About the Journal

About the Journal

About ASIDE Gastroenterology

Journal title: ASIDE Gastroenterology

ISSN (Print): 3066-4004  |  ISSN (Online): 3066-4012

Vision and Mission

ASIDE Gastroenterology is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing gastroenterology and hepatology through scholarship that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). As part of the American Society for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Healthcare (ASIDE), the journal supports research and practice that improve digestive health outcomes for all communities—especially groups historically underrepresented in medical research and underserved in clinical care.

Our mission is to publish rigorous, clinically meaningful, and ethically conducted work that strengthens gastroenterology through innovation, transparency, and a health equity lens. We welcome contributions that challenge inequities, improve access to evidence-based care, and translate scientific advances into better outcomes across diverse populations.

Aims and Scope

The journal publishes research and scholarly content across gastroenterology, hepatology, and related digestive sciences, including (but not limited to):

  • Esophageal, gastric, and intestinal disorders
  • Inflammatory bowel disease, functional GI disorders, motility, and microbiome research
  • Pancreatic and biliary disease
  • Hepatology (viral hepatitis, MASLD/NAFLD, cirrhosis, liver cancer)
  • Endoscopy, advanced endoscopic techniques, and quality/safety in endoscopic practice
  • GI oncology and pre-malignant conditions
  • Nutrition, obesity-related GI disease, and metabolic liver disease
  • Health services research, implementation science, and quality improvement in GI care
  • Disparities, social determinants of health, and interventions that improve equitable access
  • Global gastroenterology and outcomes research in low-resource settings

Article Types

  • Original Research
  • Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
  • Narrative Reviews
  • Clinical Trials
  • Case Reports / Case Series
  • Brief Reports
  • Editorials and Commentaries
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Methodology / Study Protocols (where appropriate)

Readership

Our readers include gastroenterologists, hepatologists, endoscopists, internists, surgeons, advanced practice providers, researchers, educators, policy makers, and public health professionals. With an international readership and authorship, the journal supports global dialogue and evidence generation in digestive health.

Publication Frequency

ASIDE Gastroenterology is published quarterly (four issues per year). Articles are published online as soon as they complete peer review and production, then assembled into the next available issue.

Language

The journal publishes in English.

Open Access Policy

ASIDE Gastroenterology provides immediate open access to all content. All articles are freely available to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, and link to without embargo and without mandatory registration.

Licensing, Copyright, and Reuse

  • License: Unless otherwise indicated, articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
  • Copyright: Authors retain copyright to their work and grant the publisher a non-exclusive right of first publication under the stated license.
  • Reuse: CC BY 4.0 permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format (including commercial use), provided appropriate credit is given, a link to the license is included, and changes are indicated.
  • Third-party content: Any material not covered by CC BY 4.0 (e.g., specific images or figures) is clearly labeled with a credit line specifying different terms; additional permissions may be required for reuse beyond those terms.

Article Processing Charges (APCs) and Fees

ASIDE Gastroenterology charges no submission fees and no publication fees (no APCs). Publishing in the journal is free for authors.

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)

All published articles are assigned a DOI to support persistent linking and citation.

Peer Review Policy (Double-Blind)

ASIDE Gastroenterology uses a double-blind peer-review model, in which authors and reviewers are anonymous to each other to reduce bias and ensure fair evaluation.

Peer Review Workflow

  1. Initial screening: The editorial office checks scope fit, completeness, policy compliance, and basic scientific/ethical suitability. Submissions may be returned for technical corrections before review.
  2. Plagiarism screening: Submissions are screened using plagiarism-detection tools (e.g., iThenticate or equivalent). Concerns are handled according to COPE guidance.
  3. Reviewer selection: Editors invite independent reviewers with relevant expertise and no conflicts of interest.
  4. Reviewers evaluate originality, clinical/scientific importance, methodology, ethical compliance, clarity, and the validity of conclusions.
  5. Decision: Editorial decisions are based on reviewer reports and editorial judgment: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject. Additional review may be requested if needed.
  6. Revision and re-review: Authors respond to comments and resubmit; revised manuscripts may undergo further review.
  7. Production: Accepted manuscripts proceed through copyediting, layout, and author proofing before publication.

Editorial Involvement, Conflicts of Interest, and Endogeny

  • If the Editor-in-Chief, an Associate Editor, or an editorial board member is an author/co-author on a submission, they must recuse themselves from all handling and decision-making for that manuscript.
  • An independent editor with no authorship role will manage the editorial process to ensure unbiased evaluation.
  • Editors and reviewers must disclose potential conflicts of interest and act in accordance with the journal’s ethics policies.

Editorial Independence and Advertising

Editorial decisions are made independently of sponsors, institutions, or external influence. The journal does not accept advertising that could compromise editorial independence.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

ASIDE Gastroenterology follows internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing and medical journal ethics, including guidance from: COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors), OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association), and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

Key Ethical Expectations

  • Fair play: Manuscripts are evaluated on intellectual and scientific merit without discrimination.
  • Confidentiality: Submitted work and peer review materials are confidential.
  • Authorship: Authorship must reflect substantial contributions; changes in authorship require documented approval.
  • Human/animal research: Research must meet ethical standards, include IRB/ethics approval where applicable, and follow informed consent requirements (including patient consent for case reports when identifiable information is possible).
  • Clinical trials: Prospective trials should be registered in a public registry; manuscripts should include trial registration information where applicable.
  • Reporting guidelines: Authors are encouraged to follow appropriate reporting standards (e.g., CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, CARE) and submit checklists when relevant.
  • Misconduct: Allegations of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, image manipulation, and unethical research are investigated and addressed in accordance with COPE guidance.
  • Corrections and retractions: The journal issues corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when warranted to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.
  • AI disclosure: Authors must transparently disclose any use of AI tools that materially affects the manuscript (e.g., drafting, analysis, image creation), in accordance with responsible publishing practices.

Appeals, Complaints, and Post-Publication Discussion

  • Appeals: Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing a detailed, evidence-based rationale; appeals are reviewed by editors not involved in the original decision when possible.
  • Complaints: Complaints about editorial processes or publication ethics are handled confidentially and in line with COPE principles.
  • Post-publication: Substantive concerns raised after publication may result in editorial review and, if needed, correction or retraction.

Preservation and Archiving Policy

ASIDE Gastroenterology is committed to long-term digital preservation and continued accessibility of published content:

  • PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN): This journal has applied for PKP PN and is currently pending enrollment/activation. Once activated, PKP PN will automatically preserve the journal’s published content.

  • Internet Archive: Issues and article PDFs may be deposited for long-term preservation and public access.
  • OAI-PMH: Journal metadata is available for harvesting via the OAI-PMH endpoint: https://asidejournals.com/index.php/Gastroenterology/oai
  • If the journal ceases publication, Archived content will remain accessible through preservation services and deposited archives.

Repository and Self-Archiving Policy

Authors may deposit their work in institutional, subject, funder, or personal repositories without embargo:

  • Submitted version (preprint): may be shared at any time
  • Accepted version (Author Accepted Manuscript, AAM): may be shared immediately upon acceptance
  • Published version (Version of Record, VoR): may be shared immediately upon publication

When depositing any version, authors should include the full citation and a link to the Version of Record (article landing page and/or DOI). Articles are published under CC BY 4.0 unless otherwise indicated.

Data Sharing and Reproducibility

ASIDE Gastroenterology supports open, transparent, and reproducible science. Research articles should include a Data Availability Statement describing where supporting data, code, and materials can be accessed, preferably with persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs).

  • Use trusted repositories (discipline-specific when available; otherwise, general repositories that issue DOIs such as Zenodo, Dryad, or OSF).
  • Provide documentation needed to reuse data (e.g., README, variable dictionary, protocols).
  • Human-participant data must be de-identified and shared only in line with consent, ethics approval, and applicable regulations; if public sharing is not possible, authors must explain restrictions and provide a controlled-access pathway.
  • For clinical trials, authors should provide an ICMJE-aligned data sharing statement when applicable.

Direct Marketing Policy

The journal may occasionally distribute calls for papers or informational messages to researchers whose work aligns with the journal’s scope. Outreach is accurate, appropriate, and not misleading. We do not guarantee acceptance or indexing in any communication. Recipients may opt out at any time, and opt-out requests are honored promptly. The journal does not purchase third-party email lists; contact details are obtained from publicly available academic sources or prior voluntary interactions, in compliance with applicable regulations.

Publisher Information

Publisher: American Society for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Healthcare (ASIDE)

Registered Address: 16192 Coastal Highway, Lewes, Delaware 19958, USA

Country: United States of America

Publisher Website: https://www.asidehealthcare.org

Journals Portal: https://asidejournals.com

Contact

Editorial Office: [email protected]
Publisher Contact: [email protected]