Instructions for Authors
EDITORIAL & SUBMISSION POLICIES
Instructions for Authors
Welcome to The Journal of Preventive and Integrated Medicine (JPIM). Please review these comprehensive guidelines prior to manuscript preparation to ensure efficient peer evaluation through our double-blind workflow.
Zero APC (Inaugural Year)
100% free submission and publication for all accepted articles during the inaugural year.
Double-Blind Review
Mutual anonymity between reviewers and authors ensures objective, unbiased appraisal.
Multidisciplinary Scope
Promotive, Preventive, Diagnostic, Curative, Rehabilitative, Forensic & Ethical Medicine.
1. Getting Started & Article Processing Charges (APC)
- Online Submission Portal: All manuscripts must be submitted directly through the official JPIM Open Journal Systems (OJS) portal. Submissions via email, postal mail, or external links will not be considered.
- Author Account & Tracking: First-time contributors must register an account. Authors may log in at any stage to track real-time editorial progress across screening, peer evaluation, copyediting, and production.
- Editorial Inquiries: For portal technical support or pre-submission questions, direct correspondence to the editorial office at editor@jpimjournal.in.
Article Processing Charge (APC) Policy:
To foster equitable global scientific publication, The Journal of Preventive and Integrated Medicine (JPIM) charges zero submission fees and zero Article Processing Charges (Zero APC) during its inaugural year. All accepted manuscripts are published in full open access at zero cost to authors.
Post-Inaugural Period: To ensure long-term sustainability, regular platform maintenance, and continuous editorial development, a nominal APC may be introduced in subsequent years. Any future fee structure will be strictly reviewed by the editorial board and transparently announced on the journal portal well in advance.
To foster equitable global scientific publication, The Journal of Preventive and Integrated Medicine (JPIM) charges zero submission fees and zero Article Processing Charges (Zero APC) during its inaugural year. All accepted manuscripts are published in full open access at zero cost to authors.
Post-Inaugural Period: To ensure long-term sustainability, regular platform maintenance, and continuous editorial development, a nominal APC may be introduced in subsequent years. Any future fee structure will be strictly reviewed by the editorial board and transparently announced on the journal portal well in advance.
2. General Formatting & Typography
Adherence to these baseline layout guidelines ensures readability and facilitates annotation during the peer review process:
- Font & Spacing: 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced throughout all manuscript files, with standard 2.5 cm (1 inch) margins on all sides.
- Text Alignment: Left-aligned text (ragged right margin). Do not justify margins, as left alignment allows cleaner editorial markup and reviewer annotations.
- Line Numbering: Apply continuous line numbering from the title through the references. Continuous line numbering is mandatory to expedite reviewer feedback.
- Page Numbers: Number all pages consecutively, placed in the bottom-right corner of each sheet.
- Language: Standard American English. Spelling and phrasing must remain consistent throughout.
- Headings: Use sentence case for all headings and subheadings (e.g., Materials and methods, Study design and setting).
- Abbreviations: Define all non-standard abbreviations at first mention in the abstract and again upon first mention in the main text. Avoid excessive acronyms.
- Units of Measurement: Use the International System of Units (SI units). Express laboratory parameters in standard metric units.
- Numbers: Use Arabic numerals for measurements, statistical metrics, ages, doses, and percentages (e.g., 5 mg, 14%, n = 42), following journal conventions.
3. Submission File Breakdown & Organization
To maintain absolute integrity in our double-blind peer review system, authors must upload their submission across two separate primary documents:
File 1: Cover Page (Unblinded File)
This unblinded file is visible only to the handling editor and must include:
- Full manuscript title
- Running title (maximum 50 characters including spaces)
- Full names of all authors, highest academic degrees (e.g., MBBS, MD, PhD)
- Institutional affiliations (department, institution, city, state, country)
- ORCID iDs for all contributing authors
- Corresponding author details: full postal address, telephone number, institutional email
- Sources of financial, material, or grant support (with project numbers)
- Conflict of interest declaration
- Author contribution statement (CRediT taxonomy roles)
- Acknowledgements (including institutional or clinical support)
- Compliance statement with applicable EQUATOR reporting guidelines
- Clinical trial registration identifier and registry name (where applicable)
File 2: Blinded Main Manuscript File
This file is sent to external peer reviewers. It must contain zero author names or institutional identifiers:
- Full manuscript title and running title
- Structured abstract (≤250 words)
- 3–5 MeSH Keywords
- Blinded main body text (IMRAD format)
- Anonymized Acknowledgements (omitting specific hospitals, cities, or identifiable faculty)
- References (formatted in Vancouver style)
- Tables (with clear titles and table footnotes)
- Figure legends
- Figures (embedded or uploaded as supplementary high-resolution files)
- Tables and Figures: A maximum of 8 tables and/or figures combined is permitted per manuscript.
4. Manuscript Categories & Word Limits
| Category | Abstract Structure & Word Limit | Word Limit* | Max Refs | Max Figs/Tables | Max Authors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Article | Structured: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions (≤250 words) | 3,000 | 35 | 8 | 8 |
| Review Article (Narrative) | Structured or Unstructured summary (≤250 words) | 3,000 | 50 | 6 | 6 |
| Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis | Structured review format with registration data (≤250 words) | 3,500 | 60 | 8 | 8 |
| Short Communication / Brief Report | Structured (≤200 words) | 1,500 | 20 | 3 | 5 |
| Case Series / Clinical Studies | Structured clinical format (≤200 words) | 1,500 | 20 | 6 | 4 |
| Case Report | Case-specific structured abstract (≤200 words) | 1,200 | 15 | 5 | 4 |
| Letter to the Editor | None | 600 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
*Note: Word limits exclude Title Page, Abstract, Keywords, Declarations, References, Tables, and Figure Legends.
5. Methodological & Reporting Guidelines (EQUATOR Network)
To maximize reproducibility and scientific rigour, authors must prepare their manuscripts according to the relevant international reporting guideline for their study design. Authors must upload the completed checklist as a supplementary file:
| Study Type | Guideline | Checklist Source & Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Randomized Controlled Trials | CONSORT | consort-statement.org |
| Observational Studies (Cohort, Case-Control, Cross-Sectional) | STROBE | strobe-statement.org |
| Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses | PRISMA | prisma-statement.org |
| Diagnostic Accuracy Studies | STARD | equator-network.org/stard |
| Clinical Prediction Models | TRIPOD | tripod-statement.org |
| Qualitative Research | COREQ / SRQR | equator-network.org |
| Case Reports & Case Series | CARE | care-statement.org |
| Animal Preclinical Research | ARRIVE | arriveguidelines.org |
6. Statistical Reporting Standards
Rigorous statistical analysis is paramount for peer review and replication. Authors must adhere to the following standards:
- Methodological Detail: Describe statistical methods with sufficient detail to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data to verify the reported results.
- Effect Sizes & Uncertainty: Quantify findings and present them with appropriate indicators of measurement error or uncertainty, including 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI). Do not rely solely on hypothesis testing.
- Exact P Values: Report exact P values to two or three decimal places (e.g., P = 0.038 or P = 0.002) rather than expressing them as inequalities (e.g., P < 0.05). Express values less than 0.001 as P < 0.001.
- Software Identification: Identify the specific statistical software, environment, and version used (e.g., SPSS version 28.0, R version 4.3.2, Jamovi, or Stata).
- Terminology & Symbols: Explicitly define all statistical abbreviations, symbols, and parameters used in tables and text.
- Significance Thresholds: State the predetermined threshold of significance (α level) used throughout the analyses.
- Missing Data: Explain how missing data were evaluated and handled (e.g., complete case analysis, multiple imputation).
- Confounding: For observational studies, clearly describe the multivariable statistical techniques applied to adjust for known confounders and effect modifiers.
7. Ethical Considerations & Regulatory Compliance
Every manuscript reporting research involving human participants or animals must include a formal Ethics Statement:
- Human Research: State formal approval from a recognized Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC/IRB) in compliance with the ICMR Ethical Guidelines (2017) and the Declaration of Helsinki. The registered protocol approval number must be cited.
- Informed Consent: Explicitly state that informed written consent was obtained from all participants (or parental consent along with child assent for minors).
- Case Reports: Confirm that written informed consent for publication of clinical details and images was obtained from the patient or legal guardian.
- Animal Research: State approval from the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) in full compliance with the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA).
- Clinical Trials: Provide prospective trial registration details from a recognized public registry (e.g., CTRI or ClinicalTrials.gov) with the registered trial ID.
- Ethics Exemption: If institutional ethics approval or informed consent was waived or deemed non-applicable, authors must explicitly state the rationale and cite the official exemption letter.
8. Data Availability & Generative AI Declarations
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy:
Large language models (LLMs) and generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) do not meet the criteria for authorship and must not be listed as authors. Authors using AI-assisted technologies for drafting, literature synthesis, grammar editing, or code creation must disclose the software name, version, and exact scope of use in the Methods or Acknowledgments section. Authors remain exclusively accountable for the scientific integrity, originality, and factual validity of the entire manuscript.
Large language models (LLMs) and generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) do not meet the criteria for authorship and must not be listed as authors. Authors using AI-assisted technologies for drafting, literature synthesis, grammar editing, or code creation must disclose the software name, version, and exact scope of use in the Methods or Acknowledgments section. Authors remain exclusively accountable for the scientific integrity, originality, and factual validity of the entire manuscript.
Mandatory Data Availability Statement:
All manuscripts must include a dedicated Data Availability Statement before the references. Authors must specify whether the supporting data are:
All manuscripts must include a dedicated Data Availability Statement before the references. Authors must specify whether the supporting data are:
- Publicly accessible in a recognized disciplinary repository (with a persistent DOI or accession code).
- Available from the corresponding author upon reasonable academic request.
- Restricted due to institutional, ethical, legal, or patient confidentiality constraints.
9. Standardized Manuscript Template (IMRAD Outline)
Original research manuscripts must be organized according to the following structural outline:
MANUSCRIPT STRUCTURE OUTLINE
• Title: Comprehensive, informative, and indicative of study design
• Running Title: Maximum 50 characters including spaces
• Abstract: Maximum 250 words (Structured: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions)
• Keywords: 3–5 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH terms)
1. INTRODUCTION (Scientific background, rationale, and specific research objectives)
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
• Study design and setting
• Study participants/population
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Study procedures and data collection instruments
• Outcome measures and definitions
• Ethical considerations (IEC approval number and consent statement)
• Statistical analysis (Software, tests, effect sizes, 95% CIs, exact P values)
3. RESULTS (Narrative findings, statistical outcomes, matched tables and figures)
4. DISCUSSION (Key findings, clinical implications, comparison with literature, strengths, and limitations)
5. CONCLUSION (Direct inference answering the study objectives)
BACK MATTER DECLARATIONS:
• DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
• FUNDING STATEMENT
• CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION
• AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS (CRediT statement)
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• REFERENCES (Vancouver style, sequential citation numbers)
• TABLES (Each on a new page with a clear legend)
• FIGURE LEGENDS
• FIGURES (High-resolution, uploaded individually)
• Title: Comprehensive, informative, and indicative of study design
• Running Title: Maximum 50 characters including spaces
• Abstract: Maximum 250 words (Structured: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions)
• Keywords: 3–5 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH terms)
1. INTRODUCTION (Scientific background, rationale, and specific research objectives)
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
• Study design and setting
• Study participants/population
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Study procedures and data collection instruments
• Outcome measures and definitions
• Ethical considerations (IEC approval number and consent statement)
• Statistical analysis (Software, tests, effect sizes, 95% CIs, exact P values)
3. RESULTS (Narrative findings, statistical outcomes, matched tables and figures)
4. DISCUSSION (Key findings, clinical implications, comparison with literature, strengths, and limitations)
5. CONCLUSION (Direct inference answering the study objectives)
BACK MATTER DECLARATIONS:
• DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
• FUNDING STATEMENT
• CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION
• AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS (CRediT statement)
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• REFERENCES (Vancouver style, sequential citation numbers)
• TABLES (Each on a new page with a clear legend)
• FIGURE LEGENDS
• FIGURES (High-resolution, uploaded individually)
10. Reference Formatting (Vancouver Style)
Cite references sequentially in order of appearance using superscript numerals or square brackets [1]. List the first 6 authors followed by et al. Examples:
Journal Article:
Nayak D, Kumar A, Sharma R, Patil S, Rao M, Verma P, et al. Assessment of community-based preventive interventions in rural healthcare centers. Indian J Community Med. 2024;49(2):145–151.
Book:
Park K. Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 27th ed. Jabalpur: Banarsidas Bhanot Publishers; 2023.
Chapter in Edited Book:
Malhotra KC. Epidemiological methods in public health practice. In: Verma IC, editor. Medical Research Methods. 2nd ed. New Delhi: Academic Press; 2021. p. 88–104.
Web Document:
World Health Organization. Global health observatory data repository: Universal health coverage. Geneva: WHO; 2025. Available from: https://www.who.int/data/gho [Accessed 15 Jan 2026].
Nayak D, Kumar A, Sharma R, Patil S, Rao M, Verma P, et al. Assessment of community-based preventive interventions in rural healthcare centers. Indian J Community Med. 2024;49(2):145–151.
Book:
Park K. Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 27th ed. Jabalpur: Banarsidas Bhanot Publishers; 2023.
Chapter in Edited Book:
Malhotra KC. Epidemiological methods in public health practice. In: Verma IC, editor. Medical Research Methods. 2nd ed. New Delhi: Academic Press; 2021. p. 88–104.
Web Document:
World Health Organization. Global health observatory data repository: Universal health coverage. Geneva: WHO; 2025. Available from: https://www.who.int/data/gho [Accessed 15 Jan 2026].
11. Editorial Workflow, Galley Proofs & Open Access Terms
- Double-Blind Appraisal: Submissions undergo double-blind peer review resulting in: Accept, Revisions Required (Minor/Major), Resubmit for Review, or Decline.
- Rebuttal Letter: Revised submissions must include a point-by-point response letter addressing all reviewer comments alongside marked-up (track changes) and clean copies.
- Galley Proofs: Corresponding authors must verify and approve PDF proofs within 48–72 hours. Only layout and typographical corrections are permissible at this stage.
- Licensing & Rights: Published articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), permitting unrestricted reading, distribution, and reuse with mandatory attribution to JPIM as the original venue.
