Peer Review Process

To uphold academic rigor, integrity, and scholarly quality, all manuscripts submitted to JAKESPOL: Journal of Health Policy Analysis undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process. This process ensures objective, independent, and transparent evaluation by experts in health policy and health systems research.

Upon submission, each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial screening conducted by the Editorial Team. This stage assesses the manuscript’s alignment with the journal’s scope, particularly its relevance to health policy analysis, as well as compliance with author guidelines, ethical standards, and minimum scholarly quality.

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to at least two independent reviewers with expertise in health policy, health systems, or related disciplines. A third reviewer may be appointed when additional expertise is required or when there is significant divergence in reviewers’ assessments.

JAKESPOL implements a double-blind review system, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout the review process. This approach minimizes bias and supports fairness and objectivity in editorial decision-making.

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance, clarity, and precision of the title and abstract in reflecting policy issues

  • Strength and critical depth of the background and policy-relevant literature review

  • Appropriateness, transparency, and rigor of the research methodology, including ethical compliance

  • Validity, robustness, and policy relevance of the results and analysis

  • Originality and contribution to health policy knowledge, systems improvement, or governance

  • Quality of discussion, conclusions, and implications for policy, practice, or future research

  • Overall organization, clarity of writing, and appropriate use of references

Reviewers are expected to provide constructive, objective, and detailed feedback, including clear and actionable recommendations. All reviewers must maintain confidentiality, declare any potential conflicts of interest, and adhere to ethical standards in peer review.

Following the completion of peer review, the Editorial Board evaluates the reviewers’ reports. The final editorial decision—acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection—is made by the Editor-in-Chief based on reviewers’ recommendations, the manuscript’s scientific merit, and its relevance to health policy analysis.

To ensure originality and academic integrity, all manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using Turnitin or equivalent software prior to final acceptance.

Manuscripts accepted for publication proceed to the post-acceptance stage, including professional copyediting, layout formatting, and final proofreading. Authors are given the opportunity to review and approve the final version prior to publication.

Through this peer review process, JAKESPOL is committed to publishing high-quality, ethically sound, and policy-relevant research that contributes to strengthening health systems and informing evidence-based health policy decisions.