Abstract

The Internet Journal of Rehabilitation is a peer-reviewed, international and multidisciplinary journal targeted for all the professionals and scientists in the field of rehabilitation and the related topics. This journal publishes original articles in the form of in-depth review papers, clinical, experimental and technical research works, case reports, technical reports, and letters to the editor.

Needs for this New Journal

The field of rehabilitation goes far beyond the conventional concept. Internal medicine, neurology, pediatrics, geriatrics are fields where rehabilitation has been shown to be absolutely necessary. Cardiaopulmonary problems, stroke, disabilities and the problems of the aging patient are parts of the broad field rehabilitation is covering. Furthermore, in various somatic fields, psychiatric patients need rehabilitation to enable these people to effectively participate in their normal sociocultural environment. This is the reason why there is a need for another journal in the field of rehabilitation. While there are numerous journals on the topic of surgical management with multiple subspecialities, rehabilitation journals are under-represented. Therefore, we try to fill the need for a new open access journal in this field.

Classification of Research Work

Evidence based medicine (EBM) and evidence based practice (EBP) are valuable instruments in the decision making process of professionals in the medical field. Restrictions upon resources of social health care systems have led to call for greater efficiency and cost effectiveness of treatment programs. Therefore, good quality evidence studies providing the highest quality of research are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments.

The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) [1] provides guidelines to the general use of EBM.. There is a special hierarchy of evidence based knowledge:

• Smallest evidence is provided by “expert opinion”

• Case reports/case series

• Un-controlled studies

• Controlled studies

• Randomized controlled studies (RCT) and

• Meta analyses from RCT

The quality and types of evidence help to segregate research into levels. They are graded (IV [lowest] – I [highest]) and from those levels recommendations for treatment are derived (Grade D [lowest] – Grade A [highest]).

Readership

The Internet Journal of Rehabilitation is a new open access journal for the presentation of new developments in the broad field of rehabilitation including technical orthopedics. Physical therapists, Occupational therapists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Physiatrists and all other physicians involved in the rehabilitation field, as well as Orthotists and Prosthetists are invited to paticipate as readers as well as authors and distribute the knowledge gained easily via open access. The journal will provide a scientific forum, as well as a forum for technical approaches presented as case reports. Systematic reviews, prospective controlled studies, but also case series are welcome if material fits the criteria for the first time publication.

The Internet Journal of Rehabilitation is a peer reviewed journal. Every published article will be reviewed by members of the editorial board and the editor-in-chief. All articles are archived by Internet Scientific Publications LLC and recognized by The Library of Congress Catalog of Publications.

We are honored by the task of acting as Editors of The Internet Journal of Rehabilitation. It has been and will continue to be a great pleasure to work with all those professional and enthusiastic colleagues whom we met on the way to the launch of our new journal.

Everyone involved wishes the journal a successful start. May we increase our knowledge, improve our skills and gain enthusiasm for the benefit of our patients.

References