Data Sharing Policy

Data Sharing and Transparency Policy

Introduction
The International Journal of Health and Rehabilitation (IJHR_ORG) champions the principles of open science and research transparency to enhance the verifiability, reproducibility, and cumulative impact of published scholarship. Sharing the data underlying research findings is a cornerstone of scientific integrity. This policy establishes clear expectations for data sharing, management, and citation for all research submitted to the journal.

Purpose
The primary objectives of this policy are to:

  • Strengthen the credibility and robustness of published research by enabling independent verification of results.

  • Promote the efficient reuse of data to answer new research questions, thereby accelerating discovery in health and rehabilitation sciences.

  • Foster collaboration and reduce duplication of effort within the global research community.

  • Enhance the visibility, utility, and citation impact of authors' work.

  • Align with the FAIR Data Principles, ensuring data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

Scope
This policy applies to all original research manuscripts submitted to IJHR_ORG, particularly those presenting empirical findings. This includes, but is not limited to, randomized controlled trials, observational studies, cohort studies, and survey-based research. It is strongly encouraged for systematic reviews and meta-analyses where sharing curated datasets is feasible.

1. Data Availability Statement (DAS)
A Data Availability Statement (DAS) is mandatory for all applicable manuscripts upon submission. This statement must be included in the manuscript text, typically preceding the reference list, and should clearly describe:

  • If data are publicly available: The name of the repository, the persistent identifier (e.g., DOI, accession number), and a direct URL or hyperlink to the dataset(s).

  • If data are available upon reasonable request: The conditions for access, any restrictions, the process for requesting data, and the contact person/institution (e.g., a data access committee or the corresponding author).

  • If data cannot be shared: A detailed, justified explanation must be provided, citing specific ethical (e.g., participant privacy), legal (e.g., data protection laws), contractual, or security reasons. Statements such as "data available on request" without justification are insufficient.

2. Data Deposition in Public Repositories
Authors are strongly encouraged to deposit research data in a public, discipline-specific, or generalist repository that provides:

  • A persistent, unique identifier (DOI or similar).

  • Long-term preservation and stability.

  • Open access with clear licensing terms (preferably a CC0 or CC BY license for data).

  • Proper metadata to ensure discoverability.
    Examples include but are not limited to: Figshare, Dryad, Zenodo, OSF, clinical trial registries (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov), and domain-specific repositories like GenBank or dbGaP.

3. Ethical, Legal, and Commercial Restrictions
IJHR_ORG recognizes that legitimate constraints may prevent full public sharing. In such cases:

  • Human Participants: Data sharing must not compromise participant confidentiality. Authors must have obtained informed consent that explicitly covers data archiving and sharing. Data should be de-identified to the greatest extent possible, adhering to relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).

  • Commercial or Proprietary Data: Restrictions must be explicitly stated in the DAS. Where possible, authors should share aggregated data, metadata, or the code used for analysis to support transparency.

4. Data Citation
Shared datasets are legitimate, citable scholarly products. Authors must:

  • Cite their own deposited datasets and any external datasets used in the research within the manuscript's reference list.

  • Format citations according to repository recommendations, including the persistent identifier.

  • Example: Author(s). (Year). Dataset Title [Data set]. Repository Name. DOI/URL.

5. Compliance, Verification, and Support

  • Compliance: Adherence to this policy is a condition for publication. The editorial team will check the DAS during the review process and may request evidence of data deposit or access procedures.

  • Enforcement: Failure to provide a compliant DAS, unjustified refusal to share data, or provision of false information may result in manuscript rejection, withdrawal, or, post-publication, the issuance of a Correction or Expression of Concern.

  • Support: Authors uncertain about how to comply are urged to contact the editorial office at orgjournaljhr@gmail.com for guidance on selecting repositories, anonymization techniques, or crafting data use agreements.

6. Policy Foundations
This policy is informed by and aligns with the guidelines of leading organizations, including:

  • The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations on data sharing.

  • The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

  • The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship.

  • The TOP (Transparency and Openness Promotion) Guidelines.

By implementing this policy, IJHR_ORG reaffirms its commitment to advancing transparent, collaborative, and ethically sound research practices that serve the broader scientific community and public good.