Author Guidelines

Table of Contents

  1. General Information & Submission Policy
  2. Authorship Criteria
  3. Ethical Guidelines & Declarations
  4. Reporting Guidelines
  5. Manuscript Types & Structural Guidelines
  6. Preparation of Submission Files
  7. Structure of the Main Document
  8. Tables, Figures, and Images
  9. References (AMA Style — 11th Edition)
  10. Final Submission Checklist

1. General Information & Submission Policy

Thank you for choosing Acta Health Scientifica (Acta Health Sci) for your scholarly work. Our journal is dedicated to publishing original, high-impact manuscripts across the broad spectrum of health sciences, exclusively in English. To ensure objective evaluation and maintain the highest standards of scientific integrity, all submissions are subjected to a rigorous double-blind peer-review process.

  • Online Submission (OJS): All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through our Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform, accessible via our official website: www.actahealthsci.com. Submissions delivered via email, postal mail, or by third parties will not be evaluated.
  • Originality and Exclusivity: By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that the work is entirely original, has not been published previously in print or electronic format (in any language), and is not concurrently under consideration for publication elsewhere. Manuscripts presented at scientific meetings may be evaluated provided that the name, date, and location of the meeting are clearly disclosed.
  • Zero-Fee Policy: Acta Health Scientifica strictly adheres to a non-commercial, open-access model. We do not charge any article submission fees, article processing charges (APCs), or publication fees at any stage of the editorial workflow.
  • ICMJE Compliance: Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (www.icmje.org).

2. Authorship Criteria

Authorship confers credit and entails responsibility and accountability for published work. The journal's authorship policy is based on the criteria recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). All listed authors must meet all four of the following criteria:

  • Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data;
  • Drafting the work or critically revising it for important intellectual content;
  • Final approval of the version to be published;
  • Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, including the investigation and resolution of any questions related to its accuracy or integrity.

Individuals who do not meet all four criteria should not be listed as authors. Their contributions should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section with their written permission. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors meet the ICMJE criteria and that no individual who qualifies has been omitted.

3. Ethical Guidelines & Declarations

Ethical rigor is a fundamental pillar of the publication process at Acta Health Scientifica. We strictly adhere to national and international ethical standards, and authors are required to ensure full transparency in their research conduct.

3.1 Ethics Committee Approval

Formal Ethics Committee Approval is mandatory for all research involving human participants, animal subjects, or the use of sensitive patient data (including retrospective archival studies). The full name of the ethics committee, the exact date of approval, and the official decision/issue number must be explicitly stated in both the Methods section of the Main Document and on the Title Page. The original ethics committee approval document must be uploaded as a separate file during submission.

3.2 Declaration of Helsinki & Informed Consent

All human-based research must be conducted in accordance with the principles of the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki. Authors must clearly state in the manuscript that written informed consent was obtained from all participants (or their legal guardians) prior to their inclusion in the study.

3.3 Animal Studies

For experimental research involving animals, authors must declare that the study complies with national and institutional guidelines for the ethical treatment of animals (e.g., the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals). The ethics committee approval for animal studies is equally mandatory.

3.4 Clinical Trial Registration

Acta Health Scientifica adopts the ICMJE's clinical trial registration policy. Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible registry that is a primary register of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) or in ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) at or before the time of first patient enrollment. The name of the registry and the unique registration number must be provided at the end of the abstract and on the Title Page.

3.5 Conflict of Interest

All authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could inappropriately influence the work. This includes financial relationships (employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony), personal relationships, academic competition, or intellectual passion. If no conflict of interest exists, this must also be explicitly stated. Authors must complete and submit the ICMJE Disclosure of Interest Form for each co-author as a separate file during submission. Conflict of interest information is published with accepted manuscripts.

3.6 Sex and Gender Reporting

Authors are encouraged to follow the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines when designing studies and preparing manuscripts. A clear distinction should be made between biological sex and socially constructed gender where relevant. Findings should be disaggregated by sex and/or gender when applicable, and any limitations in this respect should be clearly acknowledged.

3.7 Data Sharing Statement

Authors are encouraged to make the data supporting their findings openly available. A Data Sharing Statement must be included on the Title Page, specifying whether the underlying data are available, where they can be accessed, and under what conditions. If data sharing is not possible, the reasons must be clearly explained.

3.8 ORCID Requirement

To guarantee academic transparency and ensure that scholarly work is accurately attributed, a valid ORCID iD is strictly required for all contributing authors. Submissions lacking the ORCID iD of any co-author cannot proceed to the evaluation stage. Authors may register for a free ORCID iD at www.orcid.org.

4. Reporting Guidelines

To ensure high-quality reporting and reproducibility, Acta Health Scientifica requires authors to follow the appropriate EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines for their specific study design. The relevant checklist must be completed and uploaded as part of the submission package.

To identify the most appropriate guideline for your study, please use the tool available at www.goodreports.org.

5. Manuscript Types & Structural Guidelines

5.1 Original Research Article

Provides new information based on original research. The main text must be structured with Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion subheadings. Statistical analysis must be reported correctly, including precise P values (e.g., P = 0.032 rather than P < 0.05, unless P < 0.001), effect sizes, and 95% confidence intervals where applicable. The abstract must be structured with Objective, Methods, Results, and Conclusion subheadings (maximum 300 words).

5.2 Review Article

Comprehensive analyses of specific topics, written by authors with extensive knowledge and a strong publication record in the field. All review articles undergo peer review before acceptance. The main text can be structured at the author's discretion but must include Introduction and Conclusion sections. The abstract should be unstructured (maximum 300 words).

5.3 Case Report

Prioritizes rare cases, diagnostic challenges, or novel therapies. The text should be structured with Introduction, Case Presentation, and Discussion subheadings. Authors must confirm that written informed consent was obtained from the patient (or guardian) for publication, including any accompanying images. The abstract should be unstructured (maximum 300 words).

5.4 Letter to the Editor

Brief remarks on an article previously published in the journal or observations on a public health issue. The text is unstructured and does not require an abstract. Letters must not exceed 750 words (excluding references) and may include a maximum of 10 references and 1 figure or table. A letter may be signed by no more than 4 authors. Authors of the original article may be invited to respond.

6. Preparation of Submission Files

To ensure a smooth and rigorous double-blind peer-review process, authors must submit their manuscript as separate, clearly labeled files. All necessary template forms can be downloaded from our official website (actahealthsci.com). Submissions failing to separate these documents—particularly those that leave identifying information in the Main Document—will be returned to the authors without undergoing review.

6.1 Title Page (Unblinded)

This is the only document that should contain author details. It must be uploaded as a separate file and include:

  • The full title of the manuscript and a short running title (maximum 50 characters).
  • Full names, highest academic degrees, institutional affiliations (Institution, Faculty, Department, City, Country), and ORCID iDs of all contributing authors.
  • Full contact information for the corresponding author (name, postal address, phone/mobile number, and e-mail address).
  • Details of any funding sources, financial support, or grants.
  • Clinical trial registration number and registry name (if applicable).
  • Ethics committee name, approval date, and decision number.
  • Informed Consent Statement.
  • Data Sharing Statement.
  • Conflict of Interest Statement for all authors.
  • Acknowledgments for individuals who contributed to the study but do not meet the criteria for authorship (their written permission must be confirmed).

6.2 Main Document (Blinded)

This is the core document sent to reviewers. It must not contain any author names, institutional affiliations, or any information that could reveal the authors' identities.

  • Must begin with the full title, followed by the Abstract and Keywords.
  • Must include the structured main text and References.
  • Blinding Check: Ethics committee names, study locations, and Microsoft Word file properties must be thoroughly anonymized before submission (e.g., use placeholders such as [BLINDED] for institutional names).

7. Structure of the Main Document

The Main Document must be formatted using a standard 12-point Times New Roman font, with double spacing and continuous line numbering throughout the document.

7.1 Title

The exact and full title of the manuscript should appear at the very top of the first page.

7.2 Abstract & Keywords

The abstract must not exceed 300 words. For original research, it must be structured (Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion). Following the abstract, provide 3 to 6 keywords selected from the National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) database (www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh).

7.3 Introduction

Briefly establish the scientific background, identify the gap in the current literature, and clearly state the primary objective or hypothesis of the study.

7.4 Methods

Provide sufficient detail to allow other researchers to replicate the study. Include a distinct Statistical Analysis subheading at the end of this section, detailing the software used (name and version), statistical tests applied, and the threshold for statistical significance. Report effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals where applicable. Blinding Reminder: When mentioning ethical approvals or study locations, use placeholders to maintain anonymity (e.g., "Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of [BLINDED] (Decision No: [BLINDED])").

7.5 Results

Present findings logically and objectively. Summarize the most important observations and refer to tables or figures without simply repeating all data from the tables within the text. Provide precise P values (e.g., P = 0.032), effect sizes, and confidence intervals.

7.6 Discussion

Interpret the significance of findings in the context of existing literature. Highlight both the strengths and the limitations of your study. Avoid claiming priority or drawing conclusions that are not fully supported by your data.

7.7 Conclusion

Conclude with a brief paragraph summarizing the main takeaway and the clinical or practical implications of the work. Do not introduce new information or references in this section.

8. Tables, Figures, and Images

8.1 Tables

  • All tables must be editable and created using the Insert Table function in Microsoft Word. Do not paste tables as images.
  • Place all tables sequentially at the very end of the Main Document (after the References).
  • Provide a clear, descriptive title above each table. Any abbreviations or symbols used must be defined in footnotes immediately below the table.

8.2 Figures and Images

  • All figures, charts, and photographs must be uploaded to the OJS system as separate files in JPEG or TIFF format. Do not embed figures into the Main Word document.
  • Minimum acceptable resolution: 300 DPI.
  • Provide a list of figure legends at the very end of the Main Document (after the tables). Explain any symbols, arrows, or abbreviations used.

8.3 Blinding and Patient Privacy

Ensure that no visual materials contain identifying information. For clinical photographs, patient anonymity must be strictly preserved. Remove any institutional logos, names, or patient dates from radiological images and charts. Authors must confirm that written patient consent was obtained for any identifiable clinical images.

9. References (AMA Style — 11th Edition)

Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all references. Acta Health Scientifica utilizes the American Medical Association (AMA) Citation Style, 11th Edition.

  • In-Text Citations: References are numbered consecutively in the order first mentioned. Use superscript Arabic numerals (e.g., 1). Superscript numbers are placed after commas and periods, but before colons and semicolons. Multiple references are separated by commas without spaces (1,4,7); sequential references use a hyphen (2-5).
  • Reference List: Placed at the end of the Main Document, titled References, and ordered numerically.
  • Author Names: Format as Surname AB. List all authors if six or fewer; if seven or more, list the first three followed by et al.
  • Journal Abbreviations: Use Index Medicus/MEDLINE/PubMed abbreviation format. Journal names should be italicized.

Reference Examples

Journal Article: Awad-Igbaria Y, Ben-Menashe A, Sakas R, et al. Novel insight into mitochondrial dysfunction in neuropathic pain. Brain. 2024;148(7):2563-2578. doi:10.1093/brain/awaf044

Whole Book: Riegelman RK, Kirkwood B. Public Health 101: Healthy People—Healthy Populations. 2nd ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2015.

Chapter in a Book: Bliss CM, Wolfe M. Common clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal disease. In: Andreoli TE, Cecil RL, eds. Andreoli and Carpenter's Cecil Essentials of Medicine. 8th ed. Saunders/Elsevier; 2010:382-400.

Epub Ahead of Print: Torres X, Bennasar M, Bautista-Rodríguez C, et al. The heart after surviving twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol. Published online March 26, 2024. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2024.03.049

Website/Online Resource: International Society for Infectious Diseases. ProMED-mail. Accessed December 13, 2024. http://www.promedmail.org

10. Final Submission Checklist

Before clicking Submit on the OJS platform, please confirm compliance with all items below. Submissions failing to meet these criteria will be returned for technical corrections prior to editorial review.

  • The manuscript is completely original, has not been previously published, and is not currently under consideration elsewhere.
  • The submission contains all required files: Cover Letter, Title Page, Main Document (blinded), Author Contribution Form, Copyright Form, Similarity Report, Ethics Committee Approval Document, and ICMJE Conflict of Interest Form for each author.
  • The Title Page includes all authors' full names, highest academic degrees, institutional affiliations, ORCID iDs, and complete contact information for the corresponding author, as well as ethics statement, informed consent, clinical trial registration (if applicable), data sharing statement, and conflict of interest disclosures.
  • The Main Document is thoroughly anonymized. All author names, affiliations, and identifying Microsoft Word file properties have been removed.
  • The Main Document uses 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and continuous line numbering.
  • The abstract does not exceed 300 words and is structured appropriately according to the manuscript type.
  • Authorship: All listed authors meet all four ICMJE authorship criteria.
  • Ethics committee approval details (name, date, decision number) are declared in the Methods section. The original approval document is uploaded as a separate file.
  • Conflict of Interest has been declared by each author via the ICMJE Disclosure Form.
  • For clinical trials: the trial registration number and registry name are provided at the end of the abstract and on the Title Page.
  • Sex/gender considerations have been addressed in study design and reporting where applicable.
  • A Data Sharing Statement is included on the Title Page.
  • The appropriate EQUATOR Network reporting checklist has been completed and uploaded.
  • All citations and the reference list strictly follow AMA Citation Style (11th Edition). In-text citations use superscripted Arabic numerals.
  • The overall similarity index does not exceed 20% (excluding reference list), as verified by a recognized plagiarism detection tool.
  • Tables are editable (created via Insert Table) and placed at the end of the Main Document.
  • All figures/images are uploaded as separate, high-resolution files (JPEG or TIFF, minimum 300 DPI).