to know.
8) Suggested Reviewers: Authors can provide the names and email addresses of potential reviewers. Please note that the editors retain the right to decide whether or not the suggested reviewers are invited.
9) Attach Files: Authors must upload the following four mandatory files and forms:
          a) Title Page: Please find the details from here.
          b) Main Manuscript: Please find the details from here. 
          c) Authorship Form: Please find the details from here.
          d) Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form: Please find details from here.
Note: uploading the supplementary files (e.g., Excel sheets) are optional.
10) Cover Letter & Checklist: Uploading a cover letter is optional.
11) Finish Submission: Authors need to review the submission before clicking the submit button.
All manuscripts submitted to the JRH are checked by the editorial office for conformance to the JRH instructions. Non-conforming manuscripts are returned to authors.

   Submission Process

Manuscripts should be sent through the online submission system:
http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/form_send_article.php?&slct_pg_id=22&sid=1&slc_lang=en

   Scientific and Initial Screening

JRH staff would check the structure and content of manuscripts to ensure compliance with standard structures (based on the type of study), the Journal’s scope, standard guidelines, quality, novelty, and adherence to ethical issues. In this step, articles would be screened and triaged in the shortest possible time. As a result, such screening would assist the editor in making fair final decisions on articles and ultimately improve the final quality of published articles.

   Peer-Review Process

Submitted articles are primarily evaluated by our statisticians who check the articles for methodological flaws, format, and their compliance with the Journal’s instructions. Then, a submission code will be allocated and all the future contacts should be based on this code. Through a single-blind review, the articles will be reviewed by at least two external (peer) reviewers. Their comments will be passed to the authors and their responses to the comments along with the reviewers’ comments will then be evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief and a final reviewer who can be a member of the Editorial Board. The final review process will be discussed in regular editorial board sessions and based on the comments, and the Journal’s standards, the Editors-in-Chief will decide which articles should be published.
It should be noted that articles submitted by the staff and editors of the JRH will also be subjected to peer review.

Ethical Considerations

The Journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). COPE’s flowcharts and guidelines are approached in confronting any ethical misbehavior. The Journal also follows the guidelines mentioned in the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

   Informed Consent

All patients and participants in a research project should be thoroughly informed about the aims of the study and any possible side effects of the drugs and interventions. Written informed consent from the participants or their legal guardians is necessary for any such studies. The Journal reserves the right to request the related documents. Articles that require informed consent should contain related statements in the “Methods” section.

   Authorship

According to the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, released by the ICMJE, an “Author” is generally considered someone who meets all the following conditions:
1-      Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
2-      Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
3-      Final approval of the version to be published; AND
4-    Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

    Conflict of Interest

We request all authors and reviewers to inform us about any kind of “Conflict of Interest” (such as financial, personal, political, or academic) that would potentially affect their judgment. Authors are preferably asked to state the main manuscript under the “Conflict of Interest” section.

    Plagiarism

Authors are not allowed to utilize verbatim text of previously published papers or manuscripts submitted elsewhere. COPE’s flowcharts and guidelines are approached in cases in which plagiarism is detected.

   Data Fabrication/Falsification

Falsification is the practice of omitting or altering research materials, data, or processes so that the results of the research are no longer accurately reflected. Fabrication is the practice of inventing data or results and reporting them in the research. Both of these misconducts are fraudulent and seriously alter the integrity of the research. Therefore, articles must be written based on original data and the use of falsified or fabricated data is strongly prohibited. In confronting cases with fabricated or falsified data, COPE’s flowcharts and guidelines are followed.
Researchers who perform randomized controlled or clinical trials (RCTs) are advised to keep their original data at hand. The Journal keeps the right to ask for raw data even after publication.

 Open Access Policy

 This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Commercial 2.0 International License.

Retraction Policy

JRH uses the COPE flowchart for retraction of a published article to determine whether a published article should be retracted.

Assignment of Authorship Responsibilities

Your article will not be published unless you warrant that “This article is an original work, has not been published before, and is not being considered for publication elsewhere in its final form either in printed or electronic form.” The JRH Assignment Form (available in the Forms tab of the website) should be signed and dated by all authors and sent along with the manuscript.

Main Manuscript Section

 The manuscript should follow through these sections: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Ethical Consideration, and References. Tables and Figures should be inserted within the text as close as possible to where they are referenced. The authors should not upload them as separate files. Please add page numbers and line numbers for your manuscript.

   Cover Letter

The cover letter should contain the rationale of performing the research and selecting JRH as well as a statement that you will not resubmit your article to another journal until the reviewing process will be completed. Also please indicate whether the authors have published or submitted any related papers from the same study.

   Title page 

The title page of the article should include 1) the title of the article; 2) authors’ names; 3) name of the institution where the work was done; 4) running title (short form of the main title presented on the top of published pages); and 5) complete mailing address, telephone/fax numbers, and email address of the corresponding author. This page is not numbered.

   Abstract

Include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words for original articles and reviews. The abstract should briefly state the purpose and setting of the research, the principal findings and major conclusions, and the article's contribution to knowledge. Abstracts should be prepared in JRH style, including “Background,” “Methods,” “Results,” and “Conclusion.” Abstracts are not required for correspondence and letter to the editor. For other manuscript types (see Table).

    Keywords

Authors need to add up to 6 keywords separately into the online system during submission, and the words should accurately reflect the content of the article. Abbreviations/acronyms could be used with their expansions. The keywords will be used for indexing purposes. 
Please prepare the keywords according to the following instructions:
  • Three to six keywords (single or phrases with no more than 3 words)
  • Contain words and phrases that suggest what the topic is about
  • Use variants terms or phrases that readers are likely to use
  • If the article focuses on a particular region (geographic, climatic, etc.), use that as a keyword
  • Use specific phenomena or issues as keywords (climate change, air pollution, etc.)

   Introduction

The introduction should contain a short background of previous studies as well as the possible gaps in the literature, and specify the purpose and objective of the study.

   Methods

 The “Methods” section must indicate the steps taken to acquire the data. Be sure that it includes only information that was available at the time the plan or protocol for the study was written. It should be detailed enough (including controls, inclusion and exclusion criteria, etc.) and may be separated into subsections. Repeating the details of standard techniques is best avoided.
For reports of randomized controlled trials, authors should refer to the CONSORT statement (http://www.consort-statement .org/).
Reporting guidelines for main study types would help you report high-quality research and to provide all required information and evidence for related methodology. 
·         CONSORT for randomized trials
·         STROBE for observational studies,
·         PRISMA for systematic reviews,
·         CARE for case reports,
·         SRQR/COREQ for qualitative research,
·         SQUIRE for quality improvement studies,
·         CHEERS for economic evaluations.
EQUATOR Network website would help you in using these guidelines.
 
The software used for statistical analyses and descriptions of the actual method should be mentioned.

   Results

 Results should be presented in a chronological sequence in the text, table, and illustration. Organize the results according to their importance. They should be based on your findings.

    Formulas 

·         Equations must be typed only in MathType (Download the software from https://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/).
·         Graphical objects should not be used.
·         Your equations should be editable.
·         If you have used a built-in equation editing tool in Microsoft Word, the equations will become unusable during the typesetting process. To resolve this problem, please re-key your equations using MathType.
·         Long equations should be set off from the text and numbered sequentially.
·         If you cannot avoid using many equations or schemes, you can collect them in a table of equations and shot them as a framed figure to avoid typesetting errors.  

   Tables 

·         Should be cited in numerical order upon their first mention.
·         Should be prepared left to right and cell-based (i.e., created in Word with the Tables tool).
·         The table number and caption always appear above the table. Leave 2 line spaces between the table and the caption.
·         Should be editable and upright on the page, not on sideways.
·         Should be prepared with real rows and columns and not aligned with tabs, returns, or spaces.
·         Multi-part tables with varying numbers of columns or multiple footnotes should be organized as separate tables.
·         Should be plain with NO colors, shading, or graphics.
·         Should not contain inserted text boxes, tables within tables, or cells within cells.
·         Symbols and abbreviations should be defined immediately below the table, followed by an essential brief description.
·         All tables should be inserted within the text as close as possible to where they are referenced. The authors should not upload them as separate files.

   Figures/illustrations 

·         All figures/images must be cited within the main text in numerical order.
·         All figures/images must be centered. Figure number and legend always appear below the figure. Leave 2 line spaces between the figure and the legend.
·         Figures must be prepared in one of the following formats: Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) for photography or microscopy, Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) for illustrations or diagrams, Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), EPS, or PS. Files prepared with Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, or Adobe Photoshop should be uploaded in these native file formats.
·         All digitized images must be of high quality; that is, resolutions of at least 300 dpi for color figures, 600 dpi for greyscales, and 1200 dpi for line arts.
·         Histograms should be prepared in a simple, two-dimensional format, with no background grid.
·         Make sure that any specific patient/hospital details are removed or blacked out (e.g., X-rays, MRI scans, and so on).
·         If photographs of patients are used, they should not be identifiable. However, do not use a black bar to obscure a patient’s identity.
·         Original data from which the images were prepared should be available, as the editors may request to see these data (e.g., Office, SPSS, and other line art images).
·         Lettering in figures (e.g., labeling of axes) should be in lower-case type, with the first letter capitalized and no full stop. All text should be in a sans-serif typeface, preferably Arial with size 8 pt.
·         Avoid using the touch-up tools, such as cloning and healing tools in Photoshop, or any feature that deliberately obscures manipulations.
·         Graphics downloaded from Web pages should not be used.
·         Please remember that vector drawing data is absent from these files: png, jpeg, tiff, or bmp. Subsequently resaving any of these files as a PDF or EPS will not produce a vector drawing in these files. Please supply the original EPS, Ai, or PDF file versions of the artwork.
·         Figures/images should be inserted within the text as close as possible to where they are referenced. The authors should not upload them as separate files.

   Discussion

The discussion should challenge the findings of the study with other available evidence in the format of arguments and counterarguments. It should emphasize the new and important aspects of the study and the conclusions that follow them. Possible mechanisms or explanations for these findings should be explored. The limitations of the study and the implications of the findings for future research should be explored, too.

   Conclusion

The conclusion should state the final result and recommendation that the author(s) has (have) reached. Such results and recommendations should be derived from the researchers’ study and the results of other studies should not be stated in this section.

    Acknowledgments

Any technical, general, financial, and material support or contribution that need acknowledging but do not justify authorship can be cited at the end of the text under “Acknowledgments.”

   Funding

Authors are requested to identify sources who provided financial support for the conduct of research and/or preparation of the manuscript. Authors have to briefly describe the role of the funder/sponsor in any part of the work, including the design and conduct of the study, data collection, data management, data analysis and interpretation, preparation, review, and approval of the manuscript. The sentence should begin with: ‘This work was supported by …’

   Conflict of Interest

Please find details from here.

   Ethical consideration

Please identify the Ethics Committee/Board that has approved the research. If the manuscript is an original article or short communication, this field should be filled.  It is necessary to provide an approved ethical code. Please find details from here.

   Authors’ Contributions

This section should show the author's individual contributions to the manuscript. See our authorship guidance and standards here.

   References

References should be complied numerically according to the order of citation in the text in Vancouver style (see Table). References should optimally be prepared with EndNote software.
For the references credited to more than 6 authors please provide the name of the first six authors and represent the remaining authors by the phrase “et al.”
For various references please refer to “the NLM style guide for authors, editors, and publishers.

   Listed below are sample references:

- Journal article (1-6 authors)
Michaud J, Kates J. Global health diplomacy: Advancing foreign policy and global health interests. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2013;1(1):24-28. doi:10.9745/GHSP-D-12-00048
-Journal article (more than 6 authors)
Hu WS, Ting WJ, Chiang WD, et al. The heart protection effect of alcalase potato protein hydrolysate is through IGF1R-PI3K-Akt compensatory reactivation in aging rats on high-fat diets. Int J Mol Sci. 2015;16(5):10158-10172. doi: 10.3390/ijms160510158
- Book
Reuter T. Sharing the Earth, Dividing the Land: Land and Territory in the Austronesian World. Canberra: Australian National University Press; 2006.
 - Book Section
Meltzer PS, Kallioniemi A, Trent JM. Chromosome alterations in human solid tumors. In: Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW, eds. The Genetic Basis of Human Cancer. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2002:93-113.
 - Newspaper article – in print
Wolf W. State’s mail-order drug plan launched. Minneapolis Star Tribune. May 14, 2004:1B. 
 - Newspaper article – online
Pollack A. FDA approves new cystic fibrosis drug. New York Times. January 31, 2012. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/business/fda-approves-cystic-fibrosis-drug.html?ref=health. Accessed February 1, 2012.
 - Websites
Outbreak notice: Cholera in Haiti. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/travel/notices/outbreak-notice/haiti-cholera.htm. Updated January 9, 2012. Accessed February 1, 2012.
 -Thesis
Weisbaum LD. Human sexuality of children and adolescents: a comprehensive training guide for social work professionals [thesis]. Long Beach (CA): California State University; 2005.
 -Conference proceedings 
Chu H, Rosenthal M. Search engines for the World Wide Web: a comparative study and evaluation methodology. Paper presented at American Society for Information Science 1996 Annual Conference; October 19 24, 1996; Baltimore, MD. https://www.asis.org/annual-96/electronicproceedings/chu.html. Accessed February 26, 200

 Language and Style

Contributions should be in either American or British English. The text must be clear and concise, conforming to accepted standards of English style and usage. Non-native English speakers are advised to seek professional help with the language.
All materials should be double-spaced and pages should be numbered. Abbreviations should be standard and used just in necessary cases, after complete explanations in the first usage. The editorial office reserves the right to edit the submitted manuscripts to comply with the Journal’s style. In any case, the authors are responsible for the published material.

Correction of Errata

The Journal will publish an erratum when a factual error in a published item has been documented.

Contact Information

   For further information, please contact the Editorial Office

Social Development & Health Promotion Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
  P.O.Box: 397
 Tel/Fax number:  +98 5157229025
 Email: jrh gmu.ac.ir

Reporting guidelines for main study types
 

View: 16642 Time(s)   |   Print: 1523 Time(s)   |   Email: 0 Time(s)   |   0 Comment(s)

© 2024 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Journal of Research and Health

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb