Submissions

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Author Guidelines

Focus and Scope

Middle-East Journal of Non-Communicable Diseases (MEJ-NCD) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing knowledge in the prevention, management, and policy aspects of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) within the Middle East region and globally. The journal publishes high-quality original research and scholarly articles that enhance understanding, inform clinical practice, influence public health policies, and support multidisciplinary efforts to reduce the burden of NCDs.

MEJ-NCD covers a broad spectrum of NCD-related topics including but not limited to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, metabolic disorders, mental health issues, and lifestyle-related risk factors such as nutrition, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, and environmental health. The journal welcomes research that addresses the unique epidemiological, cultural, and healthcare challenges of NCDs in Middle Eastern populations, as well as comparative studies and policy-driven interventions from other regions that have relevance to Middle Eastern settings.

The journal encourages submissions from researchers, clinicians, public health experts, and policymakers that offer valuable insights into the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control of NCDs to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration that can impact regional and global practices.

General Information

  • Originality: Manuscripts submitted to MEJ-NCD must be the original work of the authors, not previously published or under consideration elsewhere. Presentation of abstracts at conferences, without full publication, does not constitute prior publication.

  • Manuscript Types: MEJ-NCD publishes original research articles, systematic and narrative reviews, meta-analyses, brief reports, case reports or series, editorials, letters to the editor, and erratum related to NCDs.

  • Publication Frequency: The journal is published quarterly.

  • Submission Process: All manuscripts should be submitted via the journal’s online submission system on the official website. Authors can track manuscript status, respond to reviewer comments, and upload revisions through this system.

Manuscript Preparation (Quick points)

  • File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

  • Spacing: Double line spacing

  • Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt

  • Page numbering: Continuous at the bottom center or right

  • Blind review: Submit the Title page as a separate file to preserve anonymity during peer review

  • Supplementary files: Cover letter, original figure files, and other supporting materials must be uploaded separately

Cover Letter

A cover letter is mandatory with manuscript submission. It should include:

  • The rationale for the study and choosing MEJ-NCD for publication

  • A statement confirming that the manuscript is not published or under consideration elsewhere

  • Confirmation that all authors have approved submission

  • Disclosure of any related manuscripts published or under review derived from the same study

  • Declaration of any possible conflicts of interest

Title Page

The title page should be a separate document containing:

  • Type of article (e.g., Original article, Review)

  • Article title

  • Full names and affiliations of all authors

  • Corresponding author’s full contact details including name, academic degree(s), phone number, email, ORCID ID, and current address

Abstract and Keywords

  • Provide a structured abstract in English (background, Method, Results, Conclusion), with a maximum of 250 words for original and review articles, and 150 words for brief and case reports.

  • Persian abstract translation is available for non-Iranian authors at no charge.

  • Include 3–5 keywords after the abstract, separated by commas, avoiding repetition of keywords from the title.

Manuscript Organization by Article Type

  • Original Articles: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References; max 4,000 words excluding abstract, references, tables, and figures.

  • Brief Reports and short communication: Same format as original articles, max 1,500 words with up to two tables or figures.

  • Narrative Reviews: Flexible structure, divided with headings, comprehensive conclusion recommended.

  • Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analyses: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References.

  • Case Reports: Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgments (if any), References; max 1,500 words and 20 references; up to two tables or figures; informed consent mandatory.

  • Letters to the Editor/Editorial: Up to 500 words, no abstract or subheadings, maximum 20 references and two tables/figures; letters may comment on recent articles (within 6 months), provide brief reviews, or report limited original data.

  • Erratum: Submitted as a new manuscript for publication correction purposes.

References

  • Use Vancouver reference style.

  • Citations should be numbered consecutively in square brackets , [2-4], matching the order of appearance in the text.

  • Personal communications and unpublished data should not be in the reference list but may be cited in the text.

  • Examples:

    • Journal article:
      Karimi A, Fakhimi-Derakhshan K, Imanzadeh F, et al. Helicobacter pylori infection and pediatric asthma. Iran J Microbiol. 2013 Jun;5(2):132-5.

    • Book chapter:
      Author(s). Title of chapter. In: Editor(s), editors. Title of book. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year. p. pages.

    • Online documents:
      Author/Organization. Title [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited YYYY MM DD]. Available from: URL

Tables and Figures

  • Number tables and figures in order of appearance (Table 1, Figure 1).

  • Place each table and figure on a separate page at the manuscript end.

  • Avoid duplication of data between text and tables.

  • Submit tables as editable files (not images) in the main manuscript at the separate page end of the references.

  • Figures must add value, submitted in JPEG or TIFF format, minimum 300 dpi and as separate file.

  • Include descriptive legends with all figures.

Supplementary Materials

  • Supplementary files can be in any common format and must be cited as Supplementary file 1, 2, etc., in the text.

  • Supplementary materials are freely accessible online.

Authorship

  • The corresponding author assumes responsibility for confirming all authors have read and approved the final manuscript version.

  • Authors must have contributed substantially to the work; contributions to be detailed in an “Authors’ contributions” section.

  • Persons not qualifying as authors may be acknowledged.

  • Authorship changes after submission require written justification and consent from all authors.

Funding

  • Disclose all sources of financial support under the heading “Funding,” including the role of any sponsors.

Conflicts of Interest

  • Authors must fully disclose any conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

  • If none exist, include “None Declared.”

Data Availability

  • MEJ-NCD encourages authors to share underlying datasets supporting the article’s conclusions to enhance transparency and reproducibility.

Ethics Statement

  • Research involving humans must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and local ethical approval.

  • Manuscripts should include statements confirming informed consent and institutional ethical review board approval.

  • Animal studies require ethical approval and adherence to recognized guidelines.

  • Clinical trials must be registered with a publicly accessible registry, with registration number reported.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

  • MEJ-NCD follows COPE and ICMJE recommendations on the ethical use of AI tools in research and writing.

  • Transparency about AI assistance is required and should be declared in the manuscript.

Plagiarism

  • All manuscripts undergo similarity checks using iThenticate software to ensure originality.

Article Processing Charges (APC)

  • MEJ-NCD is an open-access journal providing immediate free access upon publication.

  • Currently, there are no submission or publication charges for all authors, including for the use of color images.

  • The journal is committed to supporting authors from the Middle East and internationally.

Audience

  • MEJ-NCD serves researchers, clinicians, public health practitioners, and policymakers focused on non-communicable disease control in the Middle East and beyond.

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must meet the following requirements.

  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration.
  • The submission file is in Microsoft Word document file format (DOC, DOCX).
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines, which is found in About the Journal.
  • If submitting to a peer-reviewed section of the journal, the instructions in Ensuring a Blind Review have been followed.
  • Suggest at least 3 potential Reviewers for this submission in "Comments for the Editor" box. Suggested reviewers should be individuals qualified to evaluate the work you have submitted. The reviewers suggested may not be current, recent, or extensive collaborators of yours, and cannot have been involved in the preparation of the manuscript. Reviewers must not be members of the same institution as the authors.

  • The author(s) confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary materials. Otherwise, data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on request.

  • The author(s) confirm that all potential conflicts of interest are disclosed in the manuscript.

  • The author(s) confirm that the listed authors have made a substantive contribution to the article, and they read and approved the final version of the submitted manuscript. Also, the author's contribution statement has been declared in the manuscript. Please note that no changes to authorship can be made after acceptance of a manuscript. Any change in authorship after initial submission must be approved by all authors and the editorial office.

  • Cover letter (is mandatory), Figure file, and other supporting files should be uploaded as a supplementary file.

Original articles

Section default policy

Copyright Notice

Material published in JME-NCD is governed by the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. Under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license, users are permitted to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) or adapt (remix, transform, and build upon) the material as long as its integrity is maintained and its original authors, citation details, and publisher are identified. The license also ensures that the published material can be included in any scientific archive or repository. But, under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license, users are not permitted to use the material for commercial purposes. To learn more about these licenses, visit the Creative Commons website.

Authors retain copyright and grant the JME-NCD right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

Authors are permitted to distribute the Published version of the article (e.g., post it to an institutional or other repository of their choice), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in The JME-NCD.

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