All submitted manuscripts, including invited articles, undergo a rigorous initial screening by the editor-in-chief and other members of the Editorial Committee before being sent for peer review.

• Aims and Scope Alignment: The editor-in-chief and others on behalf of the Editorial Committee first assess the manuscript’s relevance to the journal’s theme and its alignment with the aims and scope of IJODH.
• Technical Compliance: Manuscripts are checked for adherence to the journal’s formatting and submission instructions. Manuscripts that fail to meet these basic requirements may be returned to the authors for revision before further consideration.
• Ethical Verification: To uphold the highest standards of scholarly integrity, all manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and duplicate publication using Crossref Similarity Check (powered by iThenticate).
• Initial Decision (Desk Rejection): Manuscripts deemed unsuitable for the journal—whether due to lack of thematic relevance, poor technical quality, or ethical concerns—may be rejected without undergoing full peer review. In such cases, authors will be notified promptly of the decision.
• Anonymous Peer Review: Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent for anonymous peer review. IJODH operates an anonymous peer-review process in which the identities of reviewers are not disclosed to authors. Reviewers are required to treat manuscripts, review materials, and review results as confidential.