Commitment to Fair and Responsible Publishing

Jurnal Kesehatan, published by the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), Universitas Yatsi Madani, Indonesia, is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, impartial, and accountable editorial process.

The journal recognizes that authors, reviewers, readers, and other relevant parties may raise concerns about editorial decisions, peer review, publication procedures, or the professional conduct of individuals involved in the publication process.

This policy establishes procedures for receiving, assessing, and resolving complaints and appeals within the journal's editorial responsibilities. All complaints and appeals will be considered objectively and based on the information and evidence available.

A complaint does not automatically establish wrongdoing, and an appeal does not guarantee that an editorial decision will be reversed.

1. Scope of Complaints and Appeals

Complaints and appeals may concern the following matters:

• Editorial decisions: concerns about whether a manuscript was assessed in accordance with the journal's stated editorial policies and procedures.

• Peer review: concerns about reviewer conduct, review procedures, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, or possible irregularities in the review process.

• Editorial conduct: concerns about inappropriate conduct, unfair treatment, bias, or breaches of confidentiality by individuals involved in editorial activities.

• Authorship and contributions: disputes concerning author order, individual contributions, or changes to authorship.

• Publication procedures: concerns about delays, communication, submission procedures, or the implementation of journal policies.

• Published articles: concerns about significant errors or other issues affecting the accuracy or reliability of published content.

• Research ethics and integrity: concerns involving possible ethical violations or research misconduct, which may also be handled under the journal's specific research misconduct policy.

An appeal is a request to reconsider an editorial decision based on specific grounds, such as a material factual error, a significant misunderstanding, or a procedural irregularity. Disagreement with an editor's or reviewer's scholarly judgment alone does not necessarily establish that a decision was improper.

2. Submission of Complaints and Appeals

Complaints and appeals should be submitted in writing through the journal's official contact channels or, where appropriate, through the journal's online submission system.

To help the editorial team assess the matter, the submission should include, where applicable:

• The name and contact information of the person submitting the complaint or appeal.

• The manuscript title, submission identification number, or published article details.

• A clear description of the concern or decision being questioned.

• Relevant correspondence, supporting documents, or other available evidence.

• The reason for requesting a review or reconsideration of the matter.

The journal may request additional information if the initial submission does not provide sufficient details for assessment. Reports should be made in good faith and should contain accurate information to the best of the submitter's knowledge.

3. Acknowledgment and Initial Assessment

Upon receiving a complaint or appeal, the editorial team will assess whether the matter falls within the journal's responsibilities and whether sufficient information is available to proceed.

Where contact information is provided, the journal will seek to acknowledge receipt within a reasonable period.

The initial assessment may consider the nature and seriousness of the concern, the evidence provided, the relevant journal policies, and whether further clarification is required.

If the complaint concerns an editor or another person who would ordinarily handle the matter, an uninvolved editor or appropriate representative should oversee the assessment to avoid a conflict of interest.

4. Review and Resolution Procedure

Depending on the nature of the complaint or appeal, the journal may take the following steps:

1. Assessment: Review the complaint, identify the relevant issues, and determine the appropriate procedure.

2. Clarification: Request additional information or explanations from the relevant parties where necessary.

3. Evidence review: Examine relevant manuscripts, editorial correspondence, reviewer reports, or other supporting documents.

4. Independent consultation: Seek advice from an uninvolved editor or an independent expert when specialized assessment is required.

5. Determination: Evaluate the available information and decide on an appropriate response within the journal's authority.

6. Communication: Inform the relevant parties of the outcome, where appropriate, while respecting confidentiality.

The journal will seek to handle complaints and appeals fairly and as promptly as circumstances permit. Complex cases may require additional time to obtain information or consult relevant parties.

5. Possible Outcomes

Depending on the findings, possible outcomes may include:

• Providing an explanation or clarification of an editorial decision or procedure.

• Correcting an administrative or procedural error.

• Conducting an independent reassessment of the matter.

• Requesting additional peer review where justified.

• Confirming or reconsidering an editorial decision.

• Referring a research-integrity concern for assessment under the journal's Allegations of Research Misconduct policy.

• Taking appropriate action concerning a published article when a significant error or publication-integrity issue is established.

The outcome will depend on the evidence, the nature of the complaint, and the applicable journal policies. The journal will communicate the decision and its basis to the relevant parties where appropriate.

6. Appeals Against Editorial Decisions

Authors who believe that an editorial decision was affected by a material factual error, a significant misunderstanding of the manuscript, or a procedural irregularity may submit an appeal.

An appeal should clearly identify the decision being challenged, explain the grounds for reconsideration, and provide relevant supporting evidence.

The editorial team will review the appeal and may seek an independent assessment when appropriate. The decision may be maintained or reconsidered based on the findings.

Submitting an appeal does not guarantee acceptance of the manuscript. The journal's editorial independence and academic standards will be maintained throughout the process.

7. Confidentiality, Impartiality, and Fair Treatment

Complaints and appeals will be handled with appropriate confidentiality and impartiality. Access to relevant correspondence, documents, and records will be limited to individuals who need the information to assess or resolve the matter.

The journal will seek to provide relevant parties with a fair opportunity to respond to concerns that affect them. Individuals with a relevant conflict of interest should not participate in decisions concerning the complaint or appeal.

The journal does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who raise concerns in good faith. Personal information, confidential manuscripts, reviewer identities, and sensitive research information will be protected to the extent reasonably possible and in accordance with applicable requirements.

8. Relationship with Research Misconduct and Publication Corrections

Complaints that raise concerns about possible fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, authorship misconduct, research ethics violations, or other serious research-integrity issues may be referred to the procedures described in the journal's Allegations of Research Misconduct policy.

Concerns about significant errors in published articles may also be assessed under the journal's applicable procedures for corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions.

The journal will determine the appropriate course of action according to the nature of the concern and the available evidence. A complaint will not be treated as proof of misconduct without appropriate assessment.

9. Record-Keeping and Policy Review

The editorial team will maintain appropriate records of complaints and appeals, including relevant correspondence, supporting evidence, assessments, and decisions. Such records will be managed with due regard to confidentiality and applicable data-protection requirements.

The journal may review this policy when necessary to improve the consistency, transparency, and fairness of its editorial procedures.

Commitment to Fair Resolution

Jurnal Kesehatan is committed to handling complaints and appeals responsibly, protecting the confidentiality of relevant parties, maintaining editorial independence, and supporting the integrity of scholarly publishing.