Publication Policies

 

Publication Frequency

Starting January 2024, the Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research (JHRR) will enhance its publication frequency to quarterly, offering more opportunities for publishing cutting-edge research within the realms of health and rehabilitation.

Open Access Policy

Open Access Statement

The Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research (JHRR) is committed to the principles of open access as defined by the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).

All articles published in JHRR are freely and immediately accessible to the public without any embargo period. This ensures that:

  • Anyone can read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full text of articles.
  • Articles can be crawled for indexing and used as data for software or other lawful purposes.
  • No user registration is required to access content.

All content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), allowing unrestricted use with proper attribution, provided the work is not altered or used commercially.

A printed version of the journal is available for purchase if required with a charge determined at time of request.

JHRR upholds open access to promote global knowledge dissemination and foster academic innovation.

Copyright

JHRR ensures that authors retain copyright and full publishing rights under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, granting unrestricted non-commercial access and proper attribution.

What Falls Under Access?

  • Immediate and free availability of all published content.
  • Permission for users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, and link to full-text articles.
  • No registration or embargo period required for access.

Archiving Strategy

The Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research (JHRR) is committed to ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of its scholarly content. In line with COPE, ICMJE, and industry standards, the journal has implemented the following archiving strategies:

  • PKP Private LOCKSS Network: JHRR utilizes the PKP Private LOCKSS network to safeguard its content. This distributed system archives content across participating libraries, ensuring redundancy, preservation, and restoration for future generations.
  • Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs): Each article is assigned a unique DOI via CrossRef, ensuring permanent, reliable access and seamless citation. This DOI system also integrates with global indexing and discovery platforms to enhance accessibility.
  • Additional Measures: The journal actively collaborates with digital preservation services and libraries to ensure that content remains accessible even in the event of technical failures. Future integration with services like CLOCKSS or Portico is under review to further strengthen archival reliability.

CrossMark Policy Statement

To uphold transparency, integrity, and permanence in scholarly publishing, JHRR adheres to CrossMark standards. This ensures that the journal maintains a consistent, authoritative version of each published work and provides a mechanism for tracking updates and corrections.

Key practices include:

  • DOI Assignment and Permanence: A unique DOI is assigned to every published article, ensuring it remains permanently accessible. The DOI also facilitates linking, indexing, and integration with global scholarly databases.
  • Version Tracking and Updates:
    • Addendums, Corrections, and Retractions: Updates are published as separate items with clear documentation and linked to the original article.
    • Revision History: CrossMark ensures that readers can view the latest version of an article and access its history, promoting trust and transparency in the scholarly record.
  • Notification of Changes: Readers are notified of any changes, including updates, retractions, or corrigenda, through visible CrossMark indicators on each article.
  • Ethical Compliance: JHRR adheres to COPE and ICMJE guidelines to handle corrections, retractions, and ethical issues responsibly, ensuring the integrity of its content.

By implementing these policies, JHRR ensures the longevity, accessibility, and reliability of its scholarly publications while adhering to global ethical standards.

Publication Ethics and Policy Guidelines

The Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research (JHRR) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in publishing, guided by COPE, ICMJE, and DOAJ principles. All stakeholders—authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers—must adhere to the following policies to ensure transparency, integrity, and trust in research dissemination:

  • Conflict of Interest (COI): All parties must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research, review, or publication process. Conflicts include financial, personal, or professional relationships. Transparent disclosure ensures unbiased decision-making and ethical research dissemination.
  • Publication Misconduct: Practices such as data fabrication, falsification, duplicate submission, and citation manipulation are strictly prohibited. Allegations of misconduct will be investigated in line with COPE guidelines, and corrective actions, including retractions or notices, will be implemented where necessary.

Plagiarism Policy

JHRR has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, including:

  • Definition: Plagiarism includes using others’ work without proper attribution and self-plagiarism (reuse of one’s prior work without disclosure).
  • Detection: JHRR utilizes TURNITIN software to detect similarities. Submissions with a similarity index exceeding 20% will be returned to authors for revision or rejected outright.
  • Consequences: Plagiarism identified pre-publication will lead to rejection. Post-publication cases will result in retractions and potential bans on future submissions.

Repository Policy

JHRR supports open science and long-term accessibility:

  • Author Archiving: Authors are permitted to archive any version of their paper (pre-print, accepted version, or published version) in institutional or subject repositories.
  • No Embargo: There is no embargo period, promoting immediate availability.

Appeals and Complaints Processes

Authors and stakeholders may address concerns as follows:

  • Appeals: Concerns regarding review delays, rejection decisions, or processing charges can be submitted to the Chief Editor. An Appeals Committee will independently review the case and provide a resolution.
  • Complaints: Allegations of misconduct by authors, reviewers, or editors can be submitted to the Chief Editor. A Complaints Process Committee will investigate and recommend appropriate actions, following COPE guidelines.

Authorship Criteria and Ethical Policies

JHRR adheres to ICMJE, COPE, and DOAJ authorship standards, ensuring that credit is given accurately and fairly.

Authorship Criteria (ICMJE Guidelines):

To qualify as an author, individuals must contribute substantially in all of the following areas:

  • Conceptualization or Design: Significant contributions to the conception or design of the work.
  • Data Work: Collection, analysis, or interpretation of data.
  • Manuscript Work: Drafting or revising the manuscript critically for intellectual content.
  • Final Approval: Approval of the final manuscript version.

Accountability:

Authors must take responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the work and agree to be accountable for resolving any questions or concerns.

Contributions Not Meeting Authorship Criteria:

Contributions that do not meet authorship criteria (e.g., administrative support, funding acquisition) should be acknowledged separately.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities:

  • Ensure all authors meet the authorship criteria.
  • Manage communications between the journal and co-authors during submission, review, and publication.

Order of Authorship:

Authorship order should reflect contributions, and decisions should be mutually agreed upon by all authors.

Double Blind Peer Review & Editorial Process

JHRR uses a double-blind peer review process, ensuring both reviewers and authors are anonymous to each other. The process includes initial evaluation, peer review, potential revision, and final decision, aiming for a decision within 15-20 days from submission.

Withdrawal Policy

The Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research (JHRR) recognizes that authors may wish to withdraw their manuscripts for various reasons. JHRR’s withdrawal policy adheres to COPE, ICMJE, and standard publishing guidelines:

  • Withdrawal Before Peer Review: Authors can withdraw their manuscript at this stage without providing reasons.
  • Withdrawal During or After Peer Review: Authors must provide valid reasons for withdrawal. Common reasons include errors in the manuscript, submission to multiple journals in error, or other ethical concerns.
  • Withdrawal After Acceptance: Manuscripts may only be withdrawn under extraordinary circumstances, such as legal issues, ethical concerns, or unavoidable errors. Withdrawal requests after acceptance are subject to editorial approval and may incur penalties to cover costs associated with the review process.

Privacy Statement

JHRR is committed to protecting the privacy of its authors, reviewers, and readers:

  • Use of Personal Information: Personal data provided to the journal is used exclusively for publishing, correspondence, and administrative purposes.
  • Data Security: Data is securely stored and not shared with third parties without explicit consent, except as required by law.
  • Transparency: Authors, reviewers, and editors have the right to request information about how their data is used.

Author Fees and Waivers

JHRR follows an ethical and transparent policy for author fees and waivers, as recommended by COPE, ICMJE, and DOAJ:

  • Publication Fees:
    • National Authors: PKR 25,000
    • International Authors: Equivalent in USD
    • Fee details are clearly communicated before submission.
  • Waivers and Discounts: Authors unable to pay fees may request waivers or discounts. Waivers are granted based on:
    • Financial need
    • Quality of the research
    • Contributions to underrepresented disciplines or regions
  • No Influence on Editorial Decisions: Payment of fees does not affect editorial decisions or peer review outcomes.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

The Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research (JHRR) is firmly committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within our editorial processes, peer review, and the dissemination of research. We recognize the value that diverse perspectives bring to scientific discourse and are dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, geographical location, or socioeconomic background. JHRR actively seeks to include a diverse range of voices in our articles and editorial boards and encourages submissions that address DEI issues in health and rehabilitation research.

Data Sharing Policy

JHRR supports transparency and reproducibility, following COPE and ICMJE data-sharing principles:

  • Data Availability: Authors are encouraged to deposit datasets in recognized public repositories.
  • Metadata and Access: Data must include detailed metadata, be in accessible formats, and specify conditions for use.
  • Restrictions: Where data sharing is limited by privacy, ethical, or legal concerns, authors must provide a detailed explanation.
  • Data Citation: Authors should cite datasets in their manuscripts to acknowledge their contribution to the research.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI) Policy

JHRR assigns a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to every published article to ensure permanent accessibility and traceability:

  • DOI Benefits:
    • Unique and permanent identification of articles.
    • Enhanced discoverability and citation.
    • Integration with indexing and referencing systems.
  • DOI Management: Managed in accordance with International DOI Foundation (IDF) standards, ensuring reliable version control and updates.

Accessibility Statement

JHRR is committed to ensuring that its content is accessible to all users, including individuals with disabilities:

  • Content Design: Articles are formatted for logical navigation and compatibility with screen readers.
  • Visual Accessibility: Alt text is provided for images, and multimedia content includes captions or transcripts.
  • Continuous Improvement: JHRR actively seeks feedback on accessibility issues and works to enhance user experience.

Environmental Policy

JHRR integrates environmental responsibility into its publishing practices:

  • Digital Publishing: Content is primarily distributed digitally to minimize the use of paper.
  • Remote Collaboration: Remote editorial and review processes are encouraged to reduce travel-related emissions.
  • Sustainable Partners: Vendors and collaborators are selected based on their commitment to sustainable practices.
  • Promotion of Green Research: JHRR encourages research submissions that address environmental health and sustainability in healthcare practices.