Peer Review Policy

Peer review is how JAHCR earns the trust of the clinicians and researchers who read it, and we try to run it fairly, carefully and openly about our own process.

Type of Peer Review

JAHCR uses double-blind peer review. Authors do not know who reviewed their work, and reviewers do not know whose work they are reading, so that a manuscript is judged on its science alone.

Initial Editorial Screening

The Editor-in-Chief or a handling editor first checks each submission for fit with the journal's scope, originality and compliance with the submission guidelines. Manuscripts that fall short at this stage may be declined without external review, which spares authors a long wait for a predictable outcome.

Plagiarism Screening

Manuscripts that pass screening are checked with iThenticate, in line with our Plagiarism Policy.

Reviewer Assignment

Each manuscript goes to at least two independent reviewers with expertise in HIV medicine, infectious diseases or the relevant specialty. Editors may add a reviewer when the topic calls for it, for example a statistician for a trial or a social scientist for work on stigma.

Review Criteria

  • Originality and scientific significance
  • Soundness of the methods and analysis
  • Clarity of presentation
  • Relevance to the journal's scope
  • Ethical compliance, including approvals and informed consent for research involving people

Editorial Decision

The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision to accept, reject or request revision, guided by the reviewers' reports. When revision is requested, authors send a point-by-point response to each comment.

Timeline

First decisions usually arrive 12–14 weeks after submission, depending on reviewer availability and how much revision is needed.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts and reviewer correspondence are confidential throughout. This carries extra weight in HIV research, where case details can identify people whose status is private.

Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must declare any conflict of interest and decline where one exists, as described in the Conflict of Interest Policy.