This page consolidates all the governing editorial policies of the International Journal of Data, Health and Development Studies (IJDHDS). Each policy is also referenced elsewhere on the site where relevant, but this page serves as the single authoritative source.

Our policies are aligned with the standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

1. Aims & Scope

IJDHDS is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed, fully open-access journal dedicated to publishing high-quality original research, systematic reviews, and scholarly commentary that advances knowledge in health sciences, data science, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development.

The journal serves researchers, clinicians, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide, with a specific commitment to amplifying scholarship from Africa and other underrepresented regions.

2. Journal Sections

IJDHDS publishes the following categories of manuscripts. Word counts exclude abstract, references, tables, and figures.

3. Peer Review Policy

IJDHDS uses a double-blind peer review model, meaning both author and reviewer identities are concealed throughout the review process.

Minimum Two Reviewers

Every manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent experts with relevant expertise.

Review Timeline

Reviewers are given 21 days. First decision is typically 4–6 weeks from submission.

Editorial Decision

Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision based on reviewer recommendations.

For full details, see our Peer Review Process page.

4. Authorship Policy

IJDHDS follows the ICMJE authorship criteria. Authorship is limited to those who have made substantial contributions to the work and can take public responsibility for it.

5. Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived as influencing the work. A conflict of interest does not imply misconduct, but must be transparently managed.

6. Data Sharing Policy

IJDHDS strongly encourages transparency and reproducibility. All empirical papers must include a Data Availability Statement.

7. Research Ethics

All research involving human or animal subjects must comply with the following requirements:

Ethics Committee Approval

Provide the name of the committee and approval number.

Informed Consent

Written consent from all participants (or guardians) must be documented.

Animal Welfare

Studies involving animals must follow institutional and international guidelines.

Clinical Trials Registration

Clinical trials must be registered in a recognized registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN).

8. Intellectual Property

Authors retain copyright of their published work. There is no separate copyright transfer agreement. By publishing with IJDHDS, authors grant the journal a non-exclusive right of first publication and agree to distribute the work under CC BY 4.0.

9. Overlapping Publications

Manuscripts submitted to IJDHDS must be original and must not be under consideration by any other journal. The following practices are prohibited:

Preprints posted on servers (arXiv, bioRxiv, SSRN, etc.) are permitted. Authors must cite the preprint in the manuscript.

10. Corrections & Retractions

IJDHDS is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. The following notices may be published:

11. Appeals & Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions. The appeals process ensures a fair, transparent review by a senior editor not involved in the original decision.

12. Post-Publication Discussion

IJDHDS encourages scholarly debate after publication. Readers may submit comments on published articles for consideration.

Letters to the editor or commentaries on published work should be sent to editor@ijdhds.org. If accepted, they will be published alongside a response from the original authors where possible.

13. AI & LLM Policy

IJDHDS recognizes the emergence of generative AI tools and has adopted COPE-aligned policies:

AI Cannot Be an Author

AI tools cannot be listed as authors; only humans can take responsibility.

Disclosure Required

All AI use for writing, editing, or analysis must be disclosed.

Full Author Responsibility

Authors are fully responsible for all content, including AI-assisted text.

14. Advertising & Sponsorship

IJDHDS does not currently accept commercial advertising. Any sponsorship or partnership must be disclosed publicly and may not influence editorial decisions.

15. Archiving & Preservation

To ensure permanent access to all published content, IJDHDS participates in multiple digital preservation initiatives:

Questions About Our Policies?

Contact the editorial office for clarifications on any policy on this page.