Advance the Science of Dying, Care, and Bereavement
The Journal of Death (JOD) invites original research, reviews, and practice informed scholarship that deepens understanding of mortality, end-of-life care, grief, ethics, and the cultural meaning of death. As a peer-reviewed open access journal, JOD connects rigorous scholarship with clinicians, educators, counselors, and policy makers worldwide. We welcome work that is clinically grounded, socially informed, and committed to improving how people experience dying, loss, and care. Submissions from diverse cultural contexts are encouraged. Global perspectives are especially valued.
Interdisciplinary Scope
Open Access Reach
21-Day Decisions
Ethical Review
Global Visibility
Supportive Editors
Publish Work That Improves End-of-Life Outcomes
Scope and Topics
We welcome submissions on palliative care, hospice practice, grief and bereavement, death attitudes, ethics, policy, cultural and spiritual perspectives, and the psychosocial dimensions of dying. Interdisciplinary studies bridging medicine, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and public health are especially encouraged, as are mixed method designs that illuminate lived experience.
Article Types
JOD publishes original research, systematic reviews, clinical studies, case reports, short communications, editorials, and letters. Submissions should demonstrate methodological rigor and practical relevance to patient care, counseling practice, or public policy. We value clear writing, transparent reporting, and replicable methods.
Rigorous and Efficient Review
Our editorial process is designed for speed and integrity. Most manuscripts receive a first decision within about 21 days, guided by double-blind peer review and ethical screening. Accepted papers move quickly into production for timely dissemination, while preserving careful copyediting and formatting.
Clear Expectations for Authors
JOD maintains transparent policies so authors can plan confidently. The submission process is free, and the APC is billed only after acceptance.
Current Focus Areas
Who Should Submit
JOD welcomes researchers, clinicians, educators, social scientists, and policy experts working on mortality and end-of-life care. We encourage submissions from hospital and hospice teams, public health programs, community care organizations, and academic centers. We value studies that translate evidence into compassionate practice.
What We Value
We prioritize methodological rigor, ethical sensitivity, and clear implications for practice. Manuscripts should be grounded in established methods, respect participant dignity, and provide actionable insights for improving patient and family outcomes.
Ethics and Transparency
Research on death and bereavement demands care. We expect IRB or ethics approval where applicable, clear consent procedures, and transparent reporting. For clinical studies, authors should describe safeguards for vulnerable populations and discuss limitations with honesty.
Visibility and Impact
JOD supports strong discoverability through structured metadata, DOI assignment, and open access distribution. Your work is accessible to practitioners and researchers globally, helping evidence reach the communities that need it most.
Submission Readiness
Before submitting, review the JOD instructions for authors to ensure your manuscript includes a structured abstract, clear keywords, and complete references. Tables and figures should be labeled and cited in the text, and data sources should be described in enough detail to support reproducibility and future synthesis.
Data and Reporting
We encourage transparent reporting of methods, instruments, and analytic approaches, especially for sensitive populations. For qualitative work, include rationale for sampling and analytic frameworks. For quantitative studies, describe statistical methods and report outcomes in a way that enables clinical translation.
Special Issues Welcome
JOD periodically curates special issues on emerging themes such as grief in public health crises, ethical decision making, or innovative palliative care models. If you are interested in proposing a theme, visit the proposed special issue page and share an outline of aims, scope, and potential contributors.
Revision Guidance
When revisions are requested, we provide clear, consolidated feedback from reviewers and editors. Authors are expected to submit a point by point response to address critiques and clarify changes. This transparent process helps us reach fair decisions and publish the strongest possible scholarship.
Clinical and Policy Impact
We encourage submissions that inform practice guidelines, improve communication about goals of care, and strengthen health system responses to serious illness. Studies that address disparities in access to end-of-life care or evaluate programs for vulnerable populations are highly valued.
Education and Community
Death education supports clinicians, counselors, and the public in building compassionate literacy around loss. We welcome research on curriculum design, training outcomes, and community interventions that help individuals and families navigate grief with dignity.
Publishing in JOD means contributing to a global conversation on dignity, care, and meaning at the end of life. We welcome scholarship that advances compassionate practice and rigorous understanding of mortality.
Submit Your Manuscript
Choose the submission path that fits your workflow. Before uploading, review the JOD instructions for authors and editorial policies to align formatting and ethics expectations. If you have questions about scope, APCs, or submission requirements, contact [email protected] for prompt guidance.
