Article Types
International Journal of Public Health (IJPH) welcomes the following article types: Original Article, Review, Hints & Kinks, Commentary, Editorial, Letter to the Editor, and Young Researcher Editorial. IJPH does not publish essays or opinion articles.
Before submitting a manuscript, please read the article type descriptions below and the author guidelines.
All submitted manuscripts will be checked by plagiarism detection software. All articles receive a DOI, are citable, are published in PDF and HTML format, and are submitted for indexing in relevant digital archives.
Peer Reviewed
Original Article
Original Articles report on original quantitative or qualitative research. Original Articles should adopt the following format:
Abstract: 180 words max, structure: Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions.
Text body: 4’000 words max (abstract, reference list, figure and table captions excluded); structure: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion (including limitations and conclusions). Reviews should reference all included studies.
Figures and tables: up to 6 (total).
Review
Research Reviews should concentrate on the most recent developments in the field. Authors should confirm during submission in the “Contribution to the Field” section (appearing during online submission process) that the topic was not covered in a recently published review in IJPH or other journals. Literature searches for all Reviews should follow a defined systematic protocol and should be comprehensive. Review articles should adopt the following format:
Abstract: 180 words max, structure: Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions.
Text body: 4’500 words max (abstract, reference list, figure and table captions excluded); structure: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion (including limitations and conclusions). Reviews should reference all included studies.
Figures and tables: up to 6 (total).
Theory and Concept
Theory and Concept are articles that provide a critical analysis or a novel perspective of theories, models and key concepts that support the practice of different areas of public health. They analyse previous knowledge with a novel approach and could present original research. The editors encourage authors to concentrate in what is new or different rather than writing general revisions. The articles should be short to facilitate concise and relevant texts that scientists can widely use for discussion and teaching.
Abstract: 150 words.
Text body: the maximum length is 3'000 words (reference list and abstract excluded), 15 references. Authors are free to structure the text as they like.
Figures and tables: up to 2 (total).
Hints and Kinks
Hints and Kinks are short methodological reports (1'000 words max., no abstract) presenting topics relevant to survey research and surveillance. They report on experience with techniques in a variety of areas and topics, such as writing questions, questionnaire design, survey implementation, or new and original ways to analyse data and show results. Authors are free to structure the text as they like.
Not peer reviewed
Young Researcher Editorial
Young Researcher Editorials (YREs) are unsolicited editorials on topical discussions in public health written by advanced PhD students (up to 12 months after completion of the PhD) from across the world (800 words max, up to 10 references). YRE are eligible for review by the YRE editors when they comply with one or more of the following criteria:
Raise novel issues in public health
Discuss recent publications or themes addressed in IJPH or elsewhere
Debate public health science and related policies
Promote discussions about science careers in public health and related challenges
Place public health challenges in a broader context
Address matters of global or multi-regional relevance
YRE is a capacity-building project for PhD students, offered by the Swiss School of Public Health+.
Editorial
Editorials are invited short essays that express the author’s viewpoint or explain journal policies. The length is 800 words max (reference list excluded) and they have up to 10 references. The title should be short and attractive.
Commentary
Commentary articles are invited as more in-depth opinion pieces. Commentary articles have a maximum word count of 1'200 words, up to a maximum of two figures, and 10 references. They should not contain unpublished or original data.
Letter to the Editor
Letters are reactions relating to recently published articles in IJPH. Letters should be submitted no later than 3 months after publication of the article. Usually, we invite the authors of the article to respond to the Letter.
Correction of Errors in published articles
Corrigendum:
Should authors notice errors that affect the scholarly record or the integrity of the paper, they should submit the correction online. The correction must detail the reason(s) for the error(s) and include only the elements (e.g. sections, sentence, figure) of the manuscript being revised or corrected. All authors of the original paper need to agree to the request for changes. The contribution to the field statement should be used to clearly state the reason for the correction. Depending on the extent of the correction required, corrections may require peer review. Authors are informed that requests for changes beyond that described here may not be accepted for publication. The title of the submitted correction should read: Corrigendum: Title of original publication
Erratum:
Should authors notice differences between their approved galley proofs and the final published article, thus leading to errors that affect the scholarly record or the integrity of the paper, they should contact the Production Office (production@ssph-journal.org), clearly specifying the error and the correct information. The Production Office will handle this further. If published, the title would read: Erratum: Title of original publication