Peer Review Policy

The journal Horizonte Sanitario is committed to subjecting all received manuscripts to a rigorous peer review process, ensuring the strict confidentiality of the data, which is shared only with the editors and reviewers involved. This process is governed by the guidelines of the Code of Conduct of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

 Review Procedures

  • Originality Check (Prior to Review): Before the review process begins, all articles are analyzed using the iThenticate program to ensure their originality and prevent plagiarism. A maximum similarity rate of 3% is permitted. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also verified, with a low risk (less than 15%) being accepted.
  • Double-blind System: The process ensures complete anonymity for both authors and reviewers from the time the manuscript is received until the final decision. To maintain anonymity, authors are required to remove any identifying information from the main manuscript file.
  • Assignment and Review: Once the initial screening has been passed, the editor assigns the submission and selects subject matter experts to conduct the review.
  • Ethical Role of Reviewers: Reviewers must express well-founded, objective, and respectful judgments. They are obligated to disclose any conflicts of interest, report potential misconduct by authors, and maintain confidentiality, and must delete the review files after submitting them.
  • Submission of revisions: If reviewers request changes, the author must upload the new revised version to the platform using the same original reference number, in order to preserve the entire review history.

Timelines of the Editorial Process

 The journal is committed to managing the editorial process efficiently:

  • The estimated time between receipt of the article and the first response from the reviewers is 2 weeks.
  • The estimated total time to publication from receipt of the submission is 2 months.

 Review Process

  • Once the reviewers submit their proposals and recommendations, the editor makes an editorial decision.
  • Editorial decisions may consist of accepting, rejecting, or requesting revisions to the articles, and are supported by a report endorsed by the Editorial Board.
  • The decision is based solely on the quality, originality, relevance, and contribution of the document to the advancement of knowledge and public health practice. The Editorial Board has full authority to make these decisions, ensuring a process completely free from interference by sponsors or funders.
  • As part of its vision for scientific advancement, manuscripts presenting inconclusive findings or those lacking statistical significance are not automatically excluded from publication, provided that the reviewers and the committee determine that they contribute to knowledge.