IJAHSS employs a single-blind peer-review system, whereby the identities of reviewers remain confidential while author information is available to reviewers.

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening to assess:

Relevance to the journal’s scope.
Originality and significance of the research.
Compliance with submission guidelines.
Ethical and academic standards.

Manuscripts that successfully pass the initial screening are assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers in the relevant field. Where necessary, additional reviewers may be invited to ensure a comprehensive and balanced evaluation.

Reviewers assess manuscripts based on:

Originality and novelty.
Academic and methodological rigor.
Relevance to the discipline.
Quality of analysis and interpretation.
Clarity and organization.
Contribution to existing knowledge.

Based on reviewer recommendations, the Editorial Team may issue one of the following decisions:

Accept
Minor Revision
Major Revision
Reject

The final publication decision rests solely with the Editor-in-Chief or designated Academic Editor.

All article categories, including research articles, review articles, case studies, short communications, editorials, commentaries, and correspondence, are subject to peer review and editorial evaluation.

Authorship Criteria

IJAHSS follows internationally recognized authorship principles consistent with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

To qualify as an author, an individual must have made substantial contributions to all of the following:

The conception, design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation of the research.
Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
Approving the final version of the manuscript for publication.
Accepting responsibility and accountability for the accuracy and integrity of the work.

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately in the Acknowledgements section.

The corresponding author is responsible for:

Managing all communication with the journal.
Obtaining approval from all co-authors before submission.
Ensuring the accuracy of authorship information.
Managing requests for authorship changes before publication.

Authors are encouraged to provide their ORCID iD during submission to ensure accurate researcher identification.

Conflict of Interest Policy

To preserve transparency and objectivity, all authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

Author Declarations

Authors must disclose:

Institutional Affiliations

All current academic, governmental, corporate, professional, or organizational affiliations relevant to the research.

Funding Information

Authors must identify all funding sources supporting the research, including:

Funding agencies
Grant numbers
Financial sponsorship
Non-financial support, including services, equipment, or materials

Competing Interests

Authors must declare any financial, professional, personal, or intellectual interests that could influence the research or its interpretation.

Examples include:

Employment relationships
Consulting arrangements
Stock ownership
Patent applications
Advisory board memberships
Personal or professional relationships

If no conflicts exist, authors should clearly state:

"The authors declare no competing interests."

Reviewer and Editor Conflicts

Reviewers and editors must disclose any conflicts that may affect their objectivity and should decline involvement when impartial evaluation cannot be guaranteed.

Originality and Prior Publication Policy

IJAHSS considers manuscripts only if they:

Are original works of the authors.
Have not been previously published.
Are not under consideration by another journal or publisher.

The journal accepts submissions derived from:

Theses and dissertations.
Conference presentations and abstracts.
Preprint servers, provided disclosure is made during submission.

Authors must disclose any previous public dissemination of the work.

Duplicate publication, redundant publication, and plagiarism constitute serious ethical violations and may result in immediate rejection.

Preprints and Conference Presentations

IJAHSS supports responsible scholarly communication and permits the submission of manuscripts previously posted on recognized preprint platforms.

Authors should disclose:

The name of the preprint server.
The DOI or URL of the preprint version, if applicable.

Presentation of research findings at academic conferences does not preclude submission to the journal.

Any prior conference presentation should be acknowledged in the manuscript.

Statistical Reporting and Research Transparency

Authors must provide sufficient methodological and analytical detail to enable evaluation and replication of the study.

Where applicable, manuscripts should include:

Description of statistical methods.
Software and version information.
Sample size information.
Measures of uncertainty and significance.
Data analysis procedures.

The Editorial Office may seek independent statistical review when necessary.

Figures, Images, and Research Integrity

Authors must ensure that all figures, images, illustrations, and graphical materials accurately represent the original data.

The following practices are prohibited:

Fabrication or falsification of images.
Selective enhancement that misrepresents findings.
Removal, addition, or manipulation of research elements.
Duplicate use of images without disclosure.

The journal reserves the right to request original image files and supporting data for verification purposes.

Reporting Guidelines

Authors are encouraged to follow internationally recognized reporting standards appropriate to their study design.

Examples include:

CONSORT – Randomized Controlled Trials
PRISMA – Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
STROBE – Observational Studies
CARE – Case Reports
STARD – Diagnostic Accuracy Studies

Adherence to reporting guidelines improves transparency, reproducibility, and research quality.

Research Ethics and Protection of Participants

Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must comply with applicable ethical standards.

Human Participants

Authors must:

Obtain approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee where required.
State the approving body within the manuscript.
Confirm that informed consent was obtained from participants when applicable.
Conduct research in accordance with recognized ethical principles, including the Declaration of Helsinki.

Animal Research

Authors must provide information regarding:

Species and strain.
Ethical approval procedures.
Compliance with institutional and national regulations governing animal welfare.

Data Availability and Data Sharing

IJAHSS supports the principles of open science and encourages responsible data sharing.

Authors are encouraged to:

Deposit datasets in recognized repositories.
Provide data availability statements.
Share research materials, protocols, and supporting information whenever feasible.

Data sharing enhances transparency, reproducibility, and research impact.

Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

Corrections

Where minor errors are identified after publication, corrections may be issued to clarify the published record without affecting the scientific conclusions.

Expressions of Concern

An Editorial Expression of Concern may be published when serious questions arise regarding the reliability, ethics, or integrity of a published article while an investigation is ongoing.

Retractions

Articles may be retracted in cases involving:

Research misconduct.
Data fabrication or falsification.
Plagiarism.
Duplicate publication.
Major methodological errors that invalidate findings.

Retraction procedures follow the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).