Author Guidelines & Submission Policy
Thank you for considering Health Frontiers: Multidisciplinary Journal for Health Professionals for the publication of your research. To ensure a rigorous, efficient, and transparent review process, all authors must adhere to the following guidelines prior to submitting their manuscript. Manuscripts that do not comply with these requirements may be desk-rejected without peer review.
Important: Before submitting, please download our Official Manuscript Template (.docx) and Submission Checklist (PDF). Completing both will significantly expedite the editorial process.
1. General Submission Policies
- • Online Submission Only: All manuscripts must be submitted exclusively through our Online Submission System. Email submissions will not be processed.
- • Originality & Exclusivity: Submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. Prior posting on recognized preprint servers (e.g., medRxiv, ResearchSquare) is acceptable, provided it is declared during submission.
- • Language: All manuscripts must be written in formal, academic English. We strongly recommend professional English proofreading prior to submission.
- • ORCID iD: The corresponding author must provide a valid ORCID iD at the time of submission. All co-authors are strongly encouraged to register their ORCID iDs.
2. Manuscript Types & Word Limits
Word limits exclude the abstract, references, tables, figures, and declarations.
| Manuscript Type | Word Limit | Max Tables/Figures | Max References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Research Article | 3,000 – 4,500 | 6 | 40 |
| Systematic Review / Meta-Analysis | Up to 5,000 | 8 | 60 |
| Brief Communication / Research Letter | Up to 1,500 | 2 | 15 |
| Case Report / Case Series | Up to 1,500 | 3 | 20 |
| Review Article (Invited) | Up to 6,000 | 8 | 80 |
3. Manuscript Preparation
- • Title: Concise, informative, and accurately reflecting the content (maximum 15–20 words). Avoid abbreviations and formulas.
- • Authors & Affiliations: Full names of all authors, complete institutional affiliations (including city and country), and valid ORCID iDs must be provided.
- • Structured Abstract: Maximum 250 words, strictly organized into: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. Must be accompanied by 3–5 keywords (preferably from MeSH terms).
- • Main Text (IMRAD): Manuscripts must follow the standard structure: Introduction (without subheadings), Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion (including a dedicated Limitations subsection), and Conclusions (as a separate section).
- • Declarations Section: All manuscripts must include a dedicated "Declarations" section before the References, containing: Funding, Conflict of Interest, Ethical Approval, Data Availability Statement, AI Use Disclosure, and CRediT Author Contributions.
4. Ethical & Quality Standards
- • Reporting Guidelines (EQUATOR): Authors are strictly required to adhere to relevant guidelines (e.g., CONSORT for trials, STROBE for observational, PRISMA for systematic reviews, CARE for case reports) and upload the completed checklist as a Supplementary File.
- • Ethical Approval: All studies involving human or animal subjects must include a statement of approval from an IRB or Ethics Committee, with the specific approval number. See our Ethical Clearance Policy.
- • Plagiarism Screening: All submissions are screened using Turnitin / iThenticate. The maximum allowable similarity index is 15% overall, with no more than 2% from any single source.
- • References: Must be formatted strictly according to APA 7th Edition. A minimum of 25 references is required, with at least 80% sourced from peer-reviewed journals published within the last 10 years. DOIs are mandatory where available.
5. Figures & Tables
- • Figures: Must be high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) in editable formats (.tiff, .eps, or high-quality .jpg/.png). Do not embed in main text; place on separate pages at the end.
- • Figure Captions: Place below the figure. Use Times New Roman, 10 pt, single spacing.
- • Tables: Must be created using the word processor's table function (not as images). Table titles are placed above; content and footnotes below.
- • Units of Measurement: Use the International System of Units (SI) throughout.
6. Language & Proofreading
As Health Frontiers is an English-language journal committed to international readability, all accepted manuscripts must undergo professional English language proofreading. Authors are strongly encouraged to submit a certificate of English proofreading upon revision. Manuscripts with significant language issues may be returned before peer review.
7. Graphical Abstract (Strongly Encouraged)
Authors are strongly encouraged to submit a Graphical Abstract that visually summarizes the main findings, enhancing visibility and social media impact.
- • Minimum resolution: 900 × 400 pixels (width × height)
- • File format: PNG, JPG, or TIFF
- • Must be self-explanatory and readable without zooming
8. Submission Checklist & Template
To ensure your manuscript meets all formatting and policy requirements, please download and complete the following resources before submitting:
- • Official Manuscript Template (.docx): Ensures correct formatting, font, and structure.
- • Submission Checklist (PDF): Comprehensive checklist covering all requirements. Must be uploaded with submission.
- • EQUATOR Reporting Checklist: Upload the appropriate checklist (STROBE, CONSORT, PRISMA, CARE, etc.) as a Supplementary File.
Download Resources
Click the buttons below to download the required documents:
Article Types & Specific Guidelines
While all submissions must adhere to the general Author Guidelines, specific article types have unique requirements regarding structure, word count, and reporting standards.
| Article Type | Word Limit (excl. refs/abstract) |
Abstract | Max Refs | Mandatory Guideline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Research | 3,000 – 4,500 | Structured (Max 250 words) |
40 | STROBE / CONSORT |
| Systematic Review / Meta-Analysis | Up to 5,000 | Structured (Max 300 words) |
60 | PRISMA |
| Case Report / Case Series | Up to 1,500 | Unstructured (Max 150 words) |
20 | CARE |
| Brief Communication | Up to 1,500 | Unstructured (Max 150 words) |
15 | N/A |
| Narrative Review | Up to 6,000 | Unstructured (Max 250 words) |
80 | SANRA |
1. Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis
- • Registration: Must be registered in a recognized database (e.g., PROSPERO, INPLASY) prior to data extraction. Registration number must be stated in Abstract and Methods.
- • Structure: Must include: Introduction, Methods (Search strategy, eligibility criteria, risk of bias), Results (including PRISMA flow diagram), Discussion, and Conclusion.
- • Checklist: A completed PRISMA 2020 checklist must be uploaded as a Supplementary File.
2. Case Report & Case Series
Critical Requirement: Written informed consent from the patient (or legal guardian) for publication of case details and any accompanying images is MANDATORY. A statement confirming this must be included in the Declarations section.
- • Structure: Introduction (brief), Case Presentation (demographics, symptoms, diagnosis, intervention, outcomes), and Discussion.
- • Checklist: A completed CARE checklist must be uploaded as a Supplementary File.
3. Brief Communication / Research Letter
- • Purpose: For rapid publication of preliminary, novel, or significant findings that do not yet constitute a full research article.
- • Structure: No subheadings in the main text. A single, continuous narrative covering background, methods, results, and a brief conclusion. Maximum of 1 table or figure.
4. Narrative Review
- • Submission Policy: Primarily by invitation only. Unsolicited reviews may be considered but must be preceded by a pre-submission inquiry (300-word abstract and brief CV) sent to the Editor-in-Chief.
- • Requirement: Must provide a comprehensive, critical, and up-to-date synthesis of the literature, concluding with future research directions.
Universal Requirements for ALL Article Types
- Declarations Section: Mandatory for all types (Ethical Approval, Data Availability, Funding, Conflict of Interest, Authors' Contributions, AI Disclosure).
- References: Strict APA 7th Edition. DOIs are mandatory for all journal articles.
- Language: Formal academic English. Professional proofreading is strongly recommended.
- Template: All submissions must use the official Health Frontiers Manuscript Template.
Related Policies
For comprehensive information on our journal's policies, please refer to the following pages:
