Journal profile · PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy
ISSN 1551-7411 · eISSN 1934-8150 · Elsevier
Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.3; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,880; median 122 days to acceptance (98 articles, last 24 months); 374 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 2 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes, Medication Adherence and Compliance and Antibiotic Use and Resistance, together about 48.7% of its articles. Its main subfields are Economics and Econometrics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Widely recognized journal of the International Collaboration of Pharmacy Journal Editors (ICPJE) in comportment with the Granada Statements, Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy (RSAP) publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed content in health services research specifically as it relates to some aspects of the medication use process. The medication use process includes (but is not limited to) the prescribing, preparation, dispensing, administration, adherence to, evaluation, monitoring, and outcomes associated with legend or with over-the-counter medications, incorporating the concept of clinical pharmacy which optimize utilization of medicines to achieve person-centered and public health goals. The medication use process includes attitudes, perspectives, knowledge, and behaviors of any actor in this process, including prescribers, pharmacists, pharmacy personnel, other health practitioners, patients, and caregivers.In twelve issues per year, RSAP features original scientific reports, comprehensive review articles, proposed models, and provocative commentaries in the social and administrative pharmaceutical sciences.Topics of interest outcomes evaluation of drug products programs, or services pharmacoepidemiology medication adherencedisease managementmedication use policydrug marketingevaluation of educational paradigms that could impact practice and/or patient behaviorother topics related to public health in the context of pharmacy or medication use.RSAP proffers new models to guide existing research, make methodological arguments, or describe the results of rigorous theory-building research. Practice and education research are considered, with preference given to papers evaluating theoretical constructs and to those that might shape policy.The International Collaboration of Pharmacy Journal Editors - ICPJE The ICPJE shares commonalities and goals to improve the medication use process and the outcomes emanating from this endeavor. The ICPJE refers to ‘pharmacy’ as the medication use process. However, research articles, reviews, and commentaries, can refer to any actor involved, as well as any evaluation (e.g. pharmaceoepidemiological) of the drug products themselves or systems employed, to optimize the use process. Each journal of the ICPJE has an established niche and is optimally suited for certain types of manuscripts.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Editor-in-chief Shane DessellePublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 32, Australia 15, Canada 7, United Kingdom 4, Ireland 3 (76 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient OutcomesMedicine30.3%
- Medication Adherence and ComplianceMedicine13.8%
- Antibiotic Use and ResistanceImmunology and Microbiology4.6%
- Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of LifeEconomics, Econometrics and Finance4.4%
- Health Policy Implementation ScienceHealth Professions3.7%
- Pharmaceutical Economics and PolicyEconomics, Econometrics and Finance3.6%
- Patient Safety and Medication ErrorsHealth Professions3.4%
- Health Literacy and Information AccessibilityHealth Professions2.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.3LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.99LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.4LetPub ·
- h-index
- 96OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,502OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.1OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 38.96%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 115LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,112 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 89 | 46 | 32 |
| 2025 | 374 | 111 | 498 |
| 2024 | 302 | 94 | 1,073 |
| 2023 | 300 | 109 | 1,928 |
| 2022 | 188 | 81 | 1,874 |
| 2021 | 215 | 98 | 4,414 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
122 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 83 days – 202 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (98 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 125 days
- Sample
- 98 articles with submission and acceptance dates (257 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 1 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 76 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 118 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,880 / EUR 4,570 / GBP 3,910 / JPY 605,270 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,450 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- AMA
- Highlights
- Optional
Article types accepted15, with length limits
- book and software reviewsBook and Software Reviews. Book and Software Reviews are brief documents (700-1000 words) that provide a clear understanding ofLength not stated
- clinical case reportsClinical Case Reports. Clinical case reports are short descriptions of clinically interesting patients or brief interventions occurring in a pharmacy practice s…Length not stated
- commentariesCommentaries. Commentaries are papers on philosophical issues, medication use policies, methodological arguments, or other pertinent subjects.Length not stated
- commentaryEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…Length not stated
- editorialEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…Length not stated
- editorialsEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…Length not stated
- original research articleEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…Length not stated
- original research paperEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…Length not stated
- proposed modelsProposed Models. Proposed models are comprehensive, well-executed papers that seek to propose and advance for scholarly discourse a model to guide future resear…Length not stated
- research articleEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- research articlesResearch Articles. Research articles describe experimental or observational investigations that used formal methods for data collection and reporting of results…Length not stated
- research briefsResearch Briefs. Research articles that can provide their results in a shorter format: they have a maximum of 2,000 words, exclusive of abstract, acknowledgemen…Length not stated
- reviewEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…main text ≤ 1,000 words
- reviewsReviews. Reviews are comprehensive, well-referenced descriptive papers on research topics directly related to clinical practice and/or medication use policy, or…Length not stated
- systematic reviewEditorials. Editorials are brief papers that typically serve as an introduction to an upcoming series of papers or themed issue of the journal. They are often i…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Open access options available. Model summary
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized peer review process. Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 1551-7411
- Electronic ISSN
- 1934-8150
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy
What CAS zone is Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy is in Zone 2 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Public, Environmental & Occupational Health. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.3; CiteScore 7, h-index 96.
How long does peer review take at Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy?
Based on the dates recorded on 98 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 122 days (interquartile range 83–202 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: AMA; Highlights: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy based?
Of the 76 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (32), Australia (15) and Canada (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy is indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Is Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy open access, and what is the APC?
Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,880.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .