Author Guidelines

For Authors
Author Guidelines

Authors submitting to Horizon of Public Health Sciences (HoPHS) must prepare manuscripts in accordance with these instructions, the journal's double-blind peer-review requirements, applicable research-reporting standards, and internationally recognized principles of research and publication integrity.

English Publication Language
Double-Blind Peer Review
Maximum 20% Similarity Screening
USD 0 Article Processing Charge
Submission Files
Files required at initial submission

Authors must submit the Title Page and Anonymized Main Document as separate files. A Similarity Report may also be uploaded. When no Similarity Report is supplied, HoPHS will conduct similarity screening during technical evaluation.

01
Required
Title Page

Contains all author-identifying information, manuscript metadata, corresponding-author details, affiliations, ORCID iDs when supplied, acknowledgments, and all publication declarations.

Preferred format: DOCX
02
Required
Anonymized Main Document

Contains the complete scholarly manuscript without author names, affiliations, email addresses, acknowledgments, author-contribution details, or other information that may reveal authorship.

Preferred format: DOCX
03
Optional
Similarity Report

Authors may upload a similarity report corresponding to the final submitted manuscript. The overall similarity index must not exceed 20%. If omitted, screening will be conducted by HoPHS.

Preferred format: PDF
Important: The 20% similarity threshold is a technical-screening benchmark and is not, by itself, a determination of plagiarism. The editorial team may evaluate the source, location, pattern, extent, and context of matched material.
Article Types
Manuscript categories and length

HoPHS currently accepts two principal article categories. Word limits refer to the main manuscript text and exclude the abstract, references, tables, figures, figure legends, and supplementary material.

Original Research Article

Reports original empirical research using quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, epidemiological, health-systems, environmental, implementation, intervention, or other appropriate public-health designs.

Main text: up to 6,000 words
Abstract: up to 300 words, structured
Keywords: 3–6 terms
Tables/Figures: ordinarily up to 6 combined
Review Article

Includes systematic reviews, meta-analyses, scoping reviews, and other methodologically explicit evidence-synthesis articles that provide a substantial contribution to public-health knowledge.

Main text: up to 8,000 words
Abstract: up to 300 words, structured where applicable
Keywords: 3–6 terms
Tables/Figures: ordinarily up to 8 combined
File 1
Title Page requirements

The Title Page contains all information that identifies the authors and all declarations required for editorial assessment and publication. It is withheld from external reviewers.

Article information
Article type; full manuscript title; short running title (maximum 50 characters including spaces); abstract word count; main-text word count; and numbers of references, tables, figures, and supplementary files.
Authors and affiliations
Full names in agreed publication order; department/unit, institution, city, and country for each author; corresponding author clearly identified; valid institutional email address; and ORCID iDs where available.
Declarations to include on the Title Page
Author Contributions Conflicts of Interest Funding Ethics Approval Consent Data Availability AI Disclosure Acknowledgments
File 2
Anonymized Main Document

The manuscript sent for peer review must not contain information that identifies the authors or their institutions beyond what is scientifically necessary. Remove names, affiliations, email addresses, acknowledgments, author-contribution statements, identifying comments, tracked changes, and hidden file metadata.

When ethics, funding, or institutional details could reveal authorship, anonymize them for review (for example, “an institutional ethics committee” or “[details withheld for double-blind review]”) while providing the complete information on the Title Page.
Title
Full manuscript title only; no author information.
Structured Abstract
Maximum 300 words. For original research, use Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. Do not include citations, tables, figures, or identifying information.
Keywords
Provide 3–6 relevant standardized terms separated by semicolons.
Introduction
Define the public-health problem, synthesize relevant evidence, identify the unresolved gap, establish the rationale, and conclude with a clear objective or hypothesis.
Methods
Describe study design, setting and period, participants or data sources, sampling, variables, measurement instruments, data collection, quality control, analytical methods, software and version, ethical considerations, and registration where applicable.
Results
Present findings in a logical sequence aligned with the objectives and methods. Report appropriate denominators, effect estimates, confidence intervals, uncertainty, and relevant statistical measures.
Discussion
Interpret principal findings, compare them with relevant evidence, discuss plausible explanations, strengths and limitations, implications for public health, and avoid conclusions unsupported by the data.
Conclusion
Directly address the study objective and reflect the magnitude and certainty of the findings without introducing new information.
References, Figure Legends, and Supplementary Material
Include numbered references, complete figure legends, and a list of supplementary material where applicable.
Manuscript Components
Tables, figures, references, and supplementary files
Tables

Number consecutively in order of citation. Use concise titles and explanatory footnotes. Define all abbreviations and statistical symbols. Tables must be editable text, not embedded images.

Figures

Number consecutively in order of citation. Provide complete legends and define panels, symbols, abbreviations, and statistical annotations. Images must be clear and publication quality.

References

Use Vancouver style. Number citations consecutively in the order of first appearance. Verify bibliographic details and provide DOI or another persistent identifier where available.

Reporting Standards
Use the appropriate reporting guideline

Authors must use the reporting guideline appropriate to the study design. A completed checklist and relevant flow diagram may be requested during technical screening, editorial assessment, peer review, or revision.

STROBE · Observational studies CONSORT · Randomized trials PRISMA · Systematic reviews PRISMA-ScR · Scoping reviews COREQ / SRQR · Qualitative studies CHEERS · Economic evaluations SQUIRE · Quality-improvement studies
When no guideline listed above fits the design, authors should identify the most appropriate guideline through the EQUATOR Network or another recognized reporting-standard source.
Research Integrity
Ethics, data, authorship, and disclosure requirements
Ethical Approval & Consent

Research involving human participants must state the approving ethics committee, approval identifier and date, and the consent process where applicable. If approval was not required, provide a clear justification. Consent for publication is required when individuals may be identifiable.

Data Availability

Every manuscript must include a Data Availability Statement indicating where supporting data may be accessed, any restrictions, and the repository or persistent identifier where available. If data cannot be shared, explain the ethical, legal, privacy, or contractual restriction.

Conflicts of Interest & Funding

Declare all relevant financial and non-financial interests. State all funding sources, grant identifiers, and the funder's role in the study and publication process. If there was no specific funding or no conflict, state this explicitly.

Authorship & Contributions

All listed authors must satisfy accepted authorship criteria, approve the submitted and final versions, and accept accountability for the work. Describe individual contributions using the CRediT taxonomy or equivalent role-based contribution statement.

Artificial Intelligence
AI-assisted technology disclosure

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI or other AI-assisted technologies used in preparing the submitted work. The disclosure should identify the tool and version where known, describe the purpose and extent of use, and confirm that the authors reviewed, verified, and take full responsibility for the final content.

AI tools must not be listed as authors or cited as authors. Authors remain responsible for originality, accuracy, attribution, confidentiality, copyright compliance, and the integrity of all submitted material.

Final Submission Check
Before submitting to HoPHS
Title Page uploaded separately Main Document fully anonymized Similarity ≤20% or left for HoPHS screening Reporting guideline applied Ethics & consent statements complete Data statement included Funding & conflicts declared AI use disclosed where applicable OJS metadata matches manuscript

Submissions that do not meet the technical requirements, do not protect double-blind review, contain incomplete declarations, or fall outside the journal's scope may be returned to the authors for correction before editorial evaluation.