Peer-review responsibilities
For reviewers
IJGH reviewers provide confidential, objective and constructive assessments of population, health-system, international and transnational research. Reviewer recommendations are advisory; the authorised editor makes the decision.
Contact the editorial officeBefore accepting an invitation
Accept only when the manuscript is within your subject or methodological competence, you can meet the assignment due date and no conflict prevents impartial review.
Conflicts
Availability
Confidentiality
Co-reviewing
What to evaluate
Scope and contribution
Study design and methods
Results and uncertainty
Interpretation
Ethics and integrity
Reporting
Context and limitations
Write a useful report
- Begin with a concise summary of the question and approach
- Separate major concerns from minor corrections
- Explain why each major concern matters and identify supporting evidence
- Distinguish required changes from optional suggestions
- Comment on limitations and whether conclusions are proportionate
- Use respectful, specific and non-discriminatory language
- Keep confidential comments to the editor factual and necessary
Reviewers recommend; editors decide
Give a recommendation consistent with the report, but do not address the author as though you are issuing the editorial decision. Requested citations must be directly relevant and must not be used to increase citations to the reviewer’s own work.
Confidentiality and responsible tool use
Use the manuscript only for review. Do not retain, distribute or use unpublished information for personal or professional benefit. Do not upload manuscript content, author-response documents or the report to any unapproved externally hosted AI tool or service. AI output cannot replace your independent assessment.
Revised manuscripts
Read the revised manuscript together with the author’s point-by-point response. Check whether the issues from the prior round have been addressed and whether changes create a material new concern. Do not introduce unnecessary new requirements in a later round unless they are needed to correct a newly identified substantive problem.
Research-integrity concerns
Privately alert the editor to suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, image or data manipulation, undisclosed conflicts or participant-protection concerns. Provide the specific basis for the concern. Do not investigate independently or contact authors, institutions or third parties.
Reviewer selection and support
Reviewers are selected for each manuscript based on relevant expertise, independence and availability. An expression of interest does not guarantee selection. Reviewing activity, payment, membership or use of a service confers no advantage in the review or acceptance of a reviewer’s own work and does not automatically lead to an editorial appointment.
Assignment-specific questions should be sent through the editorial system or to [email protected].
Questions about an assignment?
Ask the handling editor or editorial office before accepting or sharing any manuscript information.
Contact the editorial office