Terms and Conditions

International Journal of Health Systems and Integrated Health Sciences (IJHSIHS)

1. Introduction

The International Journal of Health Systems and Integrated Health Sciences (IJHSIHS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journal dedicated to advancing research, policy analysis, and practice in health systems, integrated health sciences, and interdisciplinary health innovations.

By submitting manuscripts, accessing content, or participating in the publication process, authors, reviewers, readers, and other users agree to comply with these Terms and Conditions.

2. Scope and Purpose

IJHSIHS publishes original scholarly work that contributes to the advancement of:

  • Health systems research and policy

  • Integrated healthcare models

  • Public health and population health

  • Digital health and health innovation

  • Health economics and health governance

  • Clinical and community health integration

  • Global health systems development

The journal seeks to promote transparent, ethical, and accessible scientific communication consistent with international scholarly publishing standards.

3. Open Access Policy

IJHSIHS operates as a fully open access journal, ensuring that all published articles are freely accessible to readers worldwide without subscription or paywall barriers.

In accordance with principles promoted by the Directory of Open Access Journals, the journal:

  • Provides immediate open access to all published content

  • Allows users to read, download, distribute, print, and share articles

  • Promotes the global exchange of knowledge in health systems and integrated health sciences.

Articles are published under a Creative Commons license, typically:

  • Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) unless otherwise specified.

This license permits unrestricted reuse provided that proper attribution is given to the original authors.

4. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts must ensure that:

  1. The manuscript is original work and has not been previously published.

  2. The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.

  3. All listed authors have significantly contributed to the research.

  4. All necessary ethical approvals have been obtained.

  5. Conflicts of interest are fully disclosed.

  6. Data presented in the manuscript are accurate and verifiable.

Authors must comply with internationally recognized research ethics guidelines, including those promoted by organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

5. Peer Review Process

IJHSIHS uses a rigorous double-blind peer review process.

Key elements include:

  • Manuscripts are evaluated by independent experts in the relevant field.

  • Reviewers remain anonymous to authors.

  • Authors’ identities are concealed from reviewers where possible.

  • Editorial decisions are based on scientific quality, originality, and relevance.

Possible editorial decisions include:

  • Accept

  • Minor revisions

  • Major revisions

  • Reject

The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority regarding publication decisions.

6. Publication Ethics and Malpractice

IJHSIHS strictly follows ethical publishing practices.

The journal prohibits:

  • Plagiarism

  • Data fabrication

  • Data falsification

  • Duplicate publication

  • Improper authorship attribution

  • Citation manipulation

Plagiarism screening may be conducted using recognized similarity-checking systems.

Cases of misconduct will be investigated according to guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics.

Consequences may include:

  • Manuscript rejection

  • Article retraction

  • Notification of authors’ institutions

  • Blacklisting from future submissions

7. Copyright and Author Rights

Authors retain copyright to their work.

However, authors grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish and distribute the article.

Authors also grant permission for:

  • Archiving in academic repositories

  • Indexing in scholarly databases

  • Distribution through academic networks

Authors may share their work freely provided proper citation of the published version is maintained.

8. Article Processing Charges (APC)

IJHSIHS may charge an Article Processing Charge (APC) to support editorial management, peer review administration, online hosting, and long-term digital preservation.

Important conditions:

  • APC information will be clearly stated on the journal website.

  • APC does not influence editorial decisions.

  • Fee waivers or discounts may be offered to researchers from low-income or developing countries.

All APC policies comply with transparency guidelines recommended by the Directory of Open Access Journals.

9. Archiving and Digital Preservation

To ensure long-term accessibility, IJHSIHS supports digital preservation through recognized archiving mechanisms such as:

  • Institutional repositories

  • Digital preservation services

  • Scholarly indexing systems

This guarantees that articles remain permanently accessible even in the event of journal platform changes.

10. Privacy and Data Protection

Personal information provided by authors, reviewers, and users will be used solely for editorial and publication purposes.

The journal will not sell or distribute personal data to third parties.

Information collected may include:

  • Name

  • Institutional affiliation

  • Email address

  • ORCID identifier

Such information is used only for scholarly communication and editorial processes.

11. Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in published articles belong solely to the authors.

IJHSIHS, its editors, and publishers:

  • Do not assume responsibility for the accuracy of published information

  • Are not liable for consequences resulting from the use of published content.

Readers are advised to independently verify clinical or scientific information before application.

12. Corrections, Retractions, and Updates

The journal maintains the integrity of the scholarly record.

When necessary, the journal may issue:

  • Corrections (Errata)

  • Expressions of Concern

  • Retractions

Such actions follow guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics.

13. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made independently by the editorial board.

The publisher, sponsors, or funding institutions cannot influence decisions regarding:

  • Manuscript acceptance

  • Peer review

  • Editorial policy.

This ensures the scientific integrity of the journal.

14. Indexing and Abstracting

IJHSIHS aims to be indexed in recognized scholarly databases to improve research visibility and accessibility.

Inclusion in indexing services depends on compliance with international publishing standards.

15. Changes to Terms and Conditions

IJHSIHS reserves the right to update or modify these Terms and Conditions when necessary.

Any changes will be published on the journal’s official website and will take effect immediately upon publication.

16. Contact Information

For inquiries regarding submissions, policies, or editorial matters, authors and readers should contact the IJHSIHS editorial office through the official communication channels provided on the journal website.