Instructions for authors

Instructions for Authors

1. Journal overview

The Revista Hispanoamericana de Ciencias de la Salud (RHCS) is the official scientific journal in health sciences of the Vice-Rectorate for Research and Professional Development of Universidad Hispanoamericana (Costa Rica). It is a peer-reviewed, quarterly journal with international scope, published in print (ISSN 2215-4248) and electronic (ISSN 2215-4256) formats, providing open and free full-text access.

RHCS publishes manuscripts that contribute to scientific and technological knowledge in health sciences and public health, fostering academic exchange.

2. General considerations

  • Manuscripts must be written in Spanish.
  • Submissions must be original and unpublished, and not under simultaneous consideration by another journal.
  • RHCS does not accept duplicate or redundant publication.
  • Author guidelines follow the ICMJE Recommendations: www.icmje.org.

Authors are required to read these instructions carefully and completely prior to submission.

3. Manuscript submission

Manuscripts must be submitted exclusively through the journal’s OJS platform: https://uhsalud.com/index.php/revhispano/about/submissions .

The corresponding author must upload:

  1. A cover letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief, signed by the principal author on behalf of all authors, declaring originality and acceptance of publication conditions.
  2. An author directory, including full names, email addresses, phone numbers, and individual contributions.
  3. The manuscript, prepared according to these guidelines.

4. General manuscript structure

4.1 First page

The first page must include:

  • Title in Spanish and English (maximum 15 words).
  • Authors: one given name and one surname, or both surnames hyphenated. Alternative formats must be justified.
  • Institutional affiliation: up to two per author, including institution, city, and country.
  • Profession and academic degree: profession and highest academic degree obtained.
  • Funding source: indicate whether the study was self-funded or institutionally funded.
  • Conflicts of interest: disclose any financial or institutional relationships that could influence interpretation of the work. The ICMJE disclosure form is recommended: ICMJE Disclosure of Interest.
  • Corresponding author: full name, postal address, phone number, and email.

If applicable, indicate whether the study was previously presented at a conference or is part of a thesis.

4.2 Manuscript format

  • File format: Microsoft Word.
  • Page size: A4.
  • Font: Arial, 11-point.
  • Tables and figures: provide titles and legends; submit separately; do not duplicate text content.

5. Article types

RHCS publishes editorials, original articles, short original articles, review articles, special section papers, public health history articles, case reports, and letters to the editor. Authors must follow the structure, word limits, and reference requirements established for each category.

6. Publication ethics

RHCS adheres to the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): publicationethics.org. Ethical misconduct may result in rejection, retraction, notification to relevant institutions, and restrictions on future submissions.

7. Communication with authors

The corresponding author may check the manuscript status through the OJS platform, respecting the timelines established in the editorial process. Authors are encouraged to acknowledge receipt of editorial communications.