Author information

Journal of Primary Health Care (JPHC) publishes original papers on primary health care in New Zealand (NZ) and around the Pacific rim. Original research, systematic reviews, short reports and improving performance papers all undergo rigorous peer review. Editorials, essays, case reports and letters to the editor are also considered for publication. Detailed guidance for preparation of different types of contribution can be found below.

Instructions for Authors

General Manuscript Preparation

JPHC follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) 'Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication' (http://www.icmje.org/).

Format: Times Roman or Arial font, 12 point, double-spaced, 2.5 cm margins. Please do not justify right margin. Number all pages consecutively starting with the title page.

Style: Use acronyms sparingly. Place abbreviations in brackets after the first appearance of the term in the abstract and again after the first use in the text. Use International System (SI) of units throughout.
Use generic names for drugs. Where a brand name is also used, start with Capital letter. Headings: Use the following hierarchy – BOLD UPPER CASE, Bold, Bold italics, Italics, Underlined.

Title page:
Title
Full names, qualifications, institutions / affiliations of all authors
Correspondence to: Name, postal address and e-mail of the corresponding author. The email address of the corresponding author will be published.

References: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references.

References should be numbered with superscript Arabic numerals in consecutive numerical order of appearance. The reference should be placed immediately after the punctuation mark with no space.
Correct.¹Incorrect. ¹Incorrect¹.

Journal titles should be abbreviated according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) National Library of Medicine’s Citing Medicine. The correct abbreviations can be found at Journals database, on Medline or other similar databases (look at the Abbreviated source under Complete reference for a paper in the journal), on the journal’s own website, or at the Journal Citation Reports at Web of Science if you have access to this. The correct abbreviation for the Journal of Primary Health Care is J Primary Health Care.

References should be formatted according to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ (ICMJE) ‘Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals’ (ICMJE References).

Sample journal reference:

1. Stange KC. The future of family medicine? Reflections from the front lines reveal frustration and opportunity. Ann Fam Med. 2004;2(3):274-7.

Sample book reference:

2. Hobbs R, Arroll B, editors. Cardiovascular Risk Management. United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing;2009.

Sample report reference:

3. Ministry of Health. The Primary Health Care Strategy: Wellington; 2001 February 2001.

Cover Letter

All submissions should include a cover letter. This should inform the Editor of any special considerations regarding your submission, including but not limited to:

Type of paper being submitted: Original research (quantitative, qualitative, systematic review or meta-analysis, short or case report, improving performance paper) editorial, essay, case report or letter to the editor.
Related papers: Details of related papers published or submitted for publication.
Previous reviews: Details of previous reviews of the submitted article. Previous editors' and reviewers' comments may be submitted as a supplementary file along with your responses to those comments. We encourage authors to submit these previous communications. Doing so may expedite the review process.
Duplicate publications: Confirmation that neither this submitted paper nor any work which substantially presents the same material is under review, has been accepted, or has been published by another journal, website, or other publication medium.
Authorship criteria: Confirmation that all named authors meet the three criteria (1) substantial contributions to conception and design and /or analysis and interpretation of data, (2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content and (3) final approval of the version to be published.
Ethical approval: If ethics committee approval was required, please state the name and location of the approving committee and reference number of approval. See NZ Health and Disability Ethics Committees Guidance on ethical research and review. If ethical approval was wavered please state.
Patient consent: If a patient may be identified (or can identify themselves), we require written informed consent (Patient Consent Form) from the patient for publication.
Licence to publish: Please include the following statement: "I/we assign, transfer and convey all rights, title and interest in the work, including copyright ownership, to JPHC in the event that this work is published by JPHC and understand that all accepted manuscripts may not be published elsewhere without prior written permission from JPHC."
Word counts: Please state the word count of the main text excluding title page, references, figures and tables, the word count of the abstract and the number of tables and figures.

Please download Template for the Cover Letter

Original Research Papers

General instructions for all scientific papers

Structured abstract: Follow specific instructions for quantitative, qualitative, systemic review or improving performance papers below.

Keywords: Up to six keywords or phrases suitable for use in an index (recommended to use MeSH terms). Consider including some or all of your key words in your title and / or abstract.

What gap this fills: What we already know: Please summarise in two short sentences what was already known about the topic.
What this study adds: Two short sentences about what your work has added to the body of knowledge, with particular relevance to primary health care practitioners.

Main text: Follow specific instructions for quantitative, qualitative or systemic review papers below. Short reports follow the format appropriate for the method.

Tables: Information should not be duplicated in both text and tables. Tables capture information concisely, and display it efficiently; they also provide information at any desired level of detail and precision. Including data in tables rather than text should reduce the length of the text. Be sure that each table is cited in the text. Number tables consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text and supply a brief title for each. Please provide Tables after the text. Each Table on a separate paper. Provide Tables in Word, not as inserted objects. Do not use internal horizontal or vertical lines. Give each column a short or abbreviated heading. Place explanations in footnotes, not in the heading. Explain in footnotes all non-standard abbreviations.

For footnotes use the following symbols, in sequence: *, §, † ‡, ||, **, ‡‡, ††

Identify statistical measures of variations, such as standard deviations and standard errors of the mean.

Figures or illustrations: Use figures when pictures can convey more than words and numbers. Graphs, charts and line drawings should be clean, sharp and of high standard of reproduction. If possible please include the data sheets used to generate the Figures or chart – this can assist in reproducing them during typesetting. Photographs must be of a professional standard, show clear detail, and should be submitted in digital (jpg) format.

References: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references.

Sample journal reference:

1. Stange KC. The future of family medicine? Reflections from the front lines reveal frustration and opportunity. Ann Fam Med. 2004;2(3):274-7.

Sample book reference:

2. Hobbs R, Arroll B, editors. Cardiovascular Risk Management. United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing;2009.

Sample report reference:

3. Ministry of Health. The Primary Health Care Strategy: Wellington; 2001 February 2001.

Acknowledgements: Acknowledgement should be made of those who do not meet the criteria for authorship but who have made contribution to the design, data collection or manuscript preparation.

Funding: Acknowledge the sources of funding and material support for your research.

Competing interests: All authors are to declare all potential, perceived, or real competing interests. If an author has no potential conflicts, please state.

“Conflict of interest exists when an author (or the author's institution), reviewer, or editor has financial or personal relationships that inappropriately influence (bias) his or her actions (such relationships are also known as dual commitments, competing interests, or competing loyalties). These relationships vary from those with negligible potential to those with great potential to influence judgment, and not all relationships represent true conflict of interest. The potential for conflict of interest can exist whether or not an individual believes that the relationship affects his or her scientific judgment. Financial relationships (such as employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony) are the most easily identifiable conflicts of interest and the most likely to undermine the credibility of the journal, the authors, and of science itself. However, conflicts can occur for other reasons, such as personal relationships, academic competition, and intellectual passion.”
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors ("Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals") — February 2006

Appendices: Material that is not essential to the article, but is useful to some readers, may be published in appendices. Examples include detailed quotations from qualitative studies, supplemental tables, and research instruments. Appendices should be referred to in the main text and must conform to the same standards and style as the body of the article. Appendices are usually only published online but may be published in print at the editor’s discretion. Identify appendices and submit with the manuscript. Prepare lengthy appendices as one or more separate electronic files.

Quantitative Research

Please download the Template for quantitative papers. Please delete the instructions in Italics and between <and>.

Maximum word count: 2500 words (excluding Title page, Abstract, Tables, Acknowledgements and References)

Abstract: Should have the sub-headings Introduction, Aim, Methods, Results, Discussion (Max 250 words).

Main text: Original research papers should follow the “IMRAD” structure: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Relevant sub-headings may be used.

Introduction: A clear succinct review of current knowledge on the topic to provide a context or background for the study – for example the nature and significant of the problem or gap in knowledge to be addressed. The final paragraph should contain the study aim with both primary and secondary objectives of the work.

Methods: Describe the study design, setting, study population, inclusion and exclusion criteria, how outcomes were measured and the method used for analysis. Research projects involving human participants should include a statement indicating that the project has received ethical approval, or an exemption from an ethics committee.

Results: This section presents the study findings. Include absolute numbers as well as percentages, and provide indicators of measure of uncertainty or error, such as confident intervals, as well as P values. Do not duplicate in the text all the data in tables or figures but summarise the key findings.

Discussion: Summarise the main findings and interpret them in the context of previous relevant studies. State the strengths and limitations of the research and discuss the implication of the findings with respect to practice, policy or future research.

For specific types of studies, please follow the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) Statement Website recommendations http://www.consort-statement.org/

Randomised controlled trial – CONSORT - CONSORT STATEMENT
Studies of diagnostic accuracy – STARD – STARD STATEMENT
Observational studies in epidemiology – STROBE - STROBE STATEMENT

Qualitative Research

Please download the Template for qualitative papers. Please delete the instructions in Italics and between <and>.

Maximum word count: Maximum word count: 3500 words (excluding Title page, Abstract, Tables, Acknowledgements and References)

Abstract: Should have the sub-headings Introduction, Methods, Findings, Conclusion.

Main Text: Original research papers should use the following headings: Introduction, Methods, Findings and Discussion.

Method: Provide concise details of the data generation and analytic processes used and how the validity and trustworthiness of findings were established. Research projects involving human participants should include a statement indicating that the project has received ethical approval, or an exemption from an ethics committee.

Findings: Include sufficient quotes to support the conclusions, numbered to indicate the respondent. These can either be inserted in the text (in italics and indented), or presented in table form with themes and sub-themes illustrated by appropriate quotes.

Discussion: This should reiterate the principal findings, explain why these are important, comment on methodological strengths and weaknesses of the study, and provide an overall conclusion that is supported by the data found in the study.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Maximum word count: 3000 words (excluding Title page, Abstract, Tables, Acknowledgements and References)

Authors of systematic reviews and meta-analyses are encouraged to use the PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) which replaces the QUOROM (Quality Of Reporting Of Meta-analyses) and MOOSE (Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology). For further information including the check-list and flow diagram please see www.prisma-statement.org.

The Abstract and Main Text should follow the same structure as for quantitative research.

Short Reports

Short reports (1000-1500 words) will be considered in cases where the data do not warrant publication as a full paper – such as studies with small sample sizes, student work, pilot or feasibility studies. These must provide sufficient information and follow the same structure to allow for the same stringent peer review given other submissions.

Improving performance

These articles may cover any aspect of performance improvement in primary health care including health promotion, prevention and clinical interventions and programmes. These evaluations or audits should usually present evidence to indicate that a problem of quality of practice may exist, suggest indications for changes in practice, or contribute towards defining standards or developing measures of outcome. We wish to encourage submissions from practices, Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) and other organisations of audits and details of your programmes and other initiatives that you consider to be contributions to new knowledge. These include both activities that have been successful and those that have not. Sharing this learning allows us to learn from each other and avoid duplication. Such submissions will be peer-reviewed but under different criteria from full research articles.

Maximum word count: 2000 words (excluding title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements and contributions and the references)

Please follow instructions for original papers with respect to title, key words, what gap this fills, acknowledgements, funding and references.

Please download the Template for improving performance papers. Please delete the instructions in italics between < and >.

Structured abstract: Background and context, Assessment of problem, Results, Strategies for improvement, Lessons. Maximum word count 250

Main text: Performance improvement papers should follow the structure used by Quality and Safety in Health Care published by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd:

Background

Outline of problem, eg.
1. What was the problem that was identified for study (problem definition)?
2. How was it identified?
3. Why was it a priority?
4. What were the stated objectives of audit?
Outline of context (local and wider), eg
1. Relevant details of local hospital/practice, etc
2. Local internal organisation and structures relevant to the problem
3. Wider context of the problem
4. Staffing arrangements such as how staff work together

Assessment of problems

Detail of the approach taken with justification, eg
1. Criteria based audit/critical incident/routine monitoring/TQM tools and techniques.
Criteria, standards or guidelines developed, eg
1. Who set them and how they were developed?
2. Were they considered ideal or realistic?
Measurement of problem, eg
1. How was this done?
2. Who did the assessment?
3. How was it analysed?

Results of assessment / measurement

How results were used to understand the problem, eg
1. How results were put into local context
2. Implications for improving the quality of care
3. Implications for change

Strategies for quality improvement/change

Feeding back information to relevant staff, eg
1. How this was done?
2. Why was this approach chosen?
3. Who was included?
4. What was their responses?
Mechanism for change, eg
1. What course of action was taken and why?
2. Was this justified by the results and context?
3. Discussion of ease of change versus likely effectiveness
4. Who was/would be affected by change

Lessons and messages

What changes occurred?
If changes did not occur - why not?
What were the benefits of patients?
Lessons and messages - for your organisation
Lessons and messages - for other organisations
Were benefits sustained?

Case reports

We will consider publishing reports of cases that raise interesting diagnostic or management issues, stimulate debate, address areas of uncertainty or controversy or present ethical concerns. Maximum word length is 800 words and photographs can be included. If your patients may be identifiable despite their names not being attached, then please have them sign a Patient Consent Form. Patient Consent Form

Other sections of the Journal

Editorials

Editorials are commentaries and statements of informed opinion. They are usually commissioned by the Editor although unsolicited editorials are also considered. Authors considering submitting an editorial should discuss this with the editor (editor@rnzcgp.org.nz) prior to preparation. We also welcome suggestions for topics we could cover in our editorials.

Back To Back

This section is designed to stimulate debate with two professionals presenting their opposing views regarding a clinical, ethical or political issue. In general these pieces are commissioned by the Editor but readers are welcome to suggest topics for debate. Maximum word count 1000 plus eight references.

Essays

Essays include perspectives (present a specific point of view), discussions (explore a new idea) and reflections that explore areas of uncertainty, of ethics, of aspects of care for which there is no one right answer. These may include accounts of personal experience. Essays should be short and pithy with a clear and focussed message. Maximum count usually 1500 words.

Abstracts for essays are unstructured. The problem or purpose should be stated followed by the major points, with one or two sentences in conclusion. Maximum length 150 words.

Letters to the Editor

Letters can be used to respond to published papers, briefly report original research or case reports, or raise matters of interest relevant to primary care health care. The best letters are succinct and stimulating. Maximum word count 400 words.

Gems

Gems are short summaries of primary health care research that is conducted in NZ by New Zealand researchers but published in journals other than the JPHC, either nationally or internationally. Authors who wish to have their research featured in Gems are asked to submit a 100 word précis of their paper (not the Abstract) along with the full reference details and the email address of the corresponding author. Please submit to editor@rnzcgp.org.nz.

Submission of Papers

Please submit all manuscripts as word document attachments to editor@rnzcgp.org.nz. Submissions should include the accompanying covering letter either in the body of the email or as an attached document.