Curating an evidence base for health research and policy making: more crucial than ever

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on why a journal like the MJA does what it does, who supports the Journal's work, and the headwinds that journals are navigating. The MJA publishes high quality research and commentary that aims to inform health policy and influence medical practice in Australia. Our process is largely one of curation of what is submitted to us, combined with commissioning on issues we identify as important. We prioritise for publication articles that report on or discuss conditions with a high burden of disease, that are likely to have an effect on policy or practice, support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing, and articles that report on uniquely Australian topics. Articles go through a rigorous process that includes editorial assessment, peer review, author revision in response to peer review, and, after acceptance, expert structural editing. We hope that this process — essentially a collaboration between authors, editors and reviewers — will ensure that, by the time an article is published, it is the best representation of the authors’ work. In the 12 months to 31 October 2024, the MJA received 1598 articles, of which 196 were accepted; we publish around 10–12 in each issue. Each issue is a curated mix of content; some, such as the theme issues on surgery (https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2024/220/5), general practice (https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2024/220/9), women's health (https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2024/221/7), infectious diseases (https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2024/221/4), child and adolescent health (https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2024/221/10), and the special issue on Indigenous health (https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2024/221/1), have a specific focus. This end of year issue has no specific theme; its diversity, however, collectively reflects the Journal's priorities. We hope these articles will interest you as readers and support you in your clinical practice or research as much as we were fascinated by them as editors. The research articles include an analysis of the cost of treating hypertension (https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52522), participation in the national bowel screening program by people with severe mental illness (https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52521), an analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52532), and an analysis of the Northern Territory health workforce (https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52507). Perspectives include the need for targeted prevention and treatment of stroke in young women (https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52516), and a review of the evidence of persistently replicating SARS-CoV-2 as a driver of long COVID (https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52517). We are proud to also publish in this section a thoughtful article, “Decolonisation, Indigenous health research, and Indigenous authorship: sharing our teams’ principles and practices” (https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52509), by a collective of Aboriginal and non-Indigenous researchers, who work together in two Aboriginal-led research teams. In the decisions we make at the MJA, we are supported on a daily basis by many reviewers who give their time and expertise to help us provide what we think is an essential service: high quality evidence-based research and commentary to support decision making in health care. In the past 12 months, they submitted between them 855 reviews. We provide below a list of the reviewers who have reviewed for us in the past 12 months and we are grateful to all of them for what they do to support the MJA. We are also very grateful to the members of our Editorial Advisory Group, who provide ongoing expert advice. This year we are especially grateful to the Guest Editors for the July special issue on Indigenous health that we published in association with the Lowitja Institute (https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2024/221/1). Their work in curating this special issue is one that we were very proud to support as part of the MJA's ongoing commitment to excellence and leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led health research. In 2024, more than 100 countries, representing about half of the world's population, have had the chance to vote in regional, national or local elections. Perhaps, more than ever before, the evidence base for science and medicine have been on the ballot and it is not clear that it has been on the winning side in every case. In reflecting back on what we do, the role of peer-reviewed journals such as the MJA will be even more crucial over the next few years in helping navigate the vast amount of medical information that exists. We are very grateful for everyone that supports the work that we do at the MJA, and who does work themselves in evidence-based health research and policy making. Now, more than ever, this work is crucial to support a functioning and evidence-informed society. The MJA Editorial Advisory Group members are eminent clinicians and scholars who are valuable sources of ideas for the content of the Journal. They provide constructive criticism of the format and content of the Journal, and provide independent advice to the MJA Editorial Committee on appeals of editorial decisions, problematic articles, and complaints about the editorial process. John Attia Lilon G Bandler Anthony Capon Flavia M Cicuttini Paul B Colditz Brendan S Crabb Jaya Dantas Anne Duggan David A Ellwood Alex Farrell Peter G Gibson Marc Gladman Charles Guest Claire L Jackson Cheryl A Jones Zsuzsoka Kecskes José Florencio Fabella Lapeña, Jr Christopher Levi C Raina MacIntyre Jennifer Martin Patrick D McGorry Catriona McLean Lucy Morgan Peter L Munk Debra Nestel Ian N Olver Wilfred Peh Anna Ralph Toby Richards Christobel Saunders Susan Sawyer Jeong-Wook Seo Lambert W Schuwirth Joseph Sung Helena Teede Philip G Truskett Robyn Ward Steve Wesselingh Paul S Worley Catherine Yelland Neville D Yeomans Jeffrey Zajac Jason Abbott Lisa M Abbott Karen Adams Oyelola Adegboye Barbara-Ann Adelstein Stephen Adelstein Hossein Adibi John Adie Susannah Ahern Chris Alderman Sarah Ali Nicole L Allard Penny L Allen Janaki Amin David John Amor Craig S Anderson Robert Anderson Catarina Ang Nigel R Armfield Amit Arora Kingsley Asiedu Deborah A Askew Eugene Athan John J Atherton David N Atkinson John R Attia Oyekoya Taiwo Ayonrinde Leon A Bach Kathryn Backholer Tony Badrick Michael Baigent Jannine Bailey Suzanne Bain-Donohue Ross I Baker Eileen Baldry Zoe Baldwin Lilon G Bandler Bridget Barber Ruth A Barker Kristine Kay Barlow-Stewart Rahul D Barmanray Amanda Barnard Adrian G Barnett Dylan Dominic Barth Tarun Bastiampillai Marijka Batterham Malcolm W Battersby Frank H Beard Kenneth Beath Lorri Beatty Paul J Beggs Justin Beilby Katy JL Bell Scott C Bell Simon Bell Derrick A Bennett Julie Bennett Jill Benson Stephanie Best Neera Bhatia Laurent Billot Justin Bilszta Marie M Bismark Habtamu Bizuayehu Deborah A Black J Andrew Black Kirsten I Black Christopher F Bladin Tony Blakely Paul Blaschke Melissa Jane Bloomer Peter Boan Angie Bone Michael A Bonning Kade Booth Jeffrey Boris Jessica Botfield Eric Bouffet Mark Boughey Lisa Bourke Asha C Bowen Simon D Bowler Annette J Braunack-Mayer Ruanne Brell Bruce J Brew Fraser J Brims Peter J Bristow Julia M L Brotherton Anthony James Brown Katharine Brown Claudia Bruno Jamie Bryant David J Buckley Liz Buckley Nicholas A Buckley T Jared Bunch Hayden Burch Luke Burchill Sally A Burrows Jane A Buxton Oyungerel Byambasuren Gerard J Byrne Dominique A Cadilhac Rosemary Calder Emily Joy Callander Ian D Cameron Peter A Cameron Anna Campain David G Campbell Lewis Campbell Ben J Canny Karla J Canuto Cheryl Carcel Phillip J Carson Judith Cashmore Gillian E Caughey Elena Cavazzoni Blake S Cavve Steven J Chadban Leanne Chalmers Sonia Chanchlani Manju Chandrasegaram Jenny Chang Jack Chen Bernard Man Yung Cheung Derek P Chew Angela L Chiew HuiJun Chih Philip MC Choi Stephanie KY Choi Clara K Chow Eric P F Chow Intifar Chowdhury Kate Churruca Tainya Clarke David Coghill Neale D Cohen Paul B Colditz Catherine Coleborne Jacinta M Coleman Samantha Colledge-Frisby Alex Collie Peter J Collignon Philippa Collin Josielli Comachio Robert James Commons Luke B Connelly Mark S Cooper Matt Cooper Michael D Coory Vincent J Cornelisse Colin Hilton Cortie Christopher Coulter Sean Cowlishaw Stephen Cox Terry J Coyne Simon Craig Susanna Cramb Gregory Crawford Julia L Crilly Philip Crispin Simon R Crouch Andrew Crowden Mark Crowther Alana R Cuthbert Mark Daglish Eleonora Dal Grande Kathryn Daley Carlton D Dampier Benjamin Daniels Jaya A R Dantas Jai N Darvall Mike Daube A James M Daveson Stephanie J Davies Ian D Davis Joshua S Davis Stephanie Davis Susan R Davis Angela Dawson Carolyn A Day John F de Campo Caroline M de Costa Barbara de Graaff Bouke de Jong Anthony Dear Katrine Del Villar Anthony Delaney Clare Delany Sarah M Dennis Jane Desborough John A Devereux Haryana M Dhillon Terrence H Diamond Hugh G Dickson Christianna Digenis Joanna Dipnall George Disney Loc Giang Do Annette J Dobson Jodie M Dodd Xenia Dolja-Gore Susan M Donath Katina D'Onise Paul J Douglas Jenny A Doust James Dowty Andrea Driscoll Olaf H Drummer Stephen J Duckett Johan A Duflou Pascal Duijf Gregory J Duncombe Karen Maree Dwyer John R Dyer Diana Egerton-Warburton John W Eikelboom Robert H Eikelboom Paul Eleftheriou David H Ellis Pete M Ellis David A Ellwood Elissa Elvidge Jon D Emery Guy D Eslick David Espinoza Mohamed Estai Claudia Estcourt Sue M Evans Christopher K Fairley Kristy Fakes Michael O Falster Jonathon P Fanning Jillann F Farmer Michael Farrell Daniel M Fatovich Stuart Faulkner Jane Christine Fazio Deirdre Fetherstonhaugh David W Firman Matt Fisher Robert A Fitridge Gerard J FitzGerald John L Fitzgerald Arthas Flabouris Stephen C Flecknoe-Brown John I Fleming Darran Foo Malcolm Forbes Kevin D Forsyth David Fraile Navarro Peter Franklin John K French Frank A Frizelle Lara Fuller Clara Gaff Nicholas Gall Seana Gall Edward J Gane Lydia Garside Coral E Gartner Gail Garvey Madlen Gazarian Alison Gibberd Nathan J Gibbs Peter G Gibson Peter R Gibson Gerard Francis Gill Stephen Dean Gill Lynn H Gillam Allan R Glanville Rebecca Glauert Stacy K Goergen Day Way Goh Lisa Gold Rimma Goldberg Matthew R Golden David E Goldsbury Judith Gomersall Phillip D Good Belinda Goodwin Alexandra S Gorelik Rebekah Grace Patricia Graves Melissa J Green Suetonia Green Tim J Green Jerry R Greenfield Trisha Greenhalgh Jennene Greenhill Jessica A Grieger Sonia R Grover Luke E Grzeskowiak Eric Guazzo Pascale Guitera Hasantha Gunasekera Monisha Gupta Lyle C Gurrin Thi Ninh Ha Dandara Haag Bronwyn B Haasdyk Mohsen Habibian Penny Hagen Sally Hall Dykgraaf Christian R Hamilton-Craig Mark J Hanly Isabel Hanson Damian Harding Stephen Harfield David Harley Benjamin Harrap Ian A Harris Katie Harris Mark F Harris Jo Harrison Simon J Harrison Stephanie Harrison Roger J Hart Gunter F Hartel Mary Anne Hartley Lara Harvey Rubayyat Hashmi Alys Havard Andrew Hayen Christopher Hayes Richard B Hays Christopher H Heath Geoffrey S Hebbard Michael A Henderson Martin Hensher Subash Shanthakumar Heraganahally Ana Herceg Helen E Herrman Charlotte Mary Hespe Martha Hickey Peter Higgs Joanna Hikaka Andrew G Hill David R Hillman Kenneth M Hillman Sarah N Hilmer Dana A Hince Pravin Hissaria Danielle Hitch Peter G Hobbins Alberta Hoi Michael J Hollands Caroline SE Homer Preben Homoe Thai Phuoc Hong Gary Hooper John Hopper John D Horowitz Robert L Horvath Elizabeth D Hotham Paul Hotton Nehmat Houssami Jessica Howell Martin Howell Wendy Hu Catherine E Huggins Jaquelyne Hughes Lisa Hui Rod W Hunt Roger W Hunt Arnagretta Hunter Jennifer Hunter Peter C Hunter Elizabeth Hurrion Sarah J Hyde Zoë Hyde Jonathan A Hyett Susan Ieraci Maria C Inacio Warrick J Inder Joan Ingram Geoffrey K Isbister Katherine Z Isoardi Rowena G Ivers Christopher Jackson Claire L Jackson Melinda Jackson Theresa Jacques Farzana Jahan Sharon James Stacey K Jankelowitz Edward D Janus Edward Jegasothy Charles G Jenkinson Awachana Jiamsakul Liza Johannesson Sarah Johnson Brian D Johnston Alexandra Jones Michael P Jones Scott Jones Michelle Jongenelis Robert N Jorissen Matthew D Jose Joanne Joseph Preeti Avinash Joshi Manjul Joshipura Craig Phillip Juergens Nadarajah Kangaharan Jonathan Karnon Judith M Katzenellenbogen Margaret P Kay Karuna Keat Damien Kee June Keeling Michelle Kehoe Nicholas A Keks Justin Kenardy Debra S Kennedy Emma Kennedy Michelle Kennedy Suzanne Kennewell Danelle Kenny Katherine Kenny Dev A S Kevat Ehsan Khan Karen Kiang Ganessan Kichenadasse Hansoo Kim Joosup Kim Michael G Kimlin Lara Anne Kimmel Jeffrey Klausner Christopher S Kneebone Taryn Knox Jonathan Koea Pamela Konecny Kelvin M Kong Viola Korczak Zeff Koutsogiannis Leonard Kritharides Estie Kruger Eeva-Katri Kumpula Ronald Labonte Luise Patricia Lago Vinay Lakra Stephen B Lambert Riki Lane Aleksandra Lange Alexander Larcombe Michael Larkin Sarah L Larkins Anne-Marie Laslett Zohra Lassi Dennis Lau Namson Shon Chung Lau Kate Laver David M Lawrence Minh Le Cong Bernard Arnaud Leckning Karin Leder Adriene Lee James C Lee Stephen R Leeder Amy Legg James W Leitch Christopher N Lemoh Peter J Lewindon Xia Li Xue (Snow) Li Winston Spencer Liauw Michael Libman Leanne Liddle Susan Liew Vidya S Limaye Ivan Lin Anthea Lindquist Daniel Lindsay Damien Linnane Clare Littleton Dan Liu Andrew R Lloyd Serigne Lo David Long Derrick Lopez Susan M Lord Paula Lorgelly Jeanne Louw Michaela Lucas Guy L Ludbrook Sanja Lujic Ronald Ma Gustavo Machado Andrew I MacIsaac Heather G Mack John S Mackenzie Rona Macniven Richard Cawley Madden Guy J Maddern Parker John Magin Farah Magrabi Karen Magraith Robert Mahar Colin J Mahoney David Majewski Ashanya Malalasekera Allison Malcolm Arunima Malik James Leslie Mallows Linda Mann Jo-Anne Elizabeth Manski-Nankervis Danielle Manton Victoria J Mar Ben J Marais Tania P Markovic Susan Marks Nathaniel S Marshall Jennifer H Martin Kaka Martina Marianne Martinello Thomas H Marwick Lester Mascarenhas Siobhán Masterson Heather Mattner Richard Matzopoulos Danielle Mazza Scott McAlister Sally M McCarthy Peter McCluskey Stephen P McDonald Alison McEwen Forbes McGain Julie McGaughran Richard G McGee Peter McGeorge Steven McGloughlin Matthew Richard McGrail Iain McGregor Peter B McIntyre Andrea McKivett Donald McLeod Brendan McMullan Danielle McMullen Kathleen McNamee Ryan Mead-Hunter Graham N Meadows Niamh Meagher Jacqueline K Mein Tracy Lee Merlin William J Milford Jeremy L Millar Robert Miller Llew Mills Rachel Milte Alyssa Milton Gita D Mishra David James Mitchell Geoffrey K Mitchell Francis Mitrou Michael Montalto Julia K Moore Michael J Moore Robyn Moore Philip Morgan Susan J Morgan Peter Morley Jedidiah Morton Robert G Moses Robert F W Moulds David Mountain Alison M Mudge James Muir Zachary Munn Cammi Murrup-Stewart Danielle Muscat Vasi Naganathan Balakrishnan (Kichu) R Nair Sanjay Nandurkar Alison J Nankervis Natasha Nassar Merrilee Needham Amanda Louise Neil Mark R Nelson David A Newby Evan D Newnham John Newnham Yee Ching Ng Sam Ngan Son H Nghiem Danielle Ni Chroinin Gary Nicholls Suzanne Nielsen Rosemary L Nixon Antony Nocera Alicia Norman Robert Norton Vicki O'Donnell Patrick Oakley Jeremy J N Oats James O'beirne Carly Oboudiyat Penny O'Brien Anne O'Connor Daniel Bogale Odo Nicholas J Osborne Joshua Osowicki Jessica Pace Ellie Paige Andrew John Palmer Adriana Parrella Carmen Parter Nalini Pati Sue Pavord Christopher Pearce Odette Pearson Roxanna Pebdani Carmelle Peisah Yang Peng Jonathan Penm Charana Perera Gregory M Peterson Naomi Pfitzner Richard K S Robert W S W Michael James C J Michelle Christopher John Jeffrey Karen Jenny Susanna Margaret Mark Helen E Steve P Anna P Ralph Melissa Jennifer S Helen K Stephen Susan J Christopher Ian R M B Damien Malcolm D Ian T Kathryn Victoria Chris Iain K Paul G Jo Jenny M Margaret J Jacqueline P Andrew Ross Ross P Ross Stacey L Amanda B Jonathan M Sarah Christobel M Saunders John Saunders Rebecca B Andrea L Chris Tim Kate James G Scott Paul A F Paul J Sue Tarun Gupta N Anthony Heather William David Andrew H Dana Marie Louise K David P Jane Jennifer Thomas L Hayden A Tania C Alicia J Geoffrey K Stacey Andrew Julia S Mark Martin R Nigel P I Edward Bronwyn Elizabeth S L Nicholas J Patrick Amanda G Mark Thomas Alexander Karen Matthew Stephen Craig Thomas Stuart Patricia C Alicia Mark George Knox Rebecca Louise Deborah Karin Amy Zoe Dennis Robert J Richard Michael B Ward Peter A B David D J David I Jared Peter Barbara Cameron Wesselingh L Melissa Anne Christopher P Kate David C John Kay A J Chris S Dominic J C Louise Craig Robyn Andrew Leon Sarah Gary A Vincent Anna Michael C Paul Worley Michael Ian Rosemary Elizabeth J Jessica Yang Mark W Margaret R Christopher Nicholas A

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