Authors

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health adheres to the highest standards concerning its editorial policies on publication ethics, scientific misconduct, consent and peer review criteria. To view all BMJ Journal policies please refer to the BMJ Author Hub policies page.

More information on copyright and authors’ rights.

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health is a Plan S compliant Transformative Journal. Transformative Journals are one of the compliance routes offered by cOAlition S funders, such as Wellcome, WHO and UKRI. Find out more about Transformative Journals and Plan S compliance on our Author Hub.

Articles are published under an exclusive licence or non-exclusive licence for UK Crown employees or where BMJ has agreed CC BY applies. For US Federal Government officers or employees acting as part of their official duties, the terms are as stated in accordance with our licence terms. Authors or their employers retain copyright. Open access articles can be reused under the terms of the relevant Creative Commons licence to facilitate reuse of the content; please refer to the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health Author Licence for the applicable Creative Commons licences".

When publishing in Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, authors choose between three licence types – exclusive licence granted to BMJ, CC-BY-NC and CC-BY (Creative Commons open access licences require payment of an article processing charge). As an author you may wish to post your article in an institutional or subject repository, or on a scientific social sharing network. You may also link your published article to your preprint (if applicable). What you can do with your article, without seeking permission, depends on the licence you have chosen and the version of your article. Please refer to the BMJ author self archiving and permissions policies page for more information.

Preprints foster openness, accessibility and collaboration by allowing authors to make their findings immediately available to the research community and receive feedback on an article before it is submitted to a journal for formal publication. BMJ fully supports and encourages the archiving of preprints in any recognised, not-for-profit server such as medRxiv. BMJ does not consider the posting of an article in a dedicated preprint repository to be prior publication.

Preprints are reports of work that have not been peer-reviewed; Preprints should therefore not be used to guide clinical practice, health-related behaviour or health policy. For more information, please refer to our Preprint policy page.

Articles submitted to Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health are subject to peer review. In most instances we aim for two external opinions (and often additional statistical assessment) for reasons of fairness and science. The journal is not prepared to compromise on this stance. The journal operates single anonymised peer review whereby the names of the reviewers are hidden from the author; Manuscripts authored by a member of a journal’s editorial team are independently peer reviewed; an editor will have no input or influence on the peer review process or publication decision for their own article. For more information on what to expect during the peer review process please refer to BMJ Author Hub – the peer review process. BMJ requests that all reviewers adhere to a set of basic principles and standards during the peer-review process in research publication; these are based on the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. Please refer to our peer review terms and conditions policy page.

BMJ is committed to transparency. Every article we publish includes a description of its provenance (commissioned or not commissioned) and whether it was internally or externally peer reviewed. During the submission process, authors must not suggest reviewers who are current or recent colleagues of themselves or their co-authors. For more information about suggesting reviewers please visit our Author Hub. Plagiarism is the appropriation of the language, ideas or thoughts of another without crediting their true source and representation of them as one’s own original work. BMJ is a member of CrossCheck by CrossRef and iThenticate. iThenticate is a plagiarism screening service that verifies the originality of content submitted before publication. BMJ runs manuscripts through iThenticate during the peer review process. Authors, researchers and freelancers can also use iThenticate to screen their work before submission by visiting www.ithenticate.com.

BMJ is committed to ensuring that all good quality research is published. Our article transfer service helps authors find the best journal for their research while providing an easy and smooth publication process. If authors agree to transfer their manuscript, all versions, supplementary files and peer reviewer comments are automatically transferred; there is no need to resubmit or reformat. Authors who submit to the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health and are rejected will be offered the option of transferring to another BMJ Journal, such as BMJ Public Health or BMJ Open.

Please note that the article transfer service does not guarantee acceptance but you should receive a quicker initial decision on your manuscript. Contact the Transfer Editor at transfers@bmj.com

During submission, authors can choose to have their article published open access for 3,410 GBP (exclusive of VAT for UK and EU authors). Publishing open access has multiple benefits including wider reach, faster impact and increased citation and usage. Authors can also choose to publish their article in colour for the print edition - instead of the default option of black and white - for 460 GBP. There are no submission, page or online-only colour figure charges.

If authors choose to publish their article open access, an APC waiver may be available. Before applying for an APC waiver please consider: (1) Does your institution have an open access agreement with BMJ? If it does, then this may cover all or part of the APC for your article. Check BMJ’s open access agreements page to find out whether your institution is a member and what discounts you may be entitled to. (2) Have you received funding from a funder with an open access mandate or policy that covers paying APCs? If so, BMJ expects that the APC will be paid in full. If neither (1) nor (2) above apply then consider (3) Are all the authors of your article based in low-income countries*? If so, you are eligible to apply for a full or partial waiver from BMJ. Visit our author hub to learn more about our waivers policy and how to request one.

Please note that regardless of the funding situation, authors can still choose to publish with us at no cost, and articles will be made available to our subscribers. *This list is reviewed annually and is based upon HINARI Core Offer Groups A and B, and the World Bank Country and Lending Groups.

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health mandates ORCID iDs for the submitting author at the time of article submission; co-authors and reviewers are strongly encouraged to also connect their ScholarOne accounts to ORCID. We strongly believe that the increased use and integration of ORCID iDs will be beneficial for the whole research community.

Please find more information about ORCID and BMJ’s policy on our Author Hub.

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health adheres to BMJ's Tier 3 data policy. We strongly encourage that data generated by your research that supports your article be made available as soon as possible, wherever legally and ethically possible. All research articles must contain a Data Availability Statement. For more information and FAQs, please see BMJ's full Data Sharing Policy page.

A rapid response is a moderated but not peer reviewed online response to a published article in Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health; it will not receive a DOI and will not be indexed. Find out more about responses and how to submit a response.

Please review the below article type specifications including the required article lengths, illustrations, table limits and reference counts. The word count excludes the title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements, contributions and references. Manuscripts should be as succinct as possible. For further support when making your submission please refer to the resources available on the BMJ Author Hub. Here you will find information on writing and formatting your research through to the peer review process.

You may also wish to use the language editing and translation services provided by BMJ Author Services.

Editorials are usually commissioned, but we are happy to consider and peer review unsolicited editorials on any relevant topic.

Word count: up to 1200 words Tables/Illustrations: 1 References: up to 12 references

Critical analysis of an article published in the journal, always commissioned by the editors.Readers that wish to comment on a published article may do so via submission of a Letter to the Editor or an eLetter. Word count: up to 800 words References: up to 12 references

Manuscripts reporting results of original research should follow the IMRaD style (Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion) and should have a structured abstract (Background, Methods, Results and Conclusion). All research on human subjects must have been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and must have conformed to the principles embodied in the Declaration of Helsinki (see Ethics Approval for more guidelines). A statement to this effect must be included in the methods section of the paper. Systematic reviews, meta analyses, rapid and scoping reviews should be submitted as Original research. Other review type articles should be submitted as either an Essay or Research Agenda article. Reviews should be prepared in strict compliance with MOOSE or PRISMA guidelines or with Cochrane’s complementary guidelines for systematic reviews of health promotion and public health interventions. The journal encourages authors to use alternative databases covering scientific literature from low- and middle-income countries not indexed in the traditional international databases (ie, Medline, Web of Science).

Word count: up to 3000 words Abstract: maximum of 250 words (Background, Methods, Results and Conclusion) Tables/Illustrations: up to 5 References: up to 40 Please include the key messages of your article after your abstract using the following headings. This section should be no more than 3-5 sentences and should be distinct from the abstract; be succinct, specific and accurate.

• What is already known on this topic - summarise the state of scientific knowledge on this subject before you did your study and why this study needed to be done
• What this study adds - summarise what we now know as a result of this study that we did not know before
• How this study might affect research, practice or policy - summarise the implications of this study

This will be published as a summary box after the abstract in the final published article.

Manuscripts reporting initial results of innovative research that deserve immediate dissemination before finalisation. The section must not be used to present a poorly elaborated research report. Short Reports should follow the IMRaD style (Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion) and should have a structured abstract (Background, Methods, Results and Conclusion). All research on human subjects must have been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and must have conformed to the principles embodied in the Declaration of Helsinki (see Ethics Approval for more guidelines). A statement to this effect must be included in the methods section of the paper. Manuscripts should include a box offering a thumbnail sketch of what is already known and what your paper adds to the literature (see Research Reports).

Word count: up to 1500 words Structured Abstract: up to 200 words Tables/Illustrations: up to 2 References: up to 20

The Editors believe that we should be publishing more work from the field and the front line. The laboratory for public health is to be found largely in the community itself. We need to learn the lessons from practitioners. The late Professor Geoffrey Rose spoke of the need for a clean mind and dirty hands. We want contributions from those with dirty hands, but they need to make sense to those with clean minds. They should include a box offering a thumbnail sketch of what is already known and what your paper adds to the literature, for readers who would like an overview without reading the whole paper. It should be as different as possible from the text in the Abstract, brief and schematic. The use of abbreviations should be avoided. It should include the following information: What is already known on this subject? In two or three sentences explain what the state of scientific knowledge was in this area before you did your study and why this study needed to be done. Be clear and specific What this study adds? Give a simple answer to the question "What do we now know as a result of this study that we did not know before?". Be brief, succinct, specific, and accurate. You might use the last sentence to summarise any implications for practice, research, policy, or public health. Policy implications Explain how your results could support the implementation of policies directed to solve the problem you are dealing with in your manuscript.

Word count: up to 3000 words Abstract: up to 250 words (Background, Methods, Results and Conclusion) Tables/Illustrations: 5 References: up to 40

Manuscripts reporting novel methods or conceptual frameworks relevant to investigation of epidemiological or public health research problems. When possible they must follow the IMRaD style (Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion). The abstract may be structured or unstructured according to the characteristics of the manuscript.

Word count: up to 3000 words Abstract: up to 250 words Tables/Illustrations: up to 5 References: up to 40 Please include the key messages of your article after your abstract using the following headings. This section should be no more than 3-5 sentences and should be distinct from the abstract; be succinct, specific and accurate.

• What is already known on this topic - summarise the state of scientific knowledge on this subject before you did your study and why this study needed to be done
• What this study adds - summarise what we now know as a result of this study that we did not know before
• How this study might affect research, practice or policy - summarise the implications of this study

This will be published as a summary box after the abstract in the final published article.

Manuscripts reporting analytic, interpretative or critical point of views and scientific arguments about a subject relevant for epidemiology or public health. Essays are commissioned by the editors. There is no fixed style, but submissions should aim to demonstrate clearly the messages from the issue under consideration. The abstract may be structured or unstructured according to the characteristics of the manuscript.

Word count: up to 3000 words Abstract: up to 250 words Tables/Illustrations: up to 5 References: up to 50

Manuscripts containing definitions of relevant terms in a defined field of epidemiology or public health, mostly commissioned by the editors but we are happy to consider unsolicited editorials. Definitions should be as clear as possible and intelligible to non-specialist audiences. They should aim to cover the needs of such readers and contribute to the wider requirement for standardised concepts in our discipline. Longer glossaries may be considered but of a length publishable in a maximum of two parts. For a full description of the aims and contents of the Glossaries in the journal, see: "A call for glossaries in public health" (J Epidemiol Community Health 2000;54:561).

Word count: up to 3000 words Abstract: should not exceed 150 words References: up to 50

A group of manuscripts aimed at stimulating new thoughts on theoretical, methodological and applied questions related to public health and epidemiology. These manuscripts could be about an Essay (or eventually other article type) or about a question posed by the Editors. While they are always commissioned, the editors welcome idea on topics for debate suggested by our readers and authors.

Word count: up to 1500 words Abstract: up to 150 words Tables/Illustrations: 1 References: up to 15

Manuscripts aimed at presenting useful background information on topical problems in public health and epidemiological research and providing readers with a summary of what it is necessary to know, a type of "objectives for future studies". Ideally, authors of the Research Agenda section should present ideas and hypotheses that they are willing to share with others. Voluntary sharing of hypotheses and new research ideas in public health and epidemiology could stimulate creativity, innovation and useful research and also contribute to the shaping of the research agenda. For more information on the aims and contents of the Research Agenda, see: "Sharing hypotheses and ideas in public health research: contributing to the research agenda" (J Epidemiol Community Health 2007;61:2-4).

Word count: up to 1500 words Abstract: up to 150 words Tables/Illustrations/Box: up to 2 References: up to 30

Speakers' Corner is an opportunity for readers to get things off their chests. We welcome provocative, outspoken and stimulating contributions - preferably rooted in reality. The idea is to have a more flexible place in which authors freely give their opinions on public health or epidemiological matters without the academic constrictions of other sections of the journal. For more information see "More opportunities for your opinions: The JECH speaker's corner" (J Epidemiol Community Health 2001;55:217).

Word count: up to 800 words Tables/Illustrations: none References: up to 10

A section in which images (ie, photographs) will be more prominent than text, in contrast with the usual papers we publish. In doing this we want to use the advantages of images over words in triggering evocations and in reflecting on aspects of human health. The submission must include a title, the image and a text of no more than 200 words. Please note that we will require you to provide written consent from any person who appears in a photograph you submit. For a full description of the aims and contents of the Gallery, see "The JECH Gallery: a call for public health photographs" (J Epidemiol Community Health 2000;54:801).

Word count: up to 200 words Tables/Illustrations: 1

Letters are expected to include original data or substantiated comments or criticism arising from recent articles published in the journal.

Word count: up to 400 words Tables/Illustrations: 1 References: up to 5

Obituaries are usually commissioned, but we are happy to consider and review unsolicited obituaries. We also welcome good quality photographs for this section.

Word count: up to 250 words Tables/Illustrations: 1

Story-telling is one of the most powerful ways of communicating experience and motivating people to change practice. If you have an aphorism or a story which deserves wider broadcasting, the Editors would be delighted to receive it. Keep it short and pithy and try not to cover too many points at once.

Word count: up to 200 words Tables/Illustrations: 1 References: up to 5

The BMJ Publishing Group journals are willing to consider publishing supplements to regular issues. Supplement proposals may be made at the request of:

• The journal editor, an editorial board member or a learned society may wish to organise a meeting, sponsorship may be sought and the proceedings published as a supplement.
• The journal editor, editorial board member or learned society may wish to commission a supplement on a particular theme or topic. Again, sponsorship may be sought.
• BMJ itself may have proposals for supplements where sponsorship may be necessary.
• A sponsoring organisation, often a pharmaceutical company or a charitable foundation, that wishes to arrange a meeting, the proceedings of which will be published as a supplement.

In all cases, it is vital that the journal's integrity, independence and academic reputation is not compromised in any way. For further information on criteria that must be fulfilled, download the supplements guidelines.

When contacting us regarding a potential supplement, please include as much of the information below as possible.

• Journal in which you would like the supplement published
• Title of supplement and/or meeting on which it is based
• Date of meeting on which it is based
• Proposed table of contents with provisional article titles and proposed authors
• An indication of whether authors have agreed to participate
• Sponsor information including any relevant deadlines
• An indication of the expected length of each paper Guest Editor proposals if appropriate