Introduction

Health Innovation Journal Asia (HIJ Asia) strongly advocates for the sharing of data to enhance the credibility, reproducibility, and overall impact of the research it publishes. This policy outlines the expectations for data sharing associated with articles submitted to HIJ Asia. We support the principles of the FAIR Data guidelines (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to encourage authors to share their research data, thereby facilitating scientific discovery and innovation in the fields of health and rehabilitation across the Asian continent and globally. Sharing data supports validation of research findings, enables exploration of new research questions, and fosters collaboration among researchers.

Scope

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to HIJ Asia, including but not limited to original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and secondary data analyses.

Data Availability Statement

Authors are required to provide a Data Availability Statement with their manuscript. This statement should detail:

• The availability of the dataset(s) and how it can be accessed.
• The repository where the data is stored, including a persistent identifier or DOI.
• Conditions of access if the data is not publicly available.
• A rationale if data is not available (e.g., privacy, ethical restrictions).

Authors are encouraged to deposit their data in a recognized public repository suitable for their data type and field (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare, Dryad, or institutional repositories). The chosen repository should ensure long-term preservation and easy accessibility of the data.

Exceptions and Restrictions

HIJ Asia recognizes that data sharing may be restricted due to ethical, privacy, or commercial concerns, particularly regarding patient data. Authors must clearly state such restrictions in the data availability statement and provide justification.

Ethical and Legal Compliance

Authors must ensure that data sharing complies with all relevant ethical guidelines and legal requirements, including participant consent and privacy protections. Data must be appropriately de-identified to protect participant confidentiality before sharing.

Data Citation

Datasets should be cited in accordance with scholarly citation practices, including placement in the manuscript’s reference list. Citations should include persistent identifiers or DOIs where available.

Compliance and Enforcement

Adherence to this data sharing policy is a condition of publication in HIJ Asia. The journal reserves the right to request additional information about data sharing practices from authors and may consider non-compliance as grounds for manuscript rejection or, if necessary, post-publication correction.

Support for Authors

HIJ Asia is committed to assisting authors in complying with this data sharing policy. Authors with questions or concerns regarding data sharing are encouraged to contact the editorial office for guidance.

References

This policy is informed by best practices in scholarly publishing and data sharing, drawing from guidelines established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). It also reflects the principles outlined in the FAIR Data Principles for scientific data management and stewardship.