Aims and Scope
The Health Sciences International Journal (HSIJ) is a blind peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes original research articles, review articles, short communications, and case reports. The journal serves as a platform for the dissemination of scientific innovations, technological advancements, applied research, and evidence-based practices across various disciplines in health and related sciences.
HSIJ is committed to advancing global health knowledge by bridging the gap between research and practical application. The journal provides a forum for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share cutting-edge findings that contribute to scientific progress and public well-being.
To maintain high editorial standards, HSIJ is managed by a team of renowned academics and experts who oversee a rigorous peer-review process. Our editorial board ensures that each submitted manuscript receives a thorough and fair evaluation, fostering a scholarly environment that upholds the highest standards of research integrity and quality.
Publication Frequency
Each published article will be immediately available on the journal's website according to the period of two editions per year (February and August).
Peer-review Process
HSIJ is a fully blind peer-reviewed journal with a rigorous multi-stage editorial screening and assessment process.
First, we do an initial in-house quality check to detect potential issues such as competing interests, ethical standards for human and animal subjects, financial disclosures, data availability, and English and readability. At this point, submissions may be returned to authors for modifications or clarifications.
After passing quality control, each submission is assigned to an editor (either the editor-in-chief, an associate editor, or an editorial board member) who screens it for scientific and policy requirements, such as the scope of the HSIJ journal, advancement, or effect of the publication. The submission may be rejected if the manuscript does not meet the standards.
If the manuscript meets the requirements, it will be sent to reviewers (at least two) on relevant subjects. The editors will make a judgment after receiving the reviewers' remarks. A manuscript may be approved without alteration, suggested for revision and additional review, or rejected due to a consequence of the technical review process.
The received date in the published article is the date the editors received the original (or if previously rejected, resubmitted) manuscript. The revised date is the date the editors received the most recently fully updated version of the article (the manuscript may be returned to the authors for modification). After receiving the reviewers ' suggestions, the authors will be allowed a few weeks to modify the article.) The paper is formally accepted after all outstanding editorial difficulties are resolved. When the editor sends the acceptance letter, it is the accepted date.
The Health Sciences International Journal (HSIJ) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in publishing. Our publication ethics policy aligns with international ethical standards, including those outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All parties involved in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are expected to uphold these principles.
1. Responsibility of authors
- Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and free from plagiarism. All sources must be appropriately cited, and similarity should not exceed 20%, as verified by plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate).
- Data Accuracy and Transparency: Authors must provide accurate, honest representations of their research findings. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited.
- Authorship: Only individuals who have significantly contributed to the research and manuscript preparation should be listed as authors. All contributors must agree to the final version of the manuscript before submission.
- Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of others’ work and funding sources is mandatory.
- Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work.
2. Resposibility of editors
- Fairness and Objectivity: Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely based on academic merit, without discrimination regarding race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, or political philosophy of the authors.
- Confidentiality: Manuscripts must be treated as confidential, and editors must not disclose any information to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or publisher.
- Conflict of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest.
- Decision-Making: Editors are responsible for making final decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection based on the peer-review process and journal policies.
3. Responsibility of reviewers
- Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat the manuscript as confidential and not disclose its content or share it with others.
- Constructive Feedback: Reviews should be objective, constructive, and free from personal criticism.
- Timeliness: Reviewers must complete their evaluations within the agreed-upon timeframe.
- Conflict of Interest: Reviewers should decline the review if they have conflicts of interest that could compromise their judgment.
4. Ethical misconduct
HSIJ takes allegations of ethical misconduct seriously. Any breaches, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or authorship disputes, will be investigated thoroughly following COPE guidelines. Actions may include:
- Rejection of the manuscript.
- Retraction of a published article.
- Notification to authors’ institutions or funding bodies.
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Digital Archiving: All published articles are archived and preserved using trusted digital repositories to safeguard against data loss or corruption.
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System Backups: HSIJ maintains regular backups of its database to ensure content is secure and recoverable in case of system failures.
- Author Self-Archiving: Authors are encouraged to self-archive their published articles in institutional or subject-based repositories, personal websites, or other platforms, provided they link back to the original publication in HSIJ.
This policy aligns with HSIJ's mission to preserve scientific knowledge and promote open access for the global research community.
