Author guide · Reporting standards · Submission readiness
Prepare a prevention manuscript for clear editorial assessment
These instructions organize the information JPMC needs to assess scope, methods, ethics, reporting, and the reliability of the conclusions.
Supported article types
Choose the closest category and keep the prevention question explicit. Word ranges apply to the main text and exclude the title page, abstract, references, tables, figure legends, and supplementary material.
| Article type | Indicative length | Core expectation |
|---|---|---|
| Original research | 3,000–6,000 words | A defined study design, transparent analysis, and a prevention-relevant outcome |
| Systematic review | 4,000–8,000 words | A registered or justified protocol, reproducible search, risk-of-bias assessment, and PRISMA reporting |
| Program evaluation | 2,500–5,000 words | Intervention context, implementation, outcomes, limitations, and relevance beyond the immediate setting |
| Brief report | 1,500–2,500 words | A focused question and complete evidence presented concisely |
| Case report | Confirm with the editorial office | A prevention-relevant clinical or community case reported in accordance with CARE |
| Editorial | Invited or pre-approved | A focused, evidence-grounded perspective on a prevention issue within the journal's scope |
Manuscript structure
Use the structure appropriate to the design and make the population, setting, prevention mechanism, outcome, and limitations easy to locate.
Title page and authorship
- Concise title that names the study design when useful.
- All author names, affiliations, ORCID iDs where available, and corresponding-author contact.
- Contributor roles, acknowledgments, funding, funder role, and conflicts of interest.
- Confirmation that every author approved the submission and accepts accountability.
Abstract and keywords
Original research and systematic reviews require a structured abstract of up to 300 words. Program evaluations require a structured abstract of up to 250 words; brief reports use an unstructured abstract of up to 200 words. Case reports should follow the CARE structure; editorial requirements are confirmed before submission. Provide four to six precise keywords.
Main text
- Original research: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions.
- Systematic review: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions, with a reproducible search and risk-of-bias assessment.
- Program evaluation: Context, Program description, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions.
- Brief report: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.
- Case report: CARE-aligned patient or community information, timeline, assessment, intervention, outcome, and discussion.
- Editorial: evidence-grounded introduction, argument, implications, and conclusion; confirm requirements with the editorial office before submission.
End matter
Include data availability, ethics approval, consent, trial or protocol registration, author contributions, funding, conflicts, acknowledgments, preprint or related-work disclosure, and substantive AI-use disclosure.
Reporting, methods, and research ethics
Editors and reviewers need enough information to evaluate validity, reproducibility, participant protection, and the limits of the conclusions.
Reporting guideline
Use the relevant EQUATOR guideline: CONSORT for trials, STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for systematic reviews, CARE for case reports, or an appropriate alternative.
Ethics and consent
Name the approving body and identifier or exemption, describe consent, and obtain publication consent for identifiable information or images.
Statistics
Define outcomes, analysis populations, missing-data handling, effect estimates, uncertainty, model assumptions, multiplicity, sensitivity analyses, and software.
Data availability
State where data, code, or protocols can be accessed, or explain ethical, legal, privacy, or contractual restrictions and the controlled-access route.
Trials and protocols
Interventional clinical trials must be registered at or before the first participant provides consent for enrollment. Report the registry name, registration number, registration date, deviations, and whether analyses were pre-specified or exploratory.
AI assistance
AI tools cannot be authors. Disclose substantive assistance and verify all output; do not place confidential or identifiable information into insecure tools.
Figures, tables, supplements, and references
Manuscript and figures
Submit the manuscript as DOC or DOCX. Submit figures as TIFF, JPEG, PNG, or EPS; use at least 300 dpi for photographs and 600 dpi for line art. Define symbols and abbreviations and obtain third-party permissions.
Tables and limits
Tables must remain editable. Original research may include up to 10 tables and figures combined, systematic reviews up to 12, program evaluations up to 8, and brief reports up to 4. Case-report and editorial limits must be confirmed before submission.
Supplementary files
Label and cite every supplementary file, provide a short description, remove unnecessary identifiers, and use a common readable format. State any specialist software needed. Supplementary material is reviewed with the manuscript.
References
Use Vancouver style and numbered citations in order of first appearance. Reference counts are not fixed, but citations must be relevant, accurate, and proportionate. Examples: Patel R, Lee M. Preventive care delivery. J Prev Med Care. 2026;12(1):1-8. doi:10.0000/example.1. World Health Organization. Prevention in primary care. Geneva: WHO; 2025. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventive services [Internet]. Atlanta: CDC; 2026 [cited 2026 Jul 30]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/
Submission, revision, proofs, and post-publication duties
Submit complete files
Enter consistent metadata in ManuscriptZone and disclose preprints, related submissions, funding, conflicts, ethics, data access, and AI assistance.
Respond to revision requests
Provide a point-by-point response, identify manuscript changes, explain respectfully when a request is not followed, and update declarations where needed.
Review proofs
Check author names, affiliations, article type, tables, figures, equations, DOI, license, funding, and data links. Proofs are for correcting production errors, not redesigning the study.
Protect the record
Notify the editorial office promptly about material errors, authorship issues, undisclosed conflicts, data concerns, or a need for correction after publication.
Final submission checklist
Confirm scope and article type; title-page and author approval; abstract and keywords; reporting checklist; ethics, consent, and trial registration; data availability; funding and conflicts; figures, editable tables, permissions, supplements, and Vancouver references; and a complete cover letter. Use only one submission route for the same manuscript.
Use one route only for the same manuscript. Assisted submission by email is available where the editorial office permits it.
Use the checklist before submitting
A complete, scope-aligned manuscript can be assessed more reliably. Editorial decisions remain independent of the APC and any optional service.
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Care · ISSN 2474-3585 · Aims & Scope · Editorial Policies · APC