Journal of Samsun Health Sciences

The aim of "Journal of Samsun Health Sciences"  is to share the results produced from health studies with researchers, experts, policy makers and other stakeholders and to contribute the production of scientific knowledge in local, national and international dimensions. Our international, peer-reviewed, scientific journal is indexed in Journal Factor and InfoBase Index, Index Copernicus. 

In this regard, the Samsun Journal of Health Sciences adopts a comprehensive publication policy that encompasses all disciplines within the health sciences. It accepts original research from various fields, including but not limited to nursing, midwifery, social work, health management, nutrition and dietetics, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, orthotics and prosthetics, child development, speech and language therapy, audiology, gerontology, occupational therapy, emergency and disaster management, perfusion, and optometry.

With its multidisciplinary approach, the journal aims to enhance the dissemination and circulation of scientific knowledge by publishing research conducted across a wide range of topics—from preventive healthcare to diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. It prioritizes a publication policy that emphasizes the scientific rigor and level of evidence of published studies, providing concrete data to support the improvement and advancement of healthcare services.

The Samsun Journal of Health Sciences is an international and multidisciplinary journal that publishes scientific studies in all areas of Health Sciences. Articles submitted to the journal can be written in either Turkish or English. The journal is published three times a year, every four months (April, August, and December).
Although priority is given to clinical research articles, the journal also publishes review articles, case reports, study protocols, letters to the editor, technical notes, and conference reports. Scientific and theoretical articles are also considered for publication. While review articles are usually by invitation, priority is given to invited review articles.
Article Submission
The journal accepts manuscripts that have not been published elsewhere or submitted for publication elsewhere. Authors must prepare their manuscripts in accordance with ethical principles and the journal’s editorial policies. Final versions of manuscripts submitted for review must be approved by all contributing authors. Once accepted, a manuscript must not be submitted to another journal for publication.
If the manuscript is derived from a thesis, presentation, or conference proceeding, this must be explicitly stated. Otherwise, it will be considered plagiarism, and the journal does not accept responsibility for such misconduct. This information should be included on the Title Page under the heading “Author Note,” indicating the name, date, location of the event, type of presentation, or thesis. (Example: Author Note: This study was presented as a poster/oral presentation at the 4th National Midwifery Student Congress (2–4 May 2013, Samsun).)
Articles must be written in clear, understandable Turkish (for Turkish manuscripts). Ethics committee approval must be obtained and documented for clinical and non-clinical studies requiring ethical clearance. Authors must comply with national and international ethical standards. If the article includes copyrighted tools, instruments, or scales, the authors must declare the usage permissions.
The similarity index of submitted articles must not exceed 15% (checked via IThenticate or Turnitin). The original similarity report must be uploaded to the designated section of the submission system. Articles submitted without a similarity report will not be considered for review.
The Samsun Journal of Health Sciences reviews submissions through the Dergipark system with at least two anonymous reviewers. Manuscripts are promptly evaluated, and authors are notified of the results as quickly as possible. Revisions should be detailed in a response table addressing each reviewer comment and uploaded as a separate “Reviewer Response File.” Authors can track the status of their submissions through Dergipark.
Authors must register with the Dergipark system before submitting manuscripts. ORCID numbers are mandatory and must be included on the title page.
Manuscripts not complying with the writing guidelines will not be considered for scientific evaluation.
Copyright Transfer Form
A copyright transfer form signed by all authors must be submitted by the corresponding author at the time of submission. Manuscripts without a copyright transfer form will not
be evaluated.
For the Copyright Transfer Form, click here.
Electronic Manuscript Preparation
Manuscripts must be uploaded as Word files. Three separate Word files should be submitted:
a) Title Page,
b) Full Text Article, and
c) Blinded Manuscript (with all author information removed).
Each file should be named accordingly: “TITLE PAGE,” “FULL TEXT ARTICLE,” and “BLINDED MANUSCRIPT.”
The manuscript must be prepared in A4 format, single-spaced, using Times New Roman font, 12-point size. Paragraph indentation should be 1.25 cm, except for the title and first paragraph after headings. No page numbers should be included. Tables, figures, and charts must be embedded within the text. Margins must be 2.5 cm on all sides.
Title Page must include: (1) full title (in Turkish/English), (2) full names of authors, (3) institutional affiliations, (4) number of pages, figures, and tables, (5) corresponding author's full address, phone number, all authors’ ORCID numbers, and email addresses. Previous use of the manuscript (e.g., thesis or presentation) must be indicated under “Author Note.”

Abstract: The Turkish and English abstracts must not exceed 300 words and should be structured under the following headings: Aim, Method, Results, Conclusions, and Recommendations. References to previous studies and abbreviations should be avoided in the abstract. The English abstract must be identical to the Turkish one and should include the same section headings. The heading for the Turkish abstract should be “ÖZ.”
Keywords: A minimum of 4-6 keywords should be provided in both Turkish and English versions, using general and plural terms as little as possible. The first letter of each keyword should be uppercase, with semicolons used to separate them. Below the Turkish abstract, “Anahtar Kelimeler” should be written; below the English abstract, “Keywords” should be used. English keywords must comply with “Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)” (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/MBrowser.html). Turkish keywords should comply with the Turkish Scientific Terms (TBT) (http://www.bilimterimleri.com).

Article Sections:
Research Articles:
• Abstract (Turkish and English)
• Introduction
• Method
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion and Recommendations
• Acknowledgments and Disclosures
• Conflict of Interest
• Author Contributions
• References

Review Articles:
• Abstract (Turkish and English)
• Relevant topical headings
• References

Case Reports:
• Abstract (Turkish and English)
• Introduction
• Case Presentation
• Discussion
• References
For Case Reports, an Informed Consent Form is required.
Introduction: The purpose and rationale of the study should be clearly explained, and relevant literature must be cited.
Method: The methodology should be detailed clearly to allow replication. If known or previously published methods are used, references must be cited.
Results: Findings should be presented clearly, supported by tables, figures, and charts if necessary. Avoid repeating the same data in multiple formats. Statistical comparisons should be appropriate for the data.
Discussion: Findings should be discussed with reference to previous research.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Findings should be summarized clearly and concisely. Avoid repeating earlier sections verbatim. If needed, list results as bullet points.
Acknowledgments and Disclosures: Mention financial support, grants, or technical assistance here.
Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that may have influenced the work.
Author Contributions: Specify the contributions of each author in percentages under these headings:
- Design of Study
- Data Acquisition
- Data Analysis
- Writing Up
- Submission and Revision
- Other (please specify)

References: Use APA 6 format. In-text citations must include the author’s surname and year. Multiple references must be listed alphabetically and separated by semicolons. Include all cited references at the end in alphabetical order by the first author’s last name. Check journal abbreviations at http://www.atifdizini.com or http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals.

Tables, Figures, and Charts: Up to 5 tables and 5 figures/charts allowed. Images should be in “jpg” format with 300–600 dpi. Tables and figures must be cited in-text and numbered consecutively (e.g., Fig. 1). Avoid using vertical lines in tables.

Contact:
Samsun Journal of Health Sciences
Editorial Office,
Ondokuz Mayıs University,
Faculty of Health Sciences, Kurupelit Campus, 55139, Samsun, Türkiye
Fax: +90 362 457 69 26
E-mail: jshs@omu.edu.tr

General Statement
Samsun Health Sciences Journal adheres to the ethical principles and standards set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Articles submitted to the journal must not have been previously published or under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Author Responsibilities
Authors submitting to the Samsun Health Sciences Journal must comply with the following ethical responsibilities:
- Submitted work must be original. If other works are referenced or used, proper and complete citations must be provided.
- Individuals who have not intellectually contributed to the content should not be listed as authors.
- Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
- Authors must be ready to submit raw data if requested by the editorial or scientific board.
- Articles must comply with national and international ethical principles and publication policies. Permission must be obtained and declared for any copyrighted tools or scales used.
- Studies involving "humans" must comply with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. In such cases, the method section should include a statement regarding ethical approval and informed consent.
- If "animals" are involved, authors must state that the principles of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals were followed and ethical approval obtained.
- For case reports, informed consent must be obtained regardless of anonymity, and confidentiality must be ensured.
- If the manuscript involves commercial products or financial support, the nature of the relationship must be disclosed.
- If ethical approval is required, it must be declared with date and reference number in the method section.
- Authors must include a statement of compliance with research and publication ethics.
- Authors should possess necessary permissions for data usage and participant consent documentation.
- If an error or inaccuracy is discovered in the published or submitted article, the editor must be informed, and cooperation must be provided for corrections or retractions.
- Simultaneous submission to more than one journal is not permitted. Previously published articles cannot be submitted.
- Author changes (additions, removals, or order changes) are not allowed after the review process has started.
Editor Responsibilities
Editors are accountable for every published article in accordance with the COPE Code of Conduct. Responsibilities include:
- Making independent decisions solely based on public interest.
- Ensuring editorial independence from the publisher or external entities.
- Striving for continuous improvement of the journal.
- Enforcing and applying journal policies on publication, peer review, and ethics.
- Ensuring all published articles are reviewed by qualified referees.
- Protecting the copyright of authors.
- Preventing unethical practices such as plagiarism and citation manipulation.
- Updating author and reviewer guidelines as needed.
- Maintaining records of every manuscript and correspondence.
Reviewer Responsibilities
Samsun Health Sciences Journal employs a double-blind peer review system. Reviewers must:
- Review only within their expertise.
- Maintain confidentiality and objectivity.
- Dispose of the manuscripts after review due to confidentiality.
- Inform the editor in case of any conflict of interest.
- Provide constructive, respectful, and academic feedback.
- Avoid discriminatory comments or personal attacks.
- Submit their evaluations in a timely manner using the review form.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism includes the use of others’ ideas, words, or work without proper citation. Self-plagiarism refers to reusing one’s own previous work without acknowledgment. Since 2019, manuscripts found to contain plagiarism or self-plagiarism are rejected. Authors must submit a similarity report (iThenticate, Turnitin, etc.) upon submission. Manuscripts with more than 15% similarity are considered plagiarized and are rejected.
Review Timeline
The evaluation process for submissions typically takes between 12 to 16 weeks. In exceptional cases, this period may be extended.
Corrections and Retractions
Once the peer review process begins, manuscripts cannot be withdrawn. Authors may submit a withdrawal request for articles not yet in review. Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern may be issued as necessary, based on the severity of errors or misconduct. All such notices will be indexed and linked to the original article.
Copyright Policy
The journal does not charge any fees for submission, review, or publication. All copyrights of accepted articles belong to the journal. Authors must submit a copyright transfer form and disclose contributions.
Scientific Responsibility
All listed authors must have made significant academic or scientific contributions to the manuscript. The corresponding author is responsible for the final version on behalf of all authors.
Reporting Ethical Misconduct
Any ethical concerns or suspected misconduct should be reported via email to jshs@omu.edu.tr.
Archiving
All articles published in the journal are archived on the Dergipark platform.

Journal of Samsun Health Sciences does not charge any fee for the submission, evaluation and publication of the articles. Authors do not pay article processing fees or submission fees for the studies they submit to the journal.