General Principle

The journal expects authors to obtain informed consent when required by the applicable ethics framework for participation, intervention, identifiable information, or publication of identifiable material.

What Consent Should Address

• Purpose and nature of the research.
• Voluntary participation and the right to decline or withdraw where applicable.
• How personal information and research data will be handled.
• Potential risks, burdens, benefits, or alternatives where applicable.
• Potential publication and dissemination of anonymized or identifiable information when relevant.

Waiver or Alternative Consent

Written consent is preferred where practical, but oral consent, electronic consent, or a waiver may be acceptable when approved by the responsible ethics body and permitted by applicable law. Authors explain the basis for any alternative.

Publication of Identifiable Material

Separate consent for publication is obtained when a person may be identifiable from photographs, detailed case descriptions, recordings, or other material, unless a valid legal or ethical exception applies. Consent documentation is retained by the authors and is not normally uploaded to the submission system.

Children and Adults Lacking Capacity

For minors or people who cannot provide valid consent, consent and assent are obtained as required by applicable law, ethics guidance, and the responsible institution.

Privacy of Geospatial Information

GIS outputs do not expose household-level or similarly identifiable locations where doing so could create a privacy or safety risk. Authors aggregate, blur, or otherwise protect sensitive locations where appropriate.