PLOS Aging and Health
frequently asked questions
PLOS Aging and Health frequently asked questions
As this is one of PLOS’ newest journals, these frequently asked questions have been brought together to help you find key information about our journal’s scope, submissions, peer review, and open access policies. For any questions not covered here, please contact us.
PLOS Aging and Health is an open access journal that publishes transformative work from researchers, clinicians, public health scientists, social scientists, and policymakers across the spectrum of aging research. This selective journal publishes ethical, impactful, immediately accessible research that advances our understanding of aging by integrating biological, developmental, clinical, neurological, and functional dimensions.
The journal welcomes studies that explore biological, clinical, behavioral, and social dimensions of aging, as well as interventions that promote healthy longevity and quality of life. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Mechanisms of aging and age-related disease
- Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies
- Cognitive health and neurological aging
- Functional health, independence, and rehabilitation
- Health systems, policy, and care delivery for aging populations
- Social determinants of health and equity in aging
- Innovations in technology and digital health for elder care
PLOS Aging and Health is for researchers, clinicians, public health scientists, social scientists, and policymakers who are advancing knowledge on age-related processes, aging, and health across the life course.
The journal also welcomes contributions from interdisciplinary teams working on age-related conditions, health equity, and innovations that improve quality of life for older populations.
PLOS Aging and Health is more than an open access journal - it is a platform dedicated to advancing research across the whole lifespan that improves health and quality of life.
What sets us apart:
- Interdisciplinary scope: Biological, clinical, behavioral, and social research that addresses aging from multiple angles.
- Lifespan approach: From early adulthood to advanced age, we publish work that informs prevention, intervention, and healthy longevity.
- Global relevance and equity: Research that reflects diverse populations and promotes health for all.
- Open science-led: We enable effortless knowledge sharing, clearer visibility, and quicker innovation. Our tools make it easy to apply these benefits at every stage of the publication process.
- Solutions-oriented science: Studies that inform policy, care delivery, and innovation for aging populations.
Work published in PLOS Aging and Health will include empirical studies, clinical and experimental research, modeling and theoretical approaches, qualitative and mixed-methods research and systematic reviews.
We welcome:
-
Original research articles
-
Review papers
-
Opinions
Editorial information
What is the scope of PLOS Aging and Health?
PLOS Aging and Health is an open access journal that publishes transformative work from researchers, clinicians, public health scientists, social scientists, and policymakers across the spectrum of aging research. This selective journal publishes ethical, impactful, immediately accessible research that advances our understanding of aging by integrating biological, developmental, clinical, neurological, and functional dimensions.
The journal welcomes studies that explore biological, clinical, behavioral, and social dimensions of aging, as well as interventions that promote healthy longevity and quality of life. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Mechanisms of aging and age-related disease
- Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies
- Cognitive health and neurological aging
- Functional health, independence, and rehabilitation
- Health systems, policy, and care delivery for aging populations
- Social determinants of health and equity in aging
- Innovations in technology and digital health for elder care
Who is the journal for?
PLOS Aging and Health is for researchers, clinicians, public health scientists, social scientists, and policymakers who are advancing knowledge on age-related processes, aging, and health across the life course.
The journal also welcomes contributions from interdisciplinary teams working on age-related conditions, health equity, and innovations that improve quality of life for older populations.
What makes PLOS Aging and Health different?
PLOS Aging and Health is more than an open access journal - it is a platform dedicated to advancing research across the whole lifespan that improves health and quality of life.
What sets us apart:
- Interdisciplinary scope: Biological, clinical, behavioral, and social research that addresses aging from multiple angles.
- Lifespan approach: From early adulthood to advanced age, we publish work that informs prevention, intervention, and healthy longevity.
- Global relevance and equity: Research that reflects diverse populations and promotes health for all.
- Open science-led: We enable effortless knowledge sharing, clearer visibility, and quicker innovation. Our tools make it easy to apply these benefits at every stage of the publication process.
- Solutions-oriented science: Studies that inform policy, care delivery, and innovation for aging populations.
What types of articles are accepted?
Work published in PLOS Aging and Health will include empirical studies, clinical and experimental research, modeling and theoretical approaches, qualitative and mixed-methods research and systematic reviews.
We welcome:
-
Original research articles
-
Review papers
-
Opinions
How do I submit my manuscript?
Please submit your manuscript through our online submission portal. Our submission guidelines provide clear instructions on formatting, data sharing, and ethical compliance.
Are there limits on manuscript length or figures?
Our journals do not impose limits on manuscript length or the number of figures for research articles.
Opinion pieces should be no more than 1,000 words with a figure encouraged and a suggested maximum of 15 references.
Review articles should be around 4,000 words with a recommended 5 figures and a suggested limit of 100 references.
Who should I contact about a submitted or published article?
For information about a submitted or published paper with PLOS Aging and Health, please email our customer care team.
How can I track my manuscript’s progress?
The corresponding author can check the status of a submitted manuscript at any time in our submission system.
Peer review
How does peer review work at PLOS Aging and Health?
All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by independent experts. Authors can also opt for open peer review to promote transparency and dialogue.
How do I become a reviewer for PLOS Aging and Health?
If you are interested in reviewing for PLOS Aging and Health, please email our customer care team.
All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by independent experts. Authors can also opt for open peer review to promote transparency and dialogue.
If you are interested in reviewing for PLOS Aging and Health, please email our customer care team.
Is PLOS Aging and Health open access?
Yes. All PLOS content is fully open access under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY). Articles are free to read, share, reuse, and remix with proper attribution.
Are there publication fees?
An Article Processing Charge (APC) covers the cost of open access publishing. Waivers and discounts are available for authors from low- and middle-income countries or in cases of demonstrated need.
Is fee assistance available?
Yes. We believe that lack of funds should not be a barrier to open access publication. Find out more information on fee assistance.
Does my institution cover the APC?
We offer several diverse partnership agreements for institutions to contribute to or eliminate open access publication fees for all our journals. View our full list of institutional partners.
What is the APC for PLOS Aging and Health?
For researchers not currently included in our APC-alternative models, the publication fee for PLOS Aging and Health is $3,043.
What ethical standards does PLOS Aging and Health follow?
We are widely regarded as a respected partner and leader in the global research integrity and publication ethics community.
All our journals adhere to international publishing standards and COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines to ensure integrity in authorship, data handling, and peer review. Read more on research integrity and publication ethics at PLOS.
What are the data and code sharing requirements?
Authors submitting to PLOS Aging and Health are encouraged to deposit datasets in accessible repositories and include a Data Availability Statement. Supplementary materials and code should also be shared where available.
Are preprints accepted?
We highly encourage authors to share their work as a preprint when they are ready: before, during, or after journal submission.
We are widely regarded as a respected partner and leader in the global research integrity and publication ethics community.
All our journals adhere to international publishing standards and COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines to ensure integrity in authorship, data handling, and peer review. Read more on research integrity and publication ethics at PLOS.
Authors submitting to PLOS Aging and Health are encouraged to deposit datasets in accessible repositories and include a Data Availability Statement. Supplementary materials and code should also be shared where available.
We highly encourage authors to share their work as a preprint when they are ready: before, during, or after journal submission.
How can I promote my published article?
We support authors with guidance and resources to help amplify your work and get the attention it deserves. Visit the PLOS Author Media Toolkit for practical tips and media support.
Can I track engagement with my work?
Yes. Our Article-Level Metrics (ALMs) track downloads, citations, media coverage, social shares, and more. Learn more about our journal metrics.
Who can I contact for help?
For further questions about PLOS Aging and Health submissions, policies, or editorial matters, please email our customer care team.
