1. General Policy

Epidemiology and Society Health Review (ESHR) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal recognizes its responsibility to address errors, ethical concerns, and research misconduct identified in published articles.

ESHR follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) in managing post-publication corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions.

The journal takes appropriate editorial action when published content is found to contain errors or ethical issues that may affect the reliability of the research findings.

2. Corrections

ESHR may publish a correction when an error is identified in a published article but the overall findings, interpretations, and conclusions remain reliable.

Corrections may be issued for:

• Errors in data presentation, tables, figures, or statistical reporting that do not substantially affect the study conclusions.

• Incorrect or incomplete information concerning authors, affiliations, or acknowledgments.

• Errors in methodological descriptions or other article content that require clarification without invalidating the research findings.

• Other inaccuracies that may affect the interpretation or appropriate attribution of the published work.

Corrections may be requested by authors, identified by editors, or reported by readers.

The editorial team will assess the significance of the error and determine whether a formal correction notice is necessary.

When a correction is issued, ESHR will publish a clearly identified notice explaining the nature of the error and the information that has been corrected. The correction notice will be electronically linked to the original article.

3. Retractions

ESHR may retract a published article when there is sufficient evidence that its findings or conclusions are unreliable or that serious violations of research or publication ethics have occurred.

Retraction may be considered in the following circumstances:

• Fabrication, falsification, or serious manipulation of research data or findings.

• Major methodological, analytical, or reporting errors that invalidate the research conclusions.

• Plagiarism or substantial unauthorized use of previously published material.

• Redundant or duplicate publication without appropriate disclosure, justification, or acknowledgment.

• Serious violations of research ethics, including the absence of required ethical approval or informed consent when applicable.

• Compromised or manipulated peer-review processes.

• Unauthorized use of research data or materials.

• Other serious breaches of publication ethics that undermine confidence in the published article.

Retraction may result from honest errors or research misconduct. Its primary purpose is to correct the scholarly record and protect research integrity rather than to punish authors.

4. Retraction Procedures

When concerns regarding a published article are raised, ESHR will evaluate the available evidence and follow an appropriate editorial assessment process.

The procedure generally includes:

1. Identification of concerns: The editorial office receives information regarding potential errors, unreliable findings, or ethical violations.

2. Preliminary assessment: The Editor-in-Chief or an independent editor evaluates the nature and seriousness of the concerns.

3. Author communication: The authors are contacted and given an opportunity to provide explanations, clarifications, or supporting evidence.

4. Further investigation: Where necessary, the journal may seek advice from independent experts, research institutions, ethics committees, or other relevant parties.

5. Editorial decision: The Editor-in-Chief determines whether a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or no further action is appropriate, based on the available evidence.

6. Publication of notice: When retraction is warranted, a formal retraction notice is published and linked to the original article.

A retraction notice will clearly identify the affected article, explain the reasons for retraction, and state who is issuing the retraction.

Retraction decisions may be made even when the authors do not agree, provided that the available evidence adequately supports the decision.

5. Expression of Concern

ESHR may publish an Expression of Concern when credible questions arise regarding the reliability or ethical integrity of a published article but the available evidence is insufficient to justify an immediate correction or retraction.

An Expression of Concern may be issued when:

• There are substantial but unresolved concerns regarding research or publication misconduct.

• An investigation is ongoing and its outcome may take considerable time.

• Conflicting or incomplete evidence prevents a conclusive editorial decision.

• The journal considers it necessary to inform readers about unresolved concerns that may affect the interpretation of the published research.

The notice will clearly identify the article concerned and explain the nature of the unresolved issues.

Once sufficient evidence becomes available, ESHR may update or replace the Expression of Concern with a correction, retraction, or other appropriate editorial notice.

6. Publication and Accessibility of Notices

ESHR is committed to ensuring that corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions are transparent and easily accessible to readers.

All formal notices will:

• Be clearly labelled as "Correction," "Expression of Concern," or "Retraction."

• Identify the original article, including its title, authors, and publication details.

• Explain the reason for the editorial action.

• Be freely accessible through the journal website.

• Be linked electronically to the original article.

• Be issued promptly after an appropriate editorial decision has been reached.

Retracted articles will normally remain available in the journal archive to preserve the transparency and completeness of the scholarly record.

However, retracted articles will be clearly marked as "Retracted" to prevent readers from relying on their findings without recognizing the retraction status.

Complete removal of published content will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as legal requirements, serious privacy violations, or risks of substantial harm.

7. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and ethical conduct of their published research.

If authors identify significant errors or ethical concerns in their published articles, they must promptly inform the ESHR editorial office and cooperate in determining appropriate corrective action.

Authors are expected to provide relevant information, original research data when appropriately requested, and any necessary clarification during the editorial assessment.

All authors should cooperate with correction and retraction procedures to maintain the integrity of the published scientific record.

8. Editorial Independence and Transparency

Decisions regarding corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions are made independently by the ESHR editorial team based on the available evidence and established publication ethics principles.

Editorial decisions must not be influenced by authors' institutional affiliations, professional status, funding sources, or personal relationships.

When an editor has a potential conflict of interest involving a case, responsibility for the assessment will be assigned to another qualified editor without a relevant conflict.

ESHR will handle all post-publication concerns fairly, objectively, and with appropriate confidentiality during the assessment process.

9. References

1. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Retraction Guidelines. Updated 2025. https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.4

2. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/