About the Journal

Focus, Scope and Objectives

Healthcare in Low-resource Settings is an Open Access, peer-reviewed journal which aims to publish high quality, outcome-based research conducted in or applicable to low-resource settings. Potential topics of interest are also: comparison of different medical procedures in terms of their effects on healthcare resources; education of health professionals in rural areas; strategies to formulate effective health policies in those areas, and guidelines targeted specifically to them; advances in healthcare resource management. Healthcare in Low-resource Settings publishes Research Articles, Reviews (narrative, systematic and meta-analysis), Case Reports, Debate Articles, Short Reports, Letters to the Editor, and Study Protocols. The Journal also publishes thematic issues focusing on a single topic within the scope of the journal. Contextually relevant announcements, book reviews and abstracts from scientific meetings may also be hosted. Every article published in the Journal will be peer-reviewed by experts in the field and decided on by members of the editorial board.

 

Peer review

Introduction

Peer review is applied to all research articles and the majority of other article types published in Healthcare in Low-resource Settings. This entails at least two independent, expert peer reviewers. Letters to the Editor may be subject to peer review at the Editor's discretion.

Policy

All submissions to Healthcare in Low-resource Settings are first checked for completeness (criteria for desk reject are available in the Guide for Authors) before being sent to an Editor, who decides whether they are suitable for peer review. If an Editor is on the author list or has a competing interest in a particular manuscript, another member of the Editorial Board will be assigned to oversee peer review. When making a decision, Editors will consider the peer-reviewed reports, but they will not be bound by the opinions or recommendations contained in them. A single peer reviewer's or the Editor's concern may result in the manuscript being rejected. Peer review reports are sent to authors along with the editorial decision on their manuscript.

At Healthcare in Low-resource Settings papers undergo a single-blind review process - meaning that the reviewers’ identity is not shared with the authors.

Selection

Peer reviewer selection is critical to the publication process. A variety of factors influence it, including expertise, reputation, specific recommendations, conflicts of interest, and previous performance. All of these qualities are highly desirable: speed, thoroughness, sound reasoning, and collegiality.
Before accepting an invitation to review a manuscript, potential peer reviewers should notify the Editor of any potential conflicts of interest. Editors' and peer reviewers' communications contain confidential information that should not be shared with third parties.

The Healthcare in Low-resource Settings  board is committed to making editorial decisions and publishing them as soon as possible, and we believe that an efficient editorial process benefits both our authors and the research community as a whole. As a result, we ask reviewers to respond within the agreed-upon time frame. If reviewers anticipate a delay, we ask that they notify us so that we can keep the authors updated and, if necessary, find alternative solutions.

Diversity and equity

Healthcare in Low-resource Settings is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strives for demographic diversity among peer reviewers. When inviting peer reviewers, editors are encouraged to consider geographical regions, gender identities, racial/ethnic groups, and other groups.

Misconduct

False or misleading information, such as identity theft and suggesting fake peer-reviewers, will result in the manuscript being rejected, further investigation in accordance with the Publisher’s misconduct policy (https://www.pagepress.org/site/plagiarism_misconduct), and notification to the authors' institutions/employers. The Publisher follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance about peer reviewer fraud/falsification.

Guidance

The primary goal of peer review is to provide the Editor with the information needed to make a fair, evidence-based decision that adheres to the journal's editorial criteria. Review reports should also assist authors in revising their paper so that it can be accepted for publication. Reports that include a recommendation to reject the paper should explain the major flaws in the research; this will help the authors prepare their manuscript for possible re-submission (if allowed by the Editor) or submission to a different journal.

A quick guide to reviewing is available here

Before submitting a report, reviewers should ask themselves the following questions:

  • How would you react if you received this report?
  • Do you find the tone offensive?
  • Is it polite and professional?
  • Do the authors or their competitors receive any unnecessary personal or antagonistic remarks?

Please keep in mind that any offensive language in your report may be removed by the Editor.

 


Publication Frequency

All papers are published as soon as they have been accepted, by adding them to the "current" volume's Table of Contents.

 

Open Access Policy

Healthcare in Low-resource Settings is fully compliant with open access mandates and provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

 

Archiving

This journal utilizes the PKP Preservation Network, the Global LOCKSS Network and Portico to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration.

 

Pre- and post-prints

The Publisher allows and encourages authors to deposit both their pre- and post-prints in Open-Access institutional archives or repositories. The primary benefit of pre- and post-print self-archiving is reaching a larger audience, which enhances the visibility and impact of your research.