Publication Policy

Health Sciences Quarterly (Health Sci. Q.) is an international, double-anonymised, peer-reviewed, and open-access journal. The journal accepts submissions exclusively in English and publishes four times a year.

Goal and Range

The journal publishes high-quality theoretical and empirical research in all areas of health sciences. Please read the About / Focus and Scope page for more information on the thematic scope.

Types of Articles, Languages, and Frequency

• Only English is spoken.
• Publication Frequency: Four times a year, once every three months.
• This journal publishes original research articles, review articles, case reports, short communications, and editorials (if they fit the journal's scope).

Double-Blind Peer Review Policy

All submissions undergo an initial editorial check to ensure they comply with the guidelines, are of high quality, and are ethical. In a double-anonymised evaluation, at least two independent reviewers review suitable articles. Editors make decisions based on the reports of reviewers and the quality of the work.

The review is done in complete secrecy. Editors and reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and step down when necessary.

The Open Access Model

Health Sci. Q. gives everyone immediate access to all of its content, with no restrictions. When an article is published, everyone can read it for free. See Copyright & Licensing and Open Access Policy for information on licensing and reuse rights.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors own the copyright and give the journal the right to publish first. The Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license allows for the publication of articles. The Copyright & Licensing site has all the information you need.

Checking for Plagiarism

All contributions are checked for similarities (for example, with iThenticate). According to COPE criteria, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and duplicate publications are not allowed and will result in rejection. The Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement provides more detail on our commitment to publishing ethically.

Standards of ethics in health research

Health Sci. Q. adheres to the strictest ethical standards for medical and health research. Submissions that include people must follow the Declaration of Helsinki and obtain approval from the appropriate ethical committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB). All participants must give their informed consent.

Animal studies must adhere to internationally recognised protocols for the care and utilisation of laboratory animals (e.g., ARRIVE recommendations) and obtain appropriate ethical approval.

Data Accessibility and Research Integrity

• Writers are responsible for ensuring that the data they use in their study is accurate and complete.
• Editors or reviewers may request raw data if needed.
• Authors should distribute data to open repositories when appropriate, with adequate documentation and citation, while still protecting patient privacy and confidentiality.

Changes and Retractions

Errata or corrigenda can be used to fix little mistakes. If there are serious ethical violations, such as fabricating data, plagiarising, or failing to disclose conflicts of interest, the journal may retract the article in accordance with COPE guidelines. For further information on how to do things, read the Publication Ethics page.

Conflicts of Interest

According to ICMJE guidelines, all authors, editors, and reviewers must tell the truth about any possible conflicts of interest (financial, professional, or personal) that could be seen as affecting the evaluation or publication of a manuscript.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Writers must clearly say if they used AI technologies (like ChatGPT) to write their manuscripts. AI can only help with writing and language; it can not add to the scientific content, which is still the authors' job. Editorial decisions do not use AI techniques.

Indexing and Archiving

LOCKSS and CLOCKSS (or similar) systems keep digital files safe for a long time. The Archiving Policy page has more information.

Indexing: Please see the Indexing & Abstracting page for the most recent list of services that abstract and index.

Standards and Compliance

The journal follows the COPE Core Practices and the advice of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). We are committed to openness and honesty across all our editorial policies, peer review, and publication ethics. This promise ensures that our publication process is honest and provides health sciences researchers with a reliable way to communicate.

This page provides an overview of the general rules for editing and publishing in the Health Sciences Quarterly. Please read the Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement for a complete list of ethical rules.