The Journal of Community Medicine and Health Sciences (JCMHS) is a fully open-access, peer-reviewed journal committed to disseminating scientific knowledge freely and without restriction. Our open-access model ensures that every reader, regardless of geographical location or institutional affiliation, can access published research without subscription or paywall barriers.

Our Commitment to Open Science

JCMHS adheres to the principles of open science, transparency, and global accessibility. By publishing under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), the journal supports unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction of scholarly content, provided proper citation of the original work.

All articles published in JCMHS are freely accessible online immediately upon publication. No subscription or registration is required to read, download, or share content.

Definition of Open Access

Open access (OA) refers to the unrestricted online availability of scholarly literature. OA allows anyone to read, download, copy, distribute, print, or link to the full text of articles without financial, legal, or technical barriers. JCMHS’s approach follows the definition articulated by the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) and reaffirmed by DOAJ and OASPA.

Licensing Policy

All works published by JCMHS are licensed under CC BY 4.0. This license permits anyone to:

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Under the following terms: appropriate credit, link to the license, and indication of changes.

The CC BY license aligns with the open-access standards of DOAJ, COPE, and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Publication Fees and Sustainability

To maintain open-access infrastructure, editorial management, and digital archiving, JCMHS applies Article Processing Charges (APCs). The fee structure supports peer review, professional editing, and permanent hosting. Detailed information is available on the Article Processing Charges page. Fee waivers and discounts are provided for authors from low-income countries as per our Waiver Policy.

Access and Reuse Rights

Readers and institutions are entitled to:

Read and download all published articles without restriction.
Print, distribute, and store copies for educational and research use.
Reuse figures, data, and text in derivative works with proper citation.
Link to or integrate articles into academic repositories and course materials.

Author Rights and Ownership

Authors retain full copyright of their published works. By submitting to JCMHS, authors grant the journal a non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, and archive their articles. Authors may post preprints and postprints in institutional or subject repositories immediately upon publication without embargo.

Repository and Self-Archiving Policy

JCMHS encourages authors to deposit all versions of their manuscripts — preprint, accepted, and published — in institutional repositories, national archives, or personal websites. The journal is registered in SHERPA/RoMEO for transparent self-archiving permissions and fully supports the Repository Policy.

Open Data and Transparency

In support of the open-science movement, JCMHS encourages authors to share underlying datasets, software, and supplementary materials in recognized repositories such as Zenodo, Dryad, or Figshare. Data citations must follow FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles to enhance reproducibility and scholarly trust.

Ethical Compliance

JCMHS ensures open access without compromising ethical or privacy standards. The journal follows the GDPR and CAN-SPAM Act for user data protection and adheres to COPE guidelines for handling research integrity and ethical misconduct.

Indexing and Visibility

Open access increases global discoverability. Articles published in JCMHS are indexed in major databases including Google Scholar, CrossRef, Index Copernicus Value, and Portico. Metadata harvesting via the OAI-PMH protocol ensures automatic indexing by repositories worldwide.

Archiving and Digital Preservation

All published content is permanently archived in Portico and LOCKSS. These independent systems guarantee long-term accessibility even in the event of technical failure or journal discontinuation.

Benefits of Open Access Publishing

Increased Visibility: Articles are accessible worldwide, leading to higher citation and engagement.
Faster Dissemination: Immediate availability accelerates the global exchange of ideas.
Equity in Knowledge: Removes financial barriers for researchers in developing regions.
Societal Impact: Enables policymakers, educators, and healthcare professionals to apply research directly.
Transparency: Encourages collaboration, reproducibility, and open peer dialogue.

Funding and Compliance

Many funding agencies and institutions require open-access publishing. JCMHS complies with mandates from:

National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA)
European Commission’s Horizon Europe Programme
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
Wellcome Trust Open Access Policy
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Open Access Initiative

Transparency in Publishing

All publication workflows—from submission to peer review—are conducted transparently using the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. The editorial process is documented with timestamps, reviewer logs, and digital object identifiers for version tracking.

Article Versions and Licensing Notice

Submitted Version (Preprint): May be shared anywhere with acknowledgment.
Accepted Version (Author Accepted Manuscript): Can be archived immediately.
Published Version (Version of Record): Openly available on the journal website under CC BY 4.0.

Reader and Institutional Access

Readers may freely access all articles without login. Institutions may include JCMHS content in digital repositories, library catalogs, or course syllabi. Librarians are encouraged to link JCMHS content for institutional use and academic visibility.

Open Access Ethics for Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers uphold open-access values by promoting equitable dissemination of research. Conflicts of interest are declared, and all review activities remain confidential yet respectful of transparency principles. Editors ensure that no author is disadvantaged based on geography, language, or financial capability.

Compliance with Open-Access Standards

JCMHS aligns with the following frameworks:

COPE Core Practices
DOAJ Best-Practice Principles
OASPA Membership Standards
ICMJE Recommendations
WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice