Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Archives of Community Medicine and Public Health (ACMPH) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and publication transparency. The journal follows ethical guidelines established by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) and adheres to principles outlined by the ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors).

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to ACMPH must adhere to the following ethical standards:

  • Originality: Submitted work must be original and not published elsewhere.
  • Avoiding Plagiarism: All submissions undergo plagiarism screening via iThenticate.
  • Data Integrity: Authors must provide accurate and verifiable data without fabrication or manipulation.
  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts must be disclosed.
  • Authorship Criteria: All co-authors must have made significant contributions to the research.
  • Ethical Research Practices: Studies involving humans or animals must comply with ethical guidelines and obtain necessary approvals.

Editorial Responsibilities

The Editorial Board of ACMPH ensures:

  • Fair and Unbiased Decisions: Manuscripts are evaluated based on academic merit without discrimination.
  • Confidentiality: Editors must not disclose submitted manuscripts to anyone except authorized personnel.
  • Ethical Oversight: Any suspected ethical misconduct is investigated following COPE guidelines.
  • Editorial Independence: Decisions are made independently of commercial or political interests.

Peer Reviewer Responsibilities

Peer reviewers play a crucial role in ensuring research quality and must:

  • Provide Constructive Feedback: Reviews should be objective, fair, and focused on improving the manuscript.
  • Maintain Confidentiality: Manuscripts should be treated as confidential documents.
  • Report Ethical Concerns: Any signs of plagiarism, data manipulation, or ethical violations should be reported.
  • Declare Conflicts of Interest: If a reviewer has competing interests, they should decline the review.

Handling of Research Misconduct

ACMPH takes research misconduct seriously. If ethical concerns arise, the journal follows a structured investigation and resolution process, including:

  • Initial Inquiry: Editorial staff will assess any allegations of misconduct.
  • Formal Investigation: If necessary, authors will be required to provide clarifications or supporting data.
  • Corrective Action: Depending on the severity, actions may include rejection, correction, or retraction.
  • Institutional Notification: In severe cases, the matter may be referred to the author's institution or funding agency.

Retraction and Corrections Policy

In cases of ethical violations, ACMPH reserves the right to:

  • Issue Corrections: For minor errors that do not affect research validity.
  • Retract Articles: If findings are proven to be fraudulent, unethical, or misleading.
  • Blacklist Authors: In cases of repeated or severe misconduct.

Adherence to International Ethical Guidelines

ACMPH aligns with globally recognized ethical publishing standards, including:

Committed to Ethical Publishing and Research Integrity!