Julia Hussein – Editor-in-Chief
Julia has 30 years of professional experience as an obstetrician, public health practitioner, development worker, researcher, author and science editor. He has worked with NGOs, universities, funding agencies, governments and the United Nations in many countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. She now prefers to spend her time helping others write, publish, and communicate their research and knowledge about science and public health. Julia is based in Aberdeen, Scotland and joined SRHM in 2018 as Editor-in-Chief.
What is your background and journey to become the Editor-in-Chief of SRHM?
I originally trained as an obstetrics clinician in the UK and loved every minute of the job. I have also wanted to work in humanitarian and low-income settings for many years, and when I took that step, I found that my interests in public health trumped clinical practice. It was never my intention to do research after returning from abroad, but it turned out that the rigor and detail involved in the work provided a good basis for scholarly diligence. When I was invited to become an editor at another medical journal many years ago, I accepted with trepidation, but as I got used to the work processes, I found myself enjoying it immensely. As I gained experience in my own research and publications, I became increasingly drawn to exploring how other authors wrote and why some papers were published and others were not. I found that I enjoyed running workshops and events to support writers to write – so much can be done when writers who may be less experienced get timely and targeted support for their work. I don’t think there’s enough of that kind of personalized approach in academia. Most people are too busy with the pressure of having to produce their own publications. I was delighted to be given the opportunity to join SRHM. For me, its ethical approach to publishing, its focus on capacity building, and the importance placed on featuring articles by people who are perhaps less ‘visible’ in the scientific community, means that the journal is of particular value.
What is the focus of the SRHM journal and what are the most important research areas for the journal?
The rights, public health, policy and practice focus of the journal is probably already widely known. I don’t think there are any particularly important areas of research in sexual and reproductive health and rights – it’s an incredibly broad field and there are many priority areas. Interest in certain subject areas can wax and wane over time and is dependent on social and political events. What I believe is worth exploring and considering any topic from multiple perspectives, so I see the journal as playing an important role in publishing research from multiple disciplines that can appeal to a readership with diverse interests.
What research areas would you like to see more published?
Given my own background and research interests, I would like to see much more on the intersections between health systems and sexual and reproductive health care, as well as implementation research on how we can make health systems work for better care in resource-constrained settings. We know a lot about what to do and why, but less about “how”, so I’d like to see more published on “how to implement” and “how to change”.
How has SRHR research/publication changed over your career?
Maternal health and family planning dominated the global public health picture and it is good to see that the agenda has broadened over the years to include sexual and reproductive health and rights. Boundaries are constantly being pushed, with more and more overlooked topics coming to the fore – menstruation, sexual pleasure, gender identity, reproductive cancers and so on. The list is long and constantly growing.
How do you, as Editor-in-Chief, maintain the high quality of SRHM publications?
I could answer by saying that I look for papers that have scientific merit, originality and relevance. In reality, it’s not that simple, especially given our journal’s priorities of building capacity and inclusiveness in representing work from different disciplines, perspectives and levels of experience. I read every paper that comes in, sometimes multiple times, putting it aside and coming back to it later, before deciding on the next step. Time constraints mean there are trade-offs, and I spend much more time on papers where the authors seem less fluent or experienced, and I admit to being impatient with carelessly written articles from authors who should know better. I try to look beyond what is written to understand what the authors intend to convey and whether there is a possibility of deepening the knowledge gained from the work. Writing that is balanced and fair, and a dispassionate use of evidence, are traits I think are important. Reviewers’ contributions are vital, and I am continually amazed by their generosity and dedication to providing meaningful and painstakingly detailed feedback. The views of other editors at SRHM are also key, and we find that internal consultation can be helpful in dealing with difficult decisions.
SRHM claims to be “more than a magazine”. What does this mean for you?
For me, the bottom line is that engaging with SRHM gives “added value” – beyond what most academic journals do. For example, our emphasis on capacity building means we go the extra mile to help guide a paper to publication standard – either in one-to-one interaction or through a mentoring program. The interface between our journal and wider organizational activities as a platform to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights makes it vital that we actively seek support for convening consultations and technical meetings to share knowledge and advance evidence generation. In addition to their aim to advance evidence to enhance ‘know-how’ for policy and practice, these activities are also designed to encourage publications on emerging and neglected topics – not only from an academic perspective, but from activists, policy makers, program implementers, service providers and others. Publishing evidence and research is not enough – we want knowledge transfer to be two-way, evidence to inform policy and practice, and experience of policy-making and practice to influence the evidence that is published.
What advice would you offer young researchers if they want to publish their research in quality journals like SRHM?
As you prepare to write your paper, find and read other papers similar in approach and topic area to yours, noting how the various sections are written and ensuring that you incorporate the same level of detail into your paper, in your own words. Make sure you read papers from the journal you intend to submit to and note the scope of the journal, its target audience, the types of publications and the style in which the papers are written. Consult widely when writing your paper, discuss drafts with colleagues, supervisors, friends and family. SRHM is a multidisciplinary journal, and getting advice and opinions from different people can help you deepen your knowledge, sharpen your writing, and make your writing understandable and accessible to a diverse audience. When submitting your paper to the journal, follow the guidelines for authors carefully. Editors and reviewers find it irritating to evaluate a paper that is written carelessly and hastily. When you receive reviewer feedback, analyze it carefully and try to understand the reasons behind the feedback so that you can fully address their concerns. Respond to comments honestly and systematically. It’s amazing how often authors respond in detail to the reviewer but don’t actually include the explanation in the reviews. Editors can easily recognize when authors have not taken review comments seriously. In short: prepare carefully, be thorough and think deeply.
