Submissions

Author Guidelines

Manuscript Types PCSP publishes various types of manuscripts. Authors must ensure their manuscript fits the description, scope, and format limitations of the selected manuscript type.

• Original Article: This is an in-depth, data-based primary research report. Manuscripts must present original research findings (observational or interventional) not published elsewhere. Format must follow the IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion). Original articles are expected to make a significant scientific contribution to primary care science and practice.
• Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis: This article is a literature review answering a specific and focused research question (e.g., using PICO format). Manuscripts must use systematic, explicit, and reproducible methods to identify, select, assess quality, and synthesize all relevant evidence. Manuscripts must adhere to and include the PRISMA guideline checklist. A Meta-analysis is a Systematic Review that also includes statistical analysis to combine data.
• Scoping Review: This review aims to map existing literature on a topic, identifying key concepts, research gaps, and evidence sources. Unlike Systematic Reviews, scoping reviews usually do not assess study quality in depth but focus on breadth and coverage. Authors are strongly advised to follow existing methodologies (e.g., Arksey & O'Malley Framework or PRISMA-ScR).
• Case Report: Presents a detailed description of a single clinical case (or small case series) that is unique, rare, or highly instructive in the context of Primary Care. Manuscripts must highlight unusual presentations, diagnostic dilemmas, new therapeutic approaches, or unexpected findings providing important and practical learning points for primary care practitioners. Manuscripts must include a brief relevant literature review.
• Policy Brief: A concise and persuasive document aimed at translating complex research findings into actionable recommendations for policymakers, such as healthcare managers or government officials. Manuscripts must focus on one specific problem in primary care, present a synthesis of existing evidence, and most importantly, propose clear, specific, and evidence-based policy recommendations. Suggested structure includes Executive Summary, problem background, synthesis of key findings, and policy implications/recommendations.
• Guidelines: Presents evidence-based recommendations designed to guide clinical decision-making and practice in primary care. Guidelines are usually developed by an expert panel, working group, or professional organization through a formal systematic evidence synthesis process.
• Special Article: Targeted for significant manuscripts not fitting other standard formats. This may include in-depth analysis of relevant primary care issues, such as research methodology innovations, health ethics and law debates, policy analysis, or consensus reports from working groups.
• Editorial: Short opinion articles written by experts, often Editorial Board members or specifically invited authors. Contents usually provide perspective, commentary, or critical analysis on hot topics in primary care, or comment on specific articles published in the same journal issue.

Table 1. Main features and article limitations

Manuscript Types 

*Excludes abstract, references, tables, and figure legends.

Reporting Guidelines Authors must adhere to reporting guidelines relevant to their study design. This includes (but is not limited to) guidelines for randomized controlled trials (RCT), meta-analyses, observational studies, and qualitative studies. The appropriate checklist from the EQUATOR Network must be included upon manuscript submission. 

General Requirements (Format & Language)

• Language and File Format: All manuscripts must be written in grammatically correct English. Manuscripts must be created and submitted as MS Word files.
• Page Format and Font: Manuscripts must be formatted in A4 page size with 2.5 cm margins on all sides. All text, including abstract, references, tables, and figure legends, must be double-spaced. Please do not add extra space between paragraphs. Font type should be consistent, preferably Times New Roman 11 point. All pages must be numbered consecutively, starting from the title page.
• Text Format, Numbers, and Headings: Main text must be formatted justified (left-right aligned) and not use automatic hyphenation. Headings for each section (e.g., "Introduction", "Methods") must be bold and positioned center aligned. All numbers must be written in Arabic Numerals, unless the number begins a sentence. Avoid beginning sentences with numbers or abbreviations whenever possible.
• Abbreviations: Abbreviations must be defined upon first use in the text. If a term (other than standard units) is used repeatedly (at least 3 times), it must be written out in full first, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. This applies even if the abbreviation was defined in the abstract. Once defined, use the abbreviation consistently throughout the manuscript.
• Measurement Units: PCSP requires the use of Système International (SI) Units for all measurements. The main exception is blood pressure values, which must be reported in mmHg. Please use the metric system for expressions of length, area, mass, and volume. Ensure there is always a space between the number and unit symbol (e.g., 10 mg, 37 °C). When indicating time, use the 24-hour system.
• Mathematical Formulas: Simple mathematical formulas should be presented inline with normal text if possible. Use the solidus (/) for small fractions (e.g., X/Y). Variables must be presented in italics. Power e can be written as "exp.". More complex equations or those explicitly referenced in the text must be displayed on a separate line and numbered consecutively in parentheses on the right.

Manuscript Format Requirements

To ensure consistency and ease in the review process, all manuscripts submitted to PCSP must follow the established standard format to avoid early rejection.

Title Page: The title page must contain 5 key components:

• Article Title: Less than 50 words.
• Authors and Affiliations: Full names and institutions of every author.
• Corresponding Author: Full contact details (name, address, email, phone).
• Running Title: Less than 50 characters.
• Notes: This section must list statements for ethical approval (IRB), conflicts of interest, funding, data availability, ORCID for all authors, and author contributions (according to CRediT).

Abstract and Keywords

• Abstract: Must be structured (Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions) with a maximum of 250 words.
• Keywords: Include 3-6 keywords, sorted alphabetically, and referring to MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).

Highlights

Write 3-5 points (in short sentences) summarizing your key research findings. Total must not exceed 100 words.

Main Body

Format must follow IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion):

• Introduction: Provide a concise and relevant background, without including in-depth literature reviews or repeating results.
• Materials and Methods: Explain procedures in detail (including period, subject selection, and demographic info) so research can be replicated. Must state ethical approval (IRB for humans, IACUC for animals). Explain all statistical methods used. Authors must use the terms "sex" (biological factors) and "gender" (psychosocial factors) appropriately and provide justification for studies involving exclusive populations (e.g., only one sex).
• Results: Present key findings logically. Data in text must not duplicate data in tables or figures. Include probability values (p-values) to indicate statistical significance.
• Discussion: Focus on interpretation and explanation of results, not merely repeating them. Connect findings with previous research.
• Conclusion: Must clearly answer the study objectives (stated in the abstract) and be fully supported by data.

References

Authors are fully responsible for citation accuracy.

• Citation Style: PCSP uses the National Library of Medicine style, which is a numbering system marked by square brackets [1] within the text.
• Author List: All authors are listed without "et al.".
• Source: Only published references cited in the text may be listed. "Unpublished" works or "personal communications" are not allowed.
• Journal Format: Use journal name abbreviations according to the NLM Catalog. Use of DOI is highly recommended.
• Reference Examples: (The document provides examples for Journals, Books, Websites, Conference Papers, and Dissertations).

Journals

Authors are required to provide a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for every reference where available. DOIs must be presented as active, clickable links (e.g., https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx) and placed at the end of each reference entry. This ensures the accuracy of citations and enhances the discoverability of the research.

1. Etz RS, Zyzanski SE, Stange KC, Crabtree BF, Miller WL, Languille M. Patient trust in primary care physicians: an analysis of communication and other enhancing factors. Ann Fam Med. 2018;16(2):112-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2186

2. Werdhani RA. Family Medicine and Primary Care in Indonesia: The shining star of healthcare reform. J Fam Med Prim Care. 2017;6(2):150-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.214967

3. Kamano JH, Naanyu V, Johnson EL, Okelo S, Asma V, Oden VA, et al. Effectiveness of a community health worker intervention on blood pressure control in rural Kenya. JAMA. 2020;324(1):40-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.8122

Books

4. Riffenburgh RH, Gillen DL. Statistics in medicine. 4th ed. London: Academic Press; 2020.

5. Green LA, Fryer GE. The development of primary care research. In: Hogg W, editor. Patient-centered care in the 21st century. 2nd ed. Boca Raton (FL): Radcliffe Publishing; 2019. p. 88-102..

Website

6. World Health Organization (WHO). COVID-19 vaccines [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2021 [cited 2025 Mar 15]. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines  

7. Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia (ID). Pedoman nasional pelayanan kedokteran (PNPK) hipertensi [Internet]. Jakarta: Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia; 2023 [cited 2025 Jan 10]. Available from: https://www.kemkes.go.id/pnpk-hipertensi-2023

Conference paper

8. Harjanto E, Purba A. Tantangan layanan primer dalam implementasi JKN. In: Prosiding Kongres Nasional Ikatan Dokter Indonesia (IDI) ke-30; 2019 Oct 22-25; Samarinda, Indonesia. Jakarta: Ikatan Dokter Indonesia (IDI); 2019. p. 45-51.

Dissertation

9. Susanti M. Analisis faktor kepuasan pasien terhadap pelayanan di Puskesmas X [disertasi]. Depok: Universitas Indonesia; 2022.

Tables and Figures

• General Provisions: Tables and figures must be supplementary (not duplication of text) and clear (self-explanatory). Both must be numbered consecutively using Arabic Numerals (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1). When cited together in text, use format: (Table 1; Figure 1) or (Table 1, 2; Figure 1–3).
• Tables: Each table must be on a separate page (maximum 1 print page). Table titles must be concise and informative. Each column must have a clear heading, including measurement units in parentheses (e.g., (kg), (%), (mmHg)). Footnotes must list abbreviation explanations and probability level explanations (e.g., *, **, *** for p-value).
• Figures: Image quality must be high (minimal 500 dpi), sharp focus, and well exposed. File Format: Submit in JPG or PPT format upon submission. If the article is accepted, the final file must be submitted in .pdf format. Caption (Legend): Every figure must have a legend explaining the data, all abbreviations, and symbols used. Authors are fully responsible for image quality and final galley proof approval.

Appendix and Supplemental Data

• Appendix: Use for material impractical to include in main text, such as full questionnaires.
• Supplemental Data: Use for large data or supporting material (such as raw data files, audio clips, or video) relevant to readers.

To ensure your manuscript meets all formatting requirements, please download and use our official PCSP Manuscript Template available here:

DOWNLOAD MANUSCRIPT TEMPLATE

Submissions that do not use the official template may be returned for technical correction before entering the peer review process.