PREPARING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Article Type

Research Article

Research articles present new research with reportable findings in the field of health economics and outcomes research that may be of interest to a wide audience. Manuscripts should not exceed 5000 words (excluding abstract, tables, figures, and references) and should have no more than six figures and/or tables. Manuscripts of under 2500 words may be considered for Brief Reports (see below).

Methodology

Methodology articles describe a new or updated experimental or computational method, test, or procedure that is descriptive enough to be replicated by other researchers.

Brief Report

Brief reports are appropriate for presenting data from original research that the editors believe will be of interest to many researchers. These reports may extend previously published research, in which case authors must clearly acknowledge any published and unpublished work upon which they are building. Brief reports are limited to 2500 words and three figures and/or tables.

Commentary

Commentaries are invited by a journal editor and are generally not peer-reviewed. They should provide insight or context around: A recent article(s) in the _Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research_; or an issue relevant to the journal’s mission. Commentaries should be no more than 1000 words and 10 references. Typically, Commentaries do not contain figures or tables.

Perspectives

Perspectives are invited by a journal editor. This type of manuscript should explore the existing knowledge on a topic related to _JHEOR’s_ mission in an original and/or thought-provoking way, and/or present substantial ideas for moving this field forward. Perspectives should contain no more than 3000 words and two figures or tables.

Letter to the Editor

Letters are responses to articles published in _JHEOR_ within the last six months. If the author of the published article chooses to comment, then the letter and the response will be published in the same issue of the journal. Letters should contain no more than 1500 words and one figure or table.

Submission Requirements

Manuscript Format

_JHEOR_ accepts submissions in the English language prepared in conformity with the AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition, and the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. | Manuscript Submission Templates | Download Link | | ----------- | ----------- | | Cover Letter | [Download Template](https://columbiadataanalytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Cover-Letter-Template.docx) | | Manuscript | [Download Template](https://columbiadataanalytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Manuscript-Template.docx) | | Title Page | [Download Template](https://columbiadataanalytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Title-Page-Template.docx) | Submissions are not edited for style and language prior to review, but reviewers may recommend rejection if a manuscript is compromised by grammatical errors. Authors are advised to write clearly and simply, and have their article reviewed by colleagues prior to submission. Non-native English speakers may elect to use outside copy-editing services. Submissions must be submitted by an author prepared to take responsibility for the entire review and publication process. _JHEOR_ uses a double-blind review, so do not include the list of authors in the body of the manuscript. The author list is already required in the title page, which is not accessible to reviewers during review. The text of the manuscript should be double-spaced and 12-point standard font. The file types acceptable for submission are .pdf, .doc/docx, .xls/xlsx, .tex, and .zip.

Cover Letter

Authors should submit a cover letter to support the submission request. The letter must outline each of the author’s contributions, declare any potential conflicts of interest, and indicate if the submission is part of a special issue. _JHEOR_ encourages authors to submit two to three potential reviewers for the manuscript within their cover letter. A conflict of interest exists when the interpretation of data or the presentation of information may be influenced by the author’s personal or financial relationship with other people or organizations. Authors must disclose any financial and non-financial conflicts that may cause harm or embarrassment were they to become public after publication. Authors will be required to complete and sign a disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. All declared conflicts of interest will be listed at the end of published articles. Where an author gives no conflicts of interest, the listing will read 'The author(s) declare that they have no conflicts of interest." To give appropriate credit to each author, individual contributions to the manuscript should be specified in the cover letter accompanying the submitted manuscript. _JHEOR_ complies with the recognized ethical standards for publications and authorship, including Section II “Ethical Considerations in the Conduct and Reporting of Research” of the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals, established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. An ‘author’ is someone who made substantive intellectual contributions to a published study:

Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work.
Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
Final approval of the version to be published.
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.

Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content. Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of the research group does not justify authorship. The cover letter should list each author’s contributions using the following format with the author’s initials, using the CRediT taxonomy. All authors must read and approve the final manuscript. Manuscript contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in the acknowledgement section. Contributors to acknowledge include those who provided technical help, writing or editing assistance, or a department chair who provided general support. In addition, please acknowledge anyone who contributed to the manuscript’s conception, design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, or who was involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content but who does not meet the criteria for authorship. Please also include the source(s) of funding for each author and for the manuscript preparation. Authors must describe the role of any funding body in the design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in the writing of the manuscript and in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Please also acknowledge anyone who contributed materials essential for the study. Language editors who made significant revisions should also be acknowledged. Authors should also obtain permissions to acknowledge the participants mentioned in the acknowledgments section. Finally, you may suggest a list of two to three experts in the field who would provide an objective review of the manuscript. You should not include potential reviewers who have published with any of the authors of the manuscript within the past 5 years or are members of the same research institution. Suggested reviewers will be considered alongside potential reviewers recommended by the _JHEOR_ editorial team.

Title Page

The required title page must:

include the title of the manuscript;
list the full names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses for all authors;
indicate the corresponding author and complete contact information;
provide 5-7 keywords representing the main content of the manuscript;
include the manuscript word count (not including title, abstract, acknowledgment, references, tables, and figure legends).

>Title Guidelines: The manuscript title should be specific, descriptive, concise, and comprehensible to readers outside the field. It should include or hint at the research question and should not declare the results of the study. Avoid nonstandard abbreviations. Recommended title length is no more than 20 words or 100 characters.

Main Manuscript Text

Abstract: The abstract of the manuscript should not exceed 350 words. Please minimize the use of abbreviations and do not cite references in the abstract. Abstracts should include the following sections: background, objectives (brief outline of the goals of the study), methods, results, and conclusions. Background: The background section should be written in a manner accessible to researchers without specialized knowledge in the covered area and clearly identify the background to the research and its aims. The section should end with a brief statement of what is being reported in the manuscript. Methods: The methods section should include the design of the study, the type of materials involved, a clear description of all comparisons, and the type of analysis used. Results: The results section should describe the outcome of the study. Data should be presented as concisely as possible and use tables or figures to clearly present data. Discussion: The discussion section should be an interpretation of the results and their significance with reference to existing studies and articles. Conclusions: The main conclusion(s) of the research should be clearly stated and provide an explanation of the importance and relevance. Summary illustrations may be included, but should not provide additional information not already provided in the main manuscript. Abbreviations: Abbreviations should be defined in the text at first use, spelling out the word(s) followed by the abbreviation between brackets. Once defined, the abbreviation may be used throughout the text. References: All references, including URLs, must be numbered consecutively in superscript, in the order in which they are cited in the text, and listed under the reference section, using [AMA 11th citation style](https://libguides.usc.edu/c.php?g=1029472&p=8076397). Each reference must have an individual reference number. If automatic numbering systems are used, the reference numbers must be finalized and the bibliography must be fully formatted before submission. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of citations. Only articles, datasets, and abstracts that have been published or are in press, or are available through public e-print/preprint servers, may be cited. Any in-press articles cited within the references and necessary for the reviewers’ assessment of the manuscript should be made available if requested by the editorial office. Unpublished abstracts, unpublished data, and personal communications should not be included in the reference list, but may be included in the text and referred to as “unpublished observations” or “personal communications” giving the names of the involved researchers. Obtaining permission to quote personal communications and unpublished data from the cited colleagues is the responsibility of the author. Footnotes are not allowed, but endnotes are permitted. Abbreviations follow Index Medicus/MEDLINE. Citations in the reference list should include all named authors, up to the first 6 before adding “et al.” Author Biography: Authors have the option to include a biography with their paper, with information such as MS/PhD degree, past and present positions, research interests, awards, etc. The author biography can be included at the end of the manuscript, in a section heading “Author Biography.”

Figures and Illustrations

Review-quality illustrations and figures can be embedded in the manuscript or added separately. Figures must be numbered in the order they are mentioned and uploaded in this order. A single composite file should be submitted for figures consisting of multiple parts. Acceptable formats for figures and illustrations are .ai, .bmp, .docx, .eps, .jpg, .pdf, .ppt, .psd, and .tif. Please note for manuscripts accepted for publication, authors will be required to upload figures and/or illustrations for the main article as separate files. Additional instructions can be found at this link: Figure and Illustration Formatting Guidelines for Publication. Figure Legends: Figure titles and legends should be included at the end of the manuscript file and not embedded in the image file. For each figure, the following information should be provided: The figure number in sequence, using Arabic numerals, i.e., Figure 1, 2, 3; the short title of the figure (maximum 15 words); and a detailed legend. It is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain permissions to use previously published figures and tables.

Tables

Each table should be numbered and cited in sequence using Arabic numerals, i.e., Table 1, 2, 3. Tables should have a summarizing title at the top, and legends may be descriptive but concise. Tables should always be cited in the manuscript text in consecutive numerical order. Large datasets or tables too wide for a portrait page can be uploaded separately as additional files. Tabular data provided as additional files can be uploaded as an Excel spreadsheet (.xlsx/xls). Smaller tables considered integral to the manuscript can be placed at the end of the manuscript file. These will be typeset and displayed in the final published form if the manuscript is accepted. These tables should be formatted using the ‘Table object’ in a word processing program so the columns of data are aligned when the file is sent electronically for review. This will not always be the case if columns are generated by simply using tabs to separate text. Columns and rows of data should be made visibly distinct by ensuring that the borders of each cell are displayed with black lines. Color and shading may be used and table sections may be highlighted to identify headers and subheaders. It is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain permissions to use previously published figures and tables.

Data Sharing

_JHEOR_ encourages authors to make the data generated by research openly and publicly available upon the publication of their manuscript, wherever legally and ethically possible. We encourage authors to submit as much data as possible, but require authors submit at least the minimum data required to reproduce the results presented in the article. Data should not be shared in any way that could compromise participant anonymity or privacy, and data should not be shared if that would require the authors to break any laws or licensing agreements.

Supplemental Materials

Authors may submit supplemental materials to accompany their manuscript. These supplemental materials may include: datasets, tables or figures that are too wide to fit in the main manuscript; coding; questionnaires; videos; audio files; or other information. Supplemental material should be important to the understanding and interpretation of the manuscript but should not repeat material. The amount of supplemental material should be limited, justified, original, and not previously published. The supplemental material will undergo editorial and peer review with the manuscript.

Graphical Abstracts and Supplemental Summaries

A graphical abstract is a concise visual summary of a research article designed to attract reader interest and convey the paper’s key message. It uses simple visuals, such as symbols, icons, or pictograms, to illustrate the study’s main findings or conceptual framework. _JHEOR_ accepts graphical abstracts for publication as an online supplemental file and/or a social media post. Supplemental graphical abstracts may be submitted as DOC, JPEG, and PDF files. As with other figure files, resolution should be at least 300 dpi. Recommended image dimensions for social media (LinkedIn) posts are as follows: • Size: 1200 X 1200 px • Aspect ratio: 1:1 (square) • Maximum file size: 5MB • File types: PNG, JPEG In addition to these technical requirements, authors should consider the following design elements: • Clarity and simplicity: Use uncluttered visuals that communicate the message quickly. • Minimal text: Limit words to essential labels or short phrases. Images should be as self-explanatory as possible. • Design consistency: Choose a consistent color scheme, style, and font • Readability: Ensure that the elements are legible, even when scaled down • Accessibility: Use high-contrast colors and easily understood graphics. For additional guidance and tips, see: Jambor HK, Bornhauser M (2024). Ten simple rules for designing graphical abstracts. _PLoS Comput Biol._ 20(2): e1011789. ---
EDITORIAL AND PEER REVIEW PROCESS
Once a submission meets technical checks, the manuscript enters a double-blind peer review process. The editors will consider author-suggested reviewers, but they may assign the manuscript to other experts also. Two or more reviewers will evaluate the manuscript in a timely manner and submit their recommendations. Once the reviews are submitted, the Editor considers the reviewer feedback and issues a decision. The authors may be asked to revise the manuscript and resubmit in a timely fashion for re-review. In this case, authors should provide a detailed point-by-point response to the decision letter. Authors will be notified of all editorial decisions by email, but they can also check the status of their paper by accessing their author accounts on the Scholastica journals website. To read more about the journals Editorial and Peer Review Process, see the For Reviewers page. ---
REVISIONS AND ACCEPTANCE

Revised Submissions

Response to the Decision Letter After Peer Review

It is possible that once an author’s manuscript has come back from the peer review process, revisions will be needed. Authors will then have the opportunity to improve their manuscript through the expert insights of the reviewers and the editor.

Manuscript Text

The revised manuscript should be submitted through Scholastica and should be accompanied by a summary of responses to the reviewers' comments. Authors are asked to provide a copy of the manuscript with all changes highlighted, as well as a clean copy that will be used for publication.

Figure File Requirements for Publication

Illustrations and figures must be uploaded as separate files. Each file should include a single illustration and should fit on a single page in portrait format. For figures consisting of multiple parts, a single composite file should be submitted containing all the parts of the figure. See the Figure and Illustration Formatting Guidelines for Publication for additional guidance and file formats for specific types of figures.

Proofs

After the manuscript is accepted, a set of PDF page proofs will be created. The proof should be used to check for omissions or any typesetting and editing errors. Substantive changes by the authors at this stage will require permission from the Editor. Subsequent corrections after approval of the page proofs cannot be guaranteed.

Article Processing Charges

There is no fee to submit an article to _JHEOR_. The submission process is completely free. Manuscripts are subject to a publication fee of $3,950. This fee covers immediate, worldwide open access to the full article text as well as the day-to-day process of developing and maintaining an effective peer review system and publication process. Expedited review within 7-10 days is available at a publication fee of $7,000.00. Accepted manuscripts will not be published until the payment is received.

Publication Fee Waivers

Waivers for the publication fee are available at the editors’ discretion. Authors wishing to apply for these waivers should contact the editors at info@jheor.org. All applications for discretionary waivers must be made at the time of initial manuscript submission. In support of point 1.2 of the Plan S guidelines, authors from low income economies are eligible for waivers of the full publication fee, and authors from lower middle-income economies are eligible for partial waivers. Authors should exhaust all alternative funding sources before applying for a waiver. Waiver requests should include authors’ institutional affiliations, countries of residence, and information on the authors’ attempts at acquiring alternative funding through sources like the authors’ institutions, institutional libraries, government agencies and research funders.

Striking Image

We encourage authors to provide a striking image(s) that can be used to highlight the manuscript if it is published. Image(s) should be in color and should not include labels or text, in landscape format, and be at least 1800 x 900 pixels in size: .png, .tiff. or .jpeg formats are preferred. It is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain permission from the copyright holder to reproduce image(s). Please specify image(s) as “Striking Image” and provide a short description that explains what is shown in the image(s). ---

COPYRIGHT

All articles accepted for publication in _JHEOR_ are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0. Under this Open Access license:

Author(s) grant permission for any third-party to copy, distribute, reuse, or build on the work, even commercially, without permission provided that the original author(s), citation details, and journal are properly identified.
Copyright of articles published by the Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research is retained by the author(s).
Author(s) grant the Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research to identify itself as the original publisher and agree to an Open Access Licensing Agreement to publish the article.

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ARTICLE WITHDRAWAL POLICY

_JHEOR_ recognizes the importance of the integrity and completeness of the scholarly record to researchers and librarians and attaches the highest importance to maintaining trust in the authority of its electronic archive. It is a general principle of scholarly communication that the editor of a learned journal is solely and independently responsible for deciding which articles submitted to the journal shall be published. In making this decision the editor is guided by the policies of the journal’s editorial board and constrained by such legal requirements in force regarding libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. An outcome of this principle is the importance of the scholarly archive as a permanent, historic record of the transactions of scholarship. Articles that have been published shall remain extant, exact and unaltered as far as is possible. However, very occasionally circumstances may arise where an article is published that must later be retracted or even removed. Such actions must not be undertaken lightly and can only occur under exceptional circumstances. The Editorial Board reserves the exclusive right to decide on article withdrawals. Withdrawals of articles after publication will only occur when there are infringements of professional ethical codes, such as multiple submissions, false claims of authorship, plagiarism, and fraudulent use of data. The article will be replaced with a PDF file stating that the article has been retracted. In the event that an author requests a withdrawal after the manuscript has been submitted to _JHEOR_ but prior to publication, the corresponding author of the article should submit a request that is signed by all co-authors of the article explaining the reason for the withdrawal request. In the case of withdrawal before publication, no penalty will be levied against the author(s). However, if the publication fee has already been paid for any article already accepted for publication, then it shall not be refunded to the author(s) in any case. Depending upon the severity of the errors, the author(s) may also be precluded from submitting any other articles to _JHEOR_. If an article is withdrawn after publication, a penalty will be levied against the author and the publication fee will not be refunded to the author(s).

A Characterisation and Profiling of District Health Indicators in Zimbabwe: An Application of Principal Component Analysis in a Data Limited Setting