Manuscript types

Original articles

Original research articles must present unpublished work that contributes to knowledge in the field of disability. The text must be structured in the following sections:  Introduction, Objective, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions. Maximum length is 4000 words from Introduction to Conclusions.  Three Tables or Figures, and 30 references are allowed. Additional Tables or Figures should be submitted as supplementary files, if needed.

Short communications

Short communications present novel findings, molecular analyses, or highly relevant experimental studies with preliminary results of unusual clinical or scientific importance. Manuscripts submitted as Short communications must have a limit of 2,500 words, from Introduction to Conclusions. The text must be structured in the following sections:  Introduction, Objective, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions. Maximum 25 references, and 2 Figures or Tables are accepted. Additional Tables or Figures should be submitted as supplementary files, if needed.

Case series and case reports

Descriptions of one or more clinical cases of exceptional relevance will be accepted, which represent an important contribution to the knowledge of pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment or rehabilitation in the field of disability. Maximum length for these studies is 2000 words from Introduction to Conclusions, 2 Figures or Tables, and 20 references. Additional Tables or Figures should be submitted as supplementary files, if needed.

Evidence synthesis and meta-research

Evidence synthesis involves systematically collecting, evaluating, and integrating available research findings to draw reliable conclusions or make informed decisions on a particular topic or question. 

In a broad sense, this category includes all study designs whose unit of analysis is a scientific study itself, such as the following: narrative reviews, bibliometric studies, scientometric studies, realist synthesis, meta-research studies, evidence gap maps, scoping reviews, mapping reviews, and all kinds of systematic reviews (with or without meta-analysis).

Maximum length for these studies is 6000 words; 5 Tables or Figures, and 100 references are allowed. Additional Tables or Figures should be submitted as supplementary files, if needed.

Clinical Practice Guidelines and Consensus Statements

This section aims to provide comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations and consensus statements to healthcare professionals for the effective management and treatment of various disabilities. It focuses on translating the latest research findings and expert consensus into practical, actionable protocols that can be readily implemented in clinical settings. Articles will cover a wide range of topics, including diagnostic criteria, therapeutic interventions, rehabilitation techniques, and patient management strategies.

Suggested structure for these studies is as follows: Introduction, Methods, Recommendations, Discussion, Conclusion, References, and Appendices (if applicable). Maximum length is 5000 words (from Introduction to Conclusion). Up to five Tables or Figures, and 100 references are allowed. Additional Tables or Figures should be submitted as supplementary files, if needed.

Interdisciplinary Studies

This section welcomes comprehensive studies that explore disability from various interdisciplinary perspectives, including but not limited to sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, law, and public policy. Manuscripts can include qualitative and quantitative research, mixed-methods studies, theoretical explorations, policy analyses, ethnographic studies, case studies, narrative analyses, participatory research, and community-based research.

This section aims to highlight the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities and the societal structures that impact their lives encompassing a wide range of topics such as social inclusion, stigma, accessibility, education, employment, and public health.

Submissions should provide new insights into the social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions of disability. We invite original research, review articles, and theoretical papers. Suggested structure for these studies is as follows: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion. Up to 6000 words (from Introduction to Conclusion), 5 Tables or Figures, and 50 references are allowed. Additional Tables or Figures should be submitted as supplementary files, if needed.

Editorials

This section will be dedicated to critical analysis and reflection on priority public health problems, novel approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment, as well as significant advances in the field of disability. Editorials are received by invitation, but Editorial Team members may submit them spontaneously. Maximum length is 1000 words, no Figures or Tables, and 15 references. 

Expert opinion

They will be short texts related to scientific, technological advances or innovations in the field of disability, with the aim of disseminating to the general public social, cultural, educational and health aspects associated with scientific work. This must be written by an experienced author, by invitation only. Maximum length is 1000 words, no Figures or Tables, and 15 references.

Letter to the Editor

Letters to the Editor may be submitted spontaneously by any author. Maximum length is 1000 words, no Figures or Tables, and 15 references.

Negative results and replication studies

Investigación en Discapacidad receives studies showing negative (non-statistically significant) results given that the relevance of such results are relevant to its field. Limitations of the studies and any reasons that could explain a non-significant results should be clearly explained. Sample size and statistical power calculations are encouraged but not mandatory.

Studies aiming to replicate any other published results (either for clinical, experimental, or evidence synthesis studies) are strongly encouraged. These studies should replicate all aspects of the investigations being replicated as strictly as possible.

Disability Visions (online only)

The "Disability Visions" section is dedicated to showcasing high-quality images and videos that highlight significant scientific and medical insights in the field of disability research. Accepted submissions will be published online in the journal's website, and will not be included in the printed version.

  • Images: High-resolution photographs, clinical images, radiographic images, histopathological slides, images from experimental studies, and other relevant visual representations. Images should be in high-resolution JPEG or TIFF format. 
  • Videos: Short video clips (up to 5 minutes) demonstrating medical procedures, rehabilitation techniques, patient interactions, experimental study procedures, or other clinically or experimentally relevant activities. Videos should be in MP4 or AVI format with a minimum resolution of 720p.

Each image or video must be accompanied by a brief description (maximum 250 words not including references) that includes:

  • Title: A concise and descriptive title.
  • Context: Background information and context for the visual content.
  • Significance: Explanation of the relevance and importance of the visual content to disability research or clinical practice.
  • References: Up to 5.

Authors must obtain written informed consent from all patients or their legal guardians for the use of images or videos. Consent forms should be submitted along the visual materials. Inclusion of children require their own consent also. Consent for participation in clinical studies or procedures is not equivalent to consent for publication. 

All identifying information must be removed or anonymized to ensure confidentiality. Consent for publication does not exclude the anonymization of the materials to be published.

Study protocols

This section is dedicated to the publication of detailed protocols for a wide range of study types. This section aims to enhance transparency, reproducibility, and rigor in research related to disabilities by providing a platform for the early dissemination of study designs and methodologies.

This section welcomes protocols for various types of studies, including but not limited to:

  • Clinical Studies: Protocols for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case-control studies, and other observational studies involving human participants.
  • Experimental Studies: Protocols for laboratory-based experiments, including preclinical studies, mechanistic studies, and other experimental research.
  • Evidence Syntheses: Protocols for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, scoping reviews, and other types of evidence synthesis.

The protocols should adhere as much as possible to the guidelines for the corresponding Manuscript type. Prospective publication of the protocols is strongly encouraged, but retrospective publication may be considered. Protocols may have been previously registered (i.e. ClinicalTrials.gov, OSF, etc).

Conference abstracts

Investigación en discapacidad publishes the abstracts from the Congreso Internacional de Investigación en Rehabilitación, no other submissions are accepted in this section.

Abstracts should be structured in the following sections:

- Title (200 characters)

- Introduction (700 characters)

- Objective (350 characters)

- Methods (1050 characters)

- Results (1050 characters)

- Conclusions (350 characters)

Maximum length for each component is showed in parenthesis. Abstracts may be written in either English or Spanish. All Abstracts must include 3-5 keywords.  Those written in Spanish must provide an English version of the Title and Keywords. No figures, tables or references are accepted.

  • Videoabstracts. Conference Abstracts may be published in video format (by invitation only) as follows: Short video clips (up to 5 minutes) explaining a poster. Videos should be in MP4, AVI or pptx (slides with audio) format with a minimum resolution of 720p and a maximum file size of 35 Mb. Videoabstracts are published online only.

Please contact our Editorial Office (indiscap@inr.gob.mx) for any concerns regarding Conference Abstracts.