PLOS One Issues Expression of Concern Over Peer Review Integrity in Ethnic Poverty Study

PLOS One has issued an Expression of Concern regarding a 2024 research article that analyzed spatial and temporal differences and convergence in multidimensional relative poverty in ethnic areas. The notice, published on October 26, 2026, was issued by the journal’s Editors and applies to the paper by Cheng J and Yu X, which originally appeared in the journal in 2024.

According to the Expression of Concern, the article was identified as one of a series of submissions about which the journal has concerns regarding the integrity and reliability of the peer review process. The Editors stated that readers are advised to interpret the article with consideration of this issue.

The notice includes an important clarification about the scope of the journal’s action. In following up on the matter, PLOS did not evaluate the article’s integrity or scientific validity. This means the Expression of Concern does not constitute a finding that the research itself is flawed, nor does it validate the study’s findings; rather, it flags uncertainty arising from the peer review process under which the paper was accepted.

The Editors also drew a distinction between the peer review process and the authors’ own conduct. They stated that they do not have concerns regarding the authors’ conduct during the peer review process.

The original study, published in 2024 as volume 19, issue 4 of the journal under article number e0301679, examined multidimensional relative poverty in ethnic areas using spatial and temporal comparisons and convergence analysis. The Expression of Concern is published as an open access editorial notice under the Creative Commons Attribution License and carries its own digital object identifier, 10.1371/journal.pone.0361249, distinct from the original article’s record.

Readers consulting the original article are directed to weigh the notice when interpreting its conclusions.

Subject of Research: An Expression of Concern issued by PLOS One editors regarding the peer review integrity of a study on multidimensional relative poverty in ethnic areas.

Article Title: Expression of Concern: Spatial and temporal differences and convergence analysis of multidimensional relative poverty in ethnic areas

Article References: The PLOS One Editors (2026). Expression of Concern: Spatial and temporal differences and convergence analysis of multidimensional relative poverty in ethnic areas. PLOS One, 21(10), e0361249. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361249

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0361249

Keywords: PLOS One, Expression of Concern, peer review, research integrity, multidimensional poverty, ethnic areas, editorial notice, publishing ethics, spatial analysis, convergence analysis, Expression, Concern