General Call for Papers

Families, Systems, & Health invites high-quality papers focusing on clinical research, training, and theoretical contributions in the areas of families and health.

The journal publishes research on the systemic approach to healthcare that integrates mind and body; individual and family; and communities, clinicians, and health systems while considering cost-effectiveness and ethics.

The journal welcomes manuscripts from scholars throughout the world, including research from multi-site international projects and work that has the potential to be adapted to and implemented around the globe to address the needs of diverse populations, cultures, and communities.

The journal's scope includes the following three domains, at least two of which should be addressed in submissions:

• Family Functioning:
  an emphasis on health, illness, and treatment from birth to death within the family context rather than focusing on individuals in isolation. The term "family" is used broadly to include biological and legal family members as well as other important members of the family system, including those unrelated by blood or marriage.
• Systems Thinking:
  an overarching concept that recognizes the interrelatedness of all human systems (e.g., biological, psychological, interpersonal, familial, societal, health policy, financial, cultural, spiritual). This perspective is useful in examining dynamics within a profession or among clinical staff, relationships among patients, families, communities, and the coordination of care across levels of the health system.
• Health:
  refers to the optimal state of the body, mind, and spirit of individuals, families, or communities. Healthcare includes the practice of all health professionals, including physicians, mental health professionals, nurses, pharmacists, and many other disciplines.

Submitted papers that involve the following are given preference:

• Innovative research that includes, family functioning, systems thinking and healthcare practice or policy in the USA and internationally
• Reviews and meta-analytic papers that cover emerging issues faced by clinicians, teachers, patients, families, communities and health policy experts
• Innovations in thinking about health care design, training and research
• Essays, reflections, poetry or 55 word stories that explore the collaborative experiences of clinicians connecting education, clinical work, and the personal and professional insights that come from care of individuals and families

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically through the Families, Systems, & Health manuscript submission website.

Authors must indicate in their cover letter that their paper should be considered for this call for papers.

All submissions will undergo rigorous peer-review.