About the Journal

Aims And Scope

The purpose of the journal "Bulletin of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization of Ukraine" is to present the results of scientific research, different points of view on global and topical scientific problems, analyze future prospects, as well as provide a platform for cooperation and exchange of experience in all areas of healthcare organization and public health.

The task of the journal "Bulletin of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization of Ukraine" is to adhere to editorial ethics, publish original research and reviews that are devoted to the following issues:

The journal publishes articles addressing issues of public health policy; theoretical foundations of public health; conceptual foundations of health sector reform; preventive health care; medical-demographic and medical-sociological studies; assessment and forecasting of population health, and development of health management models; medical issues related to a healthy lifestyle; organization of public health; health care management issues; health economics and health insurance; regulatory, legal, human resources, informational, logistical, and financial support for the health care system; modern medical technologies; issues in medical personnel training and the organization of postgraduate education; public health in Ukraine; comprehensive information on the healthcare system, its legal, informational, programmatic, and technical support; organization of scientific research in the healthcare system and implementation of innovations; issues in the history of medicine, medical ethics, and deontology; challenges in organizing scientific medical information; the organization and management of healthcare in extreme conditions; international experience in healthcare organization; international cooperation on healthcare issues, etc.

The review process

  1. The editorial board will accept an article provided that it meets the requirements published in the journal and posted on the website http://ojs.tdmu.edu.ua
  2. Submitted articles are subject to mandatory peer review.
  3. The Editor-in-Chief assesses the scientific merit of the work and appoints two reviewers—independent experts whose academic specializations are most closely related to the topic of the work.
  4. The review period is four weeks. Depending on the situation and at the reviewer’s request, the review period may be extended.
  5. To ensure the most comprehensive and objective review of the article, the editorial board has developed guidelines for reviewers.
  6. The reviewer makes one of the following recommendations:

- I recommend the article for publication as submitted by the author.

- I recommend the article for publication after revisions and addressing the identified shortcomings.

- I recommend that the article be sent for additional review by another expert.

- I recommend that the article not be published.

  1. The editor-in-chief reviews the reviewers’ recommendations and makes the appropriate decision: to send the article to print or return it to the author with a request to address the reviewer’s recommendations and revise it. The revised manuscript is then re-reviewed.
  2. The editorial board follows a double-blind review policy: the author does not know who is evaluating their work, and the reviewer does not know whose work they are reviewing. Correspondence between the reviewer and the author is conducted through the editorial board. When evaluating an article, the reviewer may, on their own initiative, consult with specific experts to provide a well-founded opinion regarding the publication.
  3. For the Editor-in-Chief, the reviewer’s conclusion is not final. If the reviewers’ opinions differ, the Editor-in-Chief sends the manuscript to a third reviewer for additional review.
  4. If the author disagrees with the review, they may submit a reasoned response to the editorial office, and the editorial board will then decide whether to send the manuscript for re-review to a different set of reviewers. In cases of conflict or unusual situations, the Editor-in-Chief makes the decision independently.
  5. In the event of a positive review, the article proceeds through the following stages: stylistic and spelling editing, technical editing, and formatting into a layout for submission to the publisher.
  6. The Academic Councils of the Ivan Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine finally approve the issue number at their regular meetings.
  7. Original articles and reviews are retained by the journal’s editorial office for one year.

Open Access Policy

This journal adheres to a policy of immediate open access to published content, upholding the principles of the free dissemination of scientific information and the global exchange of knowledge for the sake of overall social progress.

Archiving

The Journal “Medical and Clinical Chemistry” develops various procedures aimed at ensuring permanent access to the content hosted on its servers:

  • backup;
  • monitoring of technological aspects to prevent possible format conversions or outdated software;
  • digital preservation metadata;
  • use of digital object identifiers (DOIs).

In addition, the journal stores its metadata in various national and international repositories to ensure long-term digital preservation of articles, such as  Scientific Repository of I.Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University.

Publication Frequency

Quarterly

Publishing Ethics

The journal “Bulletin of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization of Ukraine” shares and supports Elsevier’s policy aimed at upholding the principles of publishing ethics.

Bioethical Principles

Authors must not publish manuscripts that essentially describe the same research in more than one journal. Submitting previously published materials or manuscripts to the journal “Bulletin of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization of Ukraine” is unacceptable and considered unethical conduct.

Authors should not submit previously published works for consideration in another journal. The publication of certain types of articles (e.g., translations) in more than one journal is sometimes justified if certain conditions are met. The authors and editors of the respective journals must agree to the secondary publication, which must reflect the same data and interpretation as in the original article. The original article must be cited in the secondary publication.

The author submitting the article must ensure and guarantee that all co-authors of the study have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript to avoid conflicts of interest.

When conducting research and preparing articles, authors must adhere to the principles of bioethics. http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/

 

Plagiarism Detection

The process of detecting plagiarism is fundamental to the success of scientific publications. The editor follows methodological guidelines developed by the journal’s editorial board, as well as legal requirements regarding the prevention of defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

The journal “Bulletin of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization of Ukraine” checks all manuscripts submitted to the journal for plagiarism using independent experts and specialized software. Responsibility for the accuracy and originality of the submitted materials (facts, quotations, surnames, names, research results, etc.) rests with the authors.

Authors are responsible for the submitted materials in the event that plagiarism is detected in them. Articles that do not comply with the guidelines will not be considered and will not be returned to the authors. Plagiarism in all its forms is unethical behavior and is unacceptable.

Generative AI Policy

This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy outlines the rules and ethical principles regarding the use of AI technologies by authors, reviewers, and editors at the journal. We aim to uphold high ethical standards and accountability across all aspects of the publication process, including the potential use of AI in working with scientific materials. This policy complies with international standards for publication ethics, such as the guidelines from COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) and other leading organisations.

PURPOSE AND APPLICATION OF AI

At present, artificial intelligence is not used on our website to automate any publication or review processes. However, authors, reviewers, and editors may use AI in their work at their own discretion. This may include, but is not limited to:

  • the use of AI for analysing scientific data or assisting in writing articles;
  • the use of tools for plagiarism detection, grammar checks, or literature search.

TRANSPARENCY AND ETHICS IN THE USE OF AI

We emphasise the importance of ethics in the use of AI in processes related to publication. If authors, reviewers, or editors use AI for writing or reviewing articles, they must adhere to the following principles:

  • Transparency: if parts of the article or review were created using AI, this must be clearly stated in the material to avoid misleading readers. Authors are required to declare the use of AI in the article, specifying this in the appropriate section or in accompanying remarks when submitting the article.
  • Ethical Use: AI should not replace real human assessment or analytical work. All significant scientific and review decisions must be the result of human analysis.
  • Correctness and Honesty: authors and reviewers must ensure that AI tools are not used to manipulate the results of publications or reviews.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

We emphasise the importance of protecting confidential information and personal data, regardless of whether AI technologies are used. If AI tools are used when working with scientific materials, all users must adhere to confidentiality standards and not infringe on the rights of authors, reviewers, or editors.

USER RESPONSIBILITY

  • Authors are obliged to use AI technologies ethically, not manipulating the results of their work or presenting AI-generated content as their own. They must clearly declare the use of any AI tools in the writing and preparation of their articles.
  • Reviewers must ensure that the evaluation of materials is fair, objective, and based on their professional analysis, without undue reliance on AI tools.
  • Editors must ensure that all publications meet ethical standards and, in cases where AI is used, ensure that it is used in accordance with the journal's policy.

POLICY UPDATES

We continuously monitor the development of AI technologies and will update this policy in accordance with changes in legislation and ethical norms. Any changes will be published on our website, and users must review the updated terms before using AI.

Retraction of published articles

The journal advocates compliance with COPE principles against all possible offences. Particular attention is paid to checking the works for originality and avoiding cases of plagiarism.

Multiple Submission

Authors should submit manuscripts that are unique and should not be submitted to any other journal (except in some unusual circumstances and only with the approval of the reviewer). Sometimes authors may ignore this requirement by submitting the same paper to multiple journals or by submitting multiple papers based on the same research. As in the case of plagiarism, resubmission can take many forms: literal copying, partial but substantial copying, or even paraphrasing of a study. Violation of this policy will result in immediate rejection along with possible sanctions against the authors.

CITATION MANIPULATION

Submitted manuscripts that contain citations whose main purpose is to increase the number of references to the work of a given author or articles published in a particular journal will be immediately rejected, and sanctions against the authors are possible.

FALSIFICATION OF DATA

If falsified or fabricated data of experimental results (including image manipulation) are found in the submitted article, this will lead to immediate rejection and possible sanctions against the authors.

In the event of suspected misconduct or fraud, the journal will conduct an investigation in accordance with COPE guidelines. If the investigation raises reasonable concerns, the authors involved will be contacted via their email addresses and given the opportunity to resolve the issue. Depending on the situation, this may result in the journal taking some action. If the manuscript is still under review, it may be rejected. If the article has already been published online, depending on the nature and severity of the violation, the journal will immediately take the following measures:
-Correction
A correction may be posted with the article if a fundamental error or mistake (e.g., an experimental error or miscalculation) is found.
-Erratum
Erratum will be used if a significant error was made by the editorial board of the journal during the preparation of the article for publication, including errors of omission, such as failure to correct factual evidence requested by the authors within the time limits set by the journal and within the journal's policy. A significant error is one that affects the scientific record, the scientific integrity of the article, the reputation of the authors or the journal.
-Corrigendum
Corrigendum is a notification of a significant error made by the authors of the article. All corrections are approved by the editorial board.

PROCEDURE FOR MAKING CORRECTIONS

  1. Corrections can be initiated by authors, editors, or readers.
  2. The editorial team evaluates the request and, if necessary, consults with the authors.
  3. After approval, the corrections are published as a separate document related to the original article, marked "Corrections".

RETRACTION

In some cases, the Editorial Board may decide to retract an article. Reasons for potential retraction of a paper:

  • there is clear evidence that the results are not reliable, regardless of whether they are the result of misconduct (e.g., fabricated data and image manipulation);
  • the results of the study have been previously published elsewhere without proper citation, licence or justification (e.g. in cases of redundant or duplicate publication);
  • the research is plagiarised;
  • there is evidence of fraudulent authorship;
  • the peer review process has been proven to have been compromised;
  • there is evidence of unethical research and violation of professional ethical codes.

Retraction requests can be submitted by authors, editors or third parties. The editorial board conducts an investigation with the involvement of the authors and, if necessary, external experts. The decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief or his/her deputy. After the decision to retract the article is made:

  •  
  • the watermark "Retraction" will be added to the published version of the article;
  • the title of the article will be "Retraction: [Title of the article]";
  • a separate statement of retraction will be published under the title "Retraction: [Title of the article]".

The editors of the journal sign this message; the retraction statement will be numbered and have a DOI identifier.

In some cases, the authors of a scientific article that is subject to review by the journal may request the withdrawal of their manuscript. The request can be made only before the article is published. In order to withdraw a manuscript, the authors should send a letter to the journal's editorial board containing a clear and understandable explanation of the reasons for the withdrawal. The letter should be concise and signed by all authors of the article. The withdrawn manuscript will be completely removed from the publisher's database, but the copyright remains with the authors of the article.

Additional terms

Mass manipulation and paper mills

If it is determined that an article is part of a group of publications compromised by paper mills or other systematic fraudulent practices, the editorial board may decide to retract the article as part of a package. The retraction statement must indicate that the article belongs to a group of works affected by similar violations.

Use of artificial intelligence

The hidden or undeclared use of artificial intelligence systems to create text, images, or other data in a manuscript is considered a serious violation and may be grounds for retraction. Authors are required to transparently disclose the use of such tools. Concealing such facts may be considered grounds for retraction. The editorial board reserves the right to check manuscripts for the use of generative artificial intelligence systems. For this purpose, automated detection tools, expert evaluation by reviewers, and additional requests to authors may be used.

Falsification of authorship and identity theft

Manuscripts may be retracted in cases of confirmed false authorship, use of someone else's personal data (name, ORCID, etc.), as well as hidden or forced authorship.

Expression of concern

In cases where there are serious concerns about the authenticity of an article or a breach of academic integrity, but there is insufficient evidence for immediate retraction, the editorial board may publish an expression of concern. Such a statement has its own DOI, is linked to the original article, and contains a brief explanation of the reasons for publication. The expression of concern remains available until the editorial investigation is complete.

Promptness of procedures

The decision to publish corrections, expressions of concern or retractions is made by the editorial board and implemented as soon as possible after significant violations are identified. In cases where final agreement on the text with the authors is not possible, the editorial board reserves the right to publish the statement without delay in order to preserve scientific integrity.

Availability of retracted articles

Retracted articles remain openly accessible in the journal's archives and databases with a clear indication of “Retraction”. Complete removal is only possible in exceptional cases when required by applicable legal regulations (in particular, personal data protection, copyright infringement, enforcement of court decisions or security considerations).

Publication Fee

There is a fee for the publication of materials. Payment is due after the articles have been positively reviewed and accepted for publication by the editorial board, and the author will be notified by the journal’s editorial office.

The journal does not charge fees for the submission or review of articles.

License Agreement

All materials are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence.

Submission of a manuscript implies the author’s agreement with these terms. The author confirms that the work is original, does not infringe third-party rights, and has not been published elsewhere.

The author retains copyright, while the publisher holds the right of first publication and distribution in print and electronic form, including authorised English translation.

Any use of the article must include a citation or hyperlink to the publication on the journal’s website.

International Indexing of the Journal

The journal is indexed by BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine);

Index Copernicus: https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/search/details?id=32303

Google Scholar: https://medmuv.com/kafedra/journals/social/2006_4/all.pdf

CrossRef: https://search.crossref.org/?from_ui=yes&q=%D0%92%D1%96%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA+%D1%81%
D0%BE%D1%86%D1%96%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%97+%D0%B3%D1%96%D0%B3%D1%96%D1%
94%D0%BD%D0%B8+%D1%82%D0%B0+%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%96%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%86
%D1%96%D1%97+%D0%BE%D1%85%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8+%D0%B7%D0%B4%D0%BE%D1%80%D0
%BE%D0%B2%27%D1%8F+%D0%A3%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%97%D0%BD%D0%B8

Ulrich's Periodicals Directory: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?search=%D0%B2%D1%96%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA+%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%86%D1%96%D0%B0%D0%BB%
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History of the Journal

The journal was founded in 1999 jointly by the Ukrainian Institute of Public Health and the Ivan Horbachevsky Ternopil Medical University. Dr. V.M. Ponomarenko, MD, DSc in Medicine, became the journal’s editor-in-chief; following his death in 2007, Dr. H.O. Slabkyi, MD, DSc in Medicine, assumed the role of editor-in-chief. Starting with the third issue of the journal in 2012, S.O. Lynnyk, PhD in Public Administration, became the journal’s editor-in-chief. In 2019, Dr. H.O. Slabky, MD, DSc in Medicine, once again became the editor-in-chief. The journal is published four times a year. It consists of the following main sections: public health, organization of medical care, health economics, history of medicine, and others. As the journal evolved, it incorporated an editorial column, the development of primary health care, the informatization of medicine, and more. Currently, it features the following main sections: public health, organization and management of healthcare, and analytical reviews of scientific information sources. The authors contributing to the journal were leading Ukrainian specialists in the field of healthcare, who primarily submitted materials based on in-depth experimental data.