Article Corrections and Retractions Policy

The Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (JHRS) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, transparency, and reliability of its published scientific record. The journal recognises that, despite rigorous editorial procedures and peer review, errors or issues affecting the integrity of published articles may occasionally arise. JHRS therefore follows established principles of publication ethics and applies appropriate measures to correct or, when necessary, retract published content.

Decisions concerning corrections, retractions, and article removal are made by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the Editorial Board and, where appropriate, independent experts. All cases are assessed individually, with due consideration given to the nature and seriousness of the issue, its potential impact on the scientific record, and relevant publication ethics guidelines.

Any published amendment will be clearly identified, dated, assigned an appropriate DOI where applicable, and electronically linked to the original article. The original publication will remain accessible whenever possible, ensuring transparency and preserving the history of the scholarly record.

1. Corrections

JHRS publishes corrections when errors in a published article are identified and these errors have a meaningful impact on the accuracy, interpretation, scientific validity, or bibliographic integrity of the publication.

Minor typographical, spelling, or grammatical errors that do not affect the meaning, interpretation, or understanding of the article will not normally warrant a formal correction.

Depending on the origin and nature of the error, corrections are classified as follows:

1.1. Erratum

An erratum is published when an error is introduced by the journal during the editorial, copyediting, typesetting, or production process. Examples include incorrect author details, errors in tables or figures, inaccurate numerical values, or mistakes in the published text that may affect its interpretation.

An erratum will provide a clear description of the error and the corresponding correction. Where necessary, corrected figures, tables, or other relevant material will be provided.

1.2. Corrigendum

A corrigendum is published when the authors identify an error in their own published work that requires correction. Such errors may involve data presentation, methodological descriptions, statistical results, author information, or other elements that affect the accuracy or reproducibility of the article.

Requests for corrigenda must be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief, accompanied by a detailed explanation of the identified error and the proposed correction. The Editorial Board will assess whether the proposed amendment is sufficient to address the issue or whether further investigation is necessary.

A corrigendum will not be used to make substantial changes to the original research findings or to conceal serious methodological or ethical problems.

1.3. Addendum

An addendum may be published when important additional information relevant to an already published article has been identified or inadvertently omitted. Such information must contribute meaningfully to the understanding, interpretation, or completeness of the original publication and must not fundamentally alter or contradict its principal findings.

Addenda are subject to editorial assessment and, where appropriate, additional peer review before publication.

2. Retractions

Retraction is a formal mechanism used to correct the scientific record when the findings, conclusions, or integrity of a published article are seriously compromised.

JHRS may retract an article when there is credible evidence of significant research misconduct, unreliable findings, or serious violations of publication ethics. Grounds for retraction may include, but are not limited to:

• Plagiarism or substantial unattributed duplication of previously published material.
• Fabrication or falsification of research data, images, or results.
• Serious methodological errors that invalidate the main findings or conclusions.
• Unethical research practices, including the absence of required ethical approval or informed consent where applicable.
• Duplicate or redundant publication that substantially compromises the originality of the published work.
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest that have materially affected the research or its interpretation.
• Authorship misconduct, including fraudulent attribution or the unauthorised inclusion or exclusion of authors.
• Manipulation of the peer-review or editorial process.
• Other serious breaches of accepted standards of research and publication ethics.

A retraction may be initiated by the authors, the Editor-in-Chief, the Editorial Board, the publisher, or other parties providing credible evidence of a problem.

When concerns are raised, the journal will conduct an appropriate assessment and may contact the authors and their affiliated institutions for clarification or investigation. Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations. However, the journal reserves the right to proceed with a retraction when the available evidence justifies such action, even if the authors do not respond or do not agree with the decision.

A retraction notice will clearly identify the article being retracted, explain the principal reasons for the retraction, and indicate who is issuing the retraction. The notice will be published separately, linked electronically to the original article, and made freely accessible. The original article will normally remain available, clearly marked as retracted, to preserve the transparency and traceability of the scientific record.

3. Expressions of Concern

When the Editorial Board receives credible information about potential ethical or scientific problems with a published article but is unable to reach a definitive conclusion immediately, JHRS may publish an Expression of Concern.

This measure may be appropriate when an institutional investigation is ongoing, essential information is unavailable, or the circumstances require further clarification before a final editorial decision can be made.

An Expression of Concern will be linked to the relevant article and will explain the nature of the concerns as clearly as possible without making premature conclusions. It may subsequently be replaced or supplemented by a correction or retraction, depending on the outcome of the investigation.

4. Reporting Concerns About Published Articles

Readers, researchers, reviewers, and other interested parties who identify potential errors or ethical concerns in articles published by JHRS are encouraged to notify the Editor-in-Chief.

Reports should include the article title, DOI or other bibliographic details, a clear description of the concern, and any supporting evidence or relevant documentation.

The Editorial Board will evaluate each report impartially and confidentially, where appropriate. Authors of the article concerned will normally be contacted and given an opportunity to respond. The journal may seek advice from independent reviewers, subject experts, research institutions, or relevant publication ethics bodies.

Where the concern involves a potential error that does not justify immediate correction or retraction, the journal may consider publishing a Letter to the Editor, subject to editorial assessment and peer review.

5. Article Removal

Article removal is an exceptional measure and will be considered only in circumstances where retaining the full article online would create a serious legal, ethical, or public safety concern.

Such circumstances may include:

• A court order or other legally binding requirement to remove the article.
• Content that constitutes a serious infringement of legal rights or is demonstrably defamatory.
• Publication of confidential or unlawfully disclosed personal information.
• Information that, if acted upon, could pose a serious and immediate risk to public health or safety.

When removal is unavoidable, the article's bibliographic information, including its title, authors, DOI, and publication details, will normally remain accessible. The full text will be replaced with a notice explaining that the article has been removed and providing the reason, to the extent legally permissible.

Article removal will not be used as a substitute for retraction when the primary issue concerns scientific misconduct or the reliability of research findings.

6. Editorial Responsibility and Transparency

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board are responsible for ensuring that all matters involving corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, and article removal are handled fairly, consistently, and transparently.

JHRS will follow recognised international publication ethics standards, including the recommendations and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), where applicable.

All editorial decisions will be based on the available evidence and the potential implications for the integrity of the scholarly record. The journal will seek to ensure that corrections and retractions are communicated promptly, appropriately documented, and permanently linked to the original publications.

The overarching objective of this policy is to protect readers, authors, reviewers, and the wider scientific community by safeguarding the credibility and reliability of the scientific literature published in the Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.