JPHMP Author Guidelines

The Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (JPHMP) is a bi-monthly peer-reviewed journal focused on practice-based research. JPHMP also publishes a number of peer-reviewed special supplements and/or special topical sections in the Journal each year that are sponsored by organizations interested in promulgating their work. Our mission is to advance and disseminate impactful, practice-based evidence to inform initiatives and policies to improve population health. We welcome submissions from public health researchers, academics, policy makers, and practitioners.

Accepted papers will be made available on the JPHMP website approximately eight weeks after final acceptance as a publish-ahead-of-print article. They will also be indexed in the appropriate databases (ie, PubMed) at this time. Final articles will then be published in the next available issue of the Journal.

GENERAL INFORMATION

JPHMP publishes eight types of articles: commentaries, editorials, practice full reports, practice brief reports, research full reports, research brief reports, systematic reviews, and case studies. To get a sense of whether your work is a good fit for JPHMP, consider our primary objectives. We are interested in work that

  • focuses on public health practice by describing and evaluating initiatives to promote community health;
  • examines administrative methods utilized by public health agencies and provides guidance for achieving   more effective, more efficient methods of operation;
  • provides detail planning, operation, and evaluation of preventative initiatives addressed at populations;
  • presents views of leaders and practitioners of public health on effective approaches to contemporary issues;
  • examines the role of prevention in a health care delivery system undergoing changes of managed care and health care reform;
  • evaluates methods for collecting and utilizing data to assess and monitor health;
  • explores the use of automated registry and tracking systems in improving public health services including immunization, tuberculosis, and lead poisoning;
  • translates the principles of assessment, policy, and assurance into practical and effective measures to be employed by the public health agency;
  • provides models to guide the implementation of population-based health programs to promote health promoting behaviors, prevent morbidity, or delay mortality;
  • provides information on the development of health indicators to assess community need and guides and evaluates the development of necessary community programs;
  • explores a range of health promotion activities that can be applied to a population base by governmental and non-governmental public health practitioners;
  • details the everyday practice of public health with an emphasis on the most current and feasible approaches.
DESCRIPTIONS AND EXAMPLES OF ARTICLE TYPES

COMMENTARY

Description: In 1500 words or fewer, a commentary is written by one to three experts on a topic and offers a single (or collective) opinion or perspective designed to draw attention to (or contest) a specific article published in JPHMP and may include important takeaways for the field, or appeal for action to be taken, depending on the authors’ position. The opinions presented in a commentary should be supported by the relevant research, but do not require the level of documentation expected in a research article.

Requirements: A commentary does not require an abstract or Implications for Policy & Practice Section, and should not contain more than 1 table or figure, although additional tables/figures as supplemental digital content may be included.

Example: CLICK TO VIEW

EDITORIAL

Description: In 800 or fewer words, an opinion piece, by one or two authors, which does not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or editors, but which nevertheless is presented in a similar fashion. An editorial differs from a commentary not only in length but also in scope, which may often speak more broadly to a series of articles published in JPHMP, or focus on an emerging issue important to the field.

Requirements: An editorial does not require an abstract or Implications for Policy & Practice section, and should not contain a table or figure.

Example: CLICK TO VIEW

PRACTICE FULL REPORT

Description: In 1500 – 3500 words, a report from practitioners, scientists, or policy makers on work which falls outside the scope of traditional research, but which nevertheless depicts promising, large-scale policies and programs relevant to policy makers or practitioners. An article in this format should include data describing the planning, implementation, and/or effectiveness of a policy or program by offering sufficient rigor and transparency to provide actionable evidence. Examples include dissemination and/or implementation of practices, policies, trainings, capacity-building strategies, or workforce development programs with data to support their importance, relevance, acceptability, feasibility, or short-term effectiveness. In rare instances, this format may be appropriate for a narrative review of relevance to the journal’s readership.

Requirements: Practice Full Reports are not required to follow traditional IMRAD formatting, but should instead include an <300-word abstract with headings for context, program or policy, implementation and/or dissemination, evaluation, and discussion. Additionally, JPHMP requires a special heading called Implications for Policy and Practice (see NEW SECTION below) for the four Report formats. Word limit does not include abstract, tables, figures, or references. Submissions may include no more than 5 tables or figures, although additional tables/figures as supplemental digital content may be included. References should be limited to 35.

Tools: How to Write a Practice Full Report (PPT) (Viewed best in Google Chrome)

Guides: Guided Template — CLICK TO VIEW (PDF) / Blank Template — CLICK TO VIEW (DOC)

PRACTICE BRIEF REPORT

Description: A 1000-1500-word report from practitioners, scientists, and policy makers on work which falls outside the scope of traditional research but which nevertheless depicts promising policies and programs that may be small in scale or preliminary in nature. Examples include new practices, policies, trainings, programs, or strategies that are in progress with sufficient data to describe the need or population but with little or no data on its dissemination or adoption. While the practice brief report may lack data to provide actionable evidence, it may still offer context regarding best practices to support the importance, relevance, acceptability, feasibility, or short-term effectiveness of important emerging polices or programs.

Requirements: Practice Brief Reports are not required to follow traditional IMRAD formatting, and should utilize a <150-word unstructured abstract. Additionally, JPHMP requires a special heading called Implications for Policy and Practice (see NEW SECTION below). The word limit does not include the abstract, tables, figures, or references. Submissions may include no more than one table or figure, although additional tables/figures as supplemental digital content may be included. References should be limited to 15.

Tools: How to Write a Practice Brief Report (PPT) (Viewed best in Google Chrome)

Guides: Guided Template — CLICK TO VIEW (PDF) / Blank Template — CLICK TO VIEW (DOC)

RESEARCH FULL REPORT

Description: A 1500-3500-word report of original epidemiological/intervention research or program/policy evaluation.

Requirements: Research Full Reports should follow IMRAD format by including headings for title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion. Articles should utilize the structured abstract format of fewer than 300 words with the following headings: Context (if necessary), Objective, Design, Setting, Participants, Intervention (if applicable), Main Outcome Measure(s), Results, and Conclusions. Additionally, JPHMP requires a special heading called Implications for Policy and Practice (see NEW SECTION below). Word limit does not include abstract, tables, figures, or references. Submissions may include no more than 5 tables or figures, although additional tables/figures as supplemental digital content may be included. References should be limited to 35.

Tools: How to Write a Research Full Report (PPT) (Viewed best in Google Chrome)

Guides: Guided Template — CLICK TO VIEW (PDF) / Blank Template —  CLICK TO VIEW (DOC)

RESEARCH BRIEF REPORT

Description: 1000-1500-word report of a pilot study or evaluation that lacks the rigor of a formal research study (such as a pilot study), or which may otherwise be considered quasi-experimental, lacking comparison groups, etc.

Requirements: Research Brief Reports are not required to follow traditional IMRAD formatting, and should utilize a <150-word unstructured abstract. Additionally, JPHMP requires a special heading called Implications for Policy and Practice (see NEW SECTION below). The word limit does not include the abstract, tables, figures, or references. Submissions may include no more than one table or figure, although additional tables/figures as supplemental digital content may be included. References should be limited to 15.

Tools: How to Write a Research Brief Report (PPT) (Viewed best in Google Chrome)

Guides: Guided Template — CLICK TO VIEW (PDF) / Blank Template — CLICK TO VIEW (DOC)

SYSTEMATIC/NARRATIVE REVIEW

Description: A synthesis of existing studies in 3500 words or fewer, which pertains to community-based interventions or policy implementation of interest to JPHMP readers. Systemic reviews appropriate for JPHMP should provide actionable advice useful for policy makers and practitioners rather than an esoteric summary of the current state of the science. Authors should be very careful in their writing and reporting to ensure that results are clearly described with their  application in the forefront. Special care should be taken to present the results so that an individual lacking advanced statistical training can understand and interpret the findings.

Requirements: Systematic/Narrative Reviews should follow PRISMA guidelines as closely as possible, and utilize the IMRAD format including headings for title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion. Articles should utilize the structured abstract format of fewer than 300 words with the following headings: Context (if necessary), Objective, Design, Eligibility Criteria, Study Selection, Main Outcome Measure(s), Results, and Conclusions. Additionally, JPHMP requires a special heading in the text called Implications for Policy and Practice (see NEW SECTION below). Word limit does not include abstract, tables, figures, or references. Submissions may include no more than 5 tables or figures, although additional tables/figures as supplemental digital content may be included. References should be limited to 60. All reviews should be registered in PROSPERO prior to submission.

Tools: How to Write a Systematic-Narrative Review (PPT) (Viewed best in Google Chrome). See additional resources (Library Guide and Checklist) below.

Guides: Guided Template — CLICK TO VIEW (PDF) / Blank Template — CLICK TO VIEW (DOC)

CASE STUDY

Description: A case study is a 3500-word story with a detailed narrative, written in third person, of actual or realistic events that are unique or particularly interesting, which illustrates a public health administrative problem or crisis and is complete with characters who make decisions and take actions to resolve the situation. There should be a logical plot, if appropriate, that follows the problem to its conclusion with rich learning points for JPHMP readers. The tone of the “story” should be flat, without editorial comment or analytic judgments. Data presented in a case study includes documents, archival materials, interviews, and observations.

Requirements: Case Studies are not required to follow traditional IMRAD formatting and may instead include the following headings: Abstract, Setting for the Case Study, Identification and Ownership of the Problem, Environmental and Market Scan, Directional Strategies Leading to Implementation, Epilogue, and Questions for Readers. Implications for Policy and Practice is not required. Word limit does not include exhibits, tables, figures, or references. Submissions may include no more than 5 tables or figures, although additional tables/figures as supplemental digital content may be included.

Example: CLICK TO VIEW

REPORTING STANDARDS

To maintain standards of quality reporting and to ensure transparency and reproducibility, the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice endorses EQUATOR Reporting Guidelines. Common study types and the appropriate guidelines are listed here:

The EQUATOR Network database contains a comprehensive list. In certain instances, authors may need to follow more than one guideline. The editors also recognize that depending upon the emergent or experimental nature of the work, flexibility of reporting measures may be necessary. In such situations, authors are urged to take as much care as is feasible to adhere to the standard reporting guidelines. For questions, query the editors.

STYLE

Articles published in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice follow the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors, 11th edition. Please adhere to our in-house Manuscript Style Tips.

The following resources may also be useful:
NEW SECTION

Implications for Policy & Practice. For Practice Full Reports, Practice Brief Reports, Research Full Reports, Research Brief Reports, and Systematic Reviews, please provide a summary (100-200 words max) of the Implications for Policy & Practice. These implications may address relevance to the development, adoption, implementation, or evaluation of public health policy or the practice of implementing such public health policies or practices in “real world” settings. The authors should avoid speculation and over-generalization.

Implications for Policy & Practice sections should conform to the following general guidelines:

  • Each article should include a clearly delineated section titled “Implications for Policy & Practice.” This includes a bold heading that introduces the section so it is easily found and should appear in the document after the “Discussion” section but before the “References” section. If there are no direct implications for policy or practice because the article introduces a new research method or conceptual framework, it is still important for the author(s) to identify the relevance of the work to future policy or practice work. Manuscripts that address topics for which this relevance cannot be articulated may not be suitable for the JPHMP.
  • Format the section using bullets (not a paragraph), adhering strictly to 200 or fewer words of text, which are not included in the article’s total word count.
Reporting Race and Ethnicity

JPHMP follows the recommendations of the AMA Manual of Style, which recently updated its guidance on the reporting of race and ethnicity in scientific articles. For more information, read this post.

Read More at the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice