Overview
Submission Instructions
Recent Publications
Frequently Asked Questions
Research Topics
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SS
Social Science & Medicine provides an international interdisciplinary forum for the dissemination of social science research on health. It publishes original research articles, reviews, position papers, and commentaries on health issues relevant to disciplines including anthropology, economics, epidemiology, geography, policy, psychology, and sociology, with content intended for a broad international audience of social science readers.
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Impact Factor
5
Quartile
Q1
Open Access Type
Hybrid
ISSN
0277-9536
eISSN
1873-5347
Invitation Only
No
Cost Range
USD 4060 APC for open access articles; no open access publication fee for subscription publication.
Submission Instructions
Social Science & Medicine accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be unstructured.
Manuscript
Manuscript may be up to 9000 words including abstract, tables, figures, references, appendices, and main text. Manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Manuscript must include 1 to 7 English keywords, submission highlights of 3 to 5 bullet points provided as a separate editable file, and a reproducible methods description of any AI or AI-assisted tools used in the research design or methods.
References
Citations must use author name and year format. Reference entries may use any consistent style at submission and must be arranged alphabetically and then chronologically if necessary.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be submitted as editable text and figures must be supplied as separate files along with the manuscript. All tables and figures must be cited in the manuscript text, numbered consecutively in order of appearance, and provided with captions.
Critical Analytical Reviews
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be unstructured.
Manuscript
Manuscript may be up to 9000 words including abstract, tables, figures, references, appendices, and the main text. Manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Submission must include 1 to 7 English keywords, 3 to 5 article highlights submitted as a separate editable file, and a declaration of generative AI use in manuscript preparation upon submission.
References
Citations must use author-name-and-year format. References may be in any consistent style at submission and must be listed alphabetically, then chronologically when needed.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be included as editable text and figures must be supplied as separate files along with the manuscript. Tables must be cited in the text, numbered consecutively, and provided with captions, and figures must be cited in the text, numbered in sequence, and provided with captions.
Systematic Reviews
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript
Manuscript may be up to 15,000 words including abstract, tables, figures, references, appendices, and main text. Manuscript should use an established review methodology. Manuscript must include 1 to 7 English keywords, 3 to 5 highlights submitted as a separate editable file, and reproducible AI-use details in the methods section if AI or AI-assisted tools were used as part of the research design or methods.
References
Text citations should use author name and year format. References may be submitted in any consistent style and should be arranged alphabetically and then chronologically if necessary.
Figures & Tables
Figures must be supplied as separate files, and tables must be submitted as editable text. All figures and tables must be cited in the text, numbered consecutively in order of appearance, and provided with captions.
Scoping Reviews
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript
Manuscript may be up to 15,000 words including abstract, tables, figures, references, appendices, and main text. Manuscript should use an established review methodology and be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Include 1 to 7 keywords in English, provide article highlights as a separate editable file with 3 to 5 bullet points of no more than 85 characters each, complete the declarations tool, and declare any generative AI use in manuscript preparation upon submission and any AI or AI-assisted tools used in the research methods within the methods section.
References
Text citations should use author-name-and-year format, while references may be in any consistent style or format at submission. Reference list should be arranged alphabetically and then chronologically if needed, use a, b, c after same-year works by the same author group, and each entry must include author names, source title, article or chapter title, year, and volume, article number, or pages where applicable.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be submitted as editable text and figures and other graphical media must be supplied as separate files along with the manuscript. Cite and number tables and figures consecutively in the text, and provide a caption for each table and figure.
Meta-Analyses
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript
Manuscript may be up to 15,000 words including abstract, tables, figures, references, appendices, and the main text. Manuscript should use an established review methodology and be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Include 1 to 7 keywords in English, provide 3 to 5 highlights as a separate editable file, complete the declarations tool, and declare any use of generative AI in manuscript preparation upon submission.
References
In-text citations should use author-name-and-year format. Reference list should be arranged alphabetically and then chronologically if needed, use letters after the year for multiple same-year items by the same author group, and include complete bibliographic details for each entry.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be submitted as editable text and figures must be supplied as separate files along with the manuscript. All tables and figures must be cited in the text, numbered in order of appearance, and provided with captions.
Reviews
Cover Letter
A declaration of generative AI use in the manuscript preparation process must be made upon submission.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract should be concise and factual and able to stand alone.
Manuscript
Manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Include 1 to 7 English keywords, submit 3 to 5 highlights as a separate editable file, complete the declarations tool, and describe any AI or AI-assisted tools used in the research design or methods reproducibly in the methods section.
References
Text citations must use author-name-and-year format, while reference entries may be in any consistent style at submission. Reference lists must be arranged alphabetically and then chronologically if needed, use a/b/c lettering for same-author same-year items, and include complete bibliographic details for each entry.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be provided as editable text and figures must be supplied as separate files along with the manuscript. Cite and number tables and figures in text consecutively and provide a caption for each.
Literature Reviews
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript
Literature Reviews may be up to 15,000 words including abstract, tables, figures, references, appendices, and main text. Manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. Submission must include 1 to 7 keywords in English and separate highlights consisting of 3 to 5 bullet points of no more than 85 characters each, and any use of generative AI in manuscript preparation must be declared upon submission.
References
In-text citations must use author-name-and-year format. References may be in any consistent style at submission and the reference list must be arranged alphabetically and then chronologically if needed, with same-year works by the same author distinguished by letters.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be provided as editable text and figures must be supplied as separate files along with the manuscript. All tables and figures must be cited in the text, numbered consecutively in order of appearance, and accompanied by captions.
Recent Publications
Does integrating pharmaceutical coverage into publicly financed health insurance reduce out-of-pocket spending? Difference-in-differences evidence from Kerala, India
Karthika V. Menon, Vijay Victor, Omkarprasad S. Vaidya
10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119483
View Publication
Co-production in Mental Health Care, Research, and Education: A Scoping Review of Barriers and Facilitators
Dagim Dawit Gonsamo, Herman Hay Ming Lo, Wing Hong Chui, Zoe Jiwen Zhang
10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119474
View Publication
Medical Uncertainty, Structural Inequities and Disease: The Experiences of Long-COVID Among Racialized Immigrants and Racialized Non-Immigrants in Canada
Andrea Rishworth, Madeleine Mant, Kathi Wilson, Zafar Iqbal
10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119478
View Publication
The impact of neighborhood violence on domestic femicides in Mexico: A Demonstration of the Causal Inference Roadmap
Alma L. Juarez Armenta, Ndola Prata
10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119458
View Publication
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to publish?
6 days submission to first decision; 66 days submission to decision after review; 172 days submission to acceptance; 3 days acceptance to online publication
Reformat to Social Science & Medicine using Livewrite PremiumWhat are the publication costs?
Open access APC: USD 4060 excluding taxes for all articles. Subscription publication: no open access publication fee.
Reformat to Social Science & Medicine using Livewrite PremiumResearch Topics
Health disparities and outcomes
Global Health Care Issues
Employment and Welfare Studies
Global Maternal and Child Health
Healthcare Policy and Management
Migration, Health and Trauma
Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
Healthcare Systems and Reforms
Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
Homelessness and Social Issues
Child Nutrition and Water Access
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
Primary Care and Health Outcomes
HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving
Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare
Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Human auditory perception and evaluation
Mental Health and Patient Involvement
Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies
Mental Health Treatment and Access
Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy