OBJECTIVE: The paper identifies the relative amount of research devoted to non-communicable disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). DESIGN: A bibliometric analysis of a subset of journals published in LMICs was performed. MEASUREMENTS: Seventy-six peer-reviewed journals focused on general medicine or public health published in 46 LMICs and indexed from 1998 to 2003 in MEDLINE. A total of 24 journals were selected, 4 journals from each of 6 LMIC regions. Searches were refined using 18 non-communicable disease topics with 7,012 articles identified for analysis. RESULTS: More than 40% of articles in LMIC regions focused on non-communicable disease research. The percentage was highest in Eastern Europe/Central Asia (47%) and lowest in Latin America (36%). The percentage of articles published in Sub-Saharan Africa (38%) did not differ significantly from that of Latin America or South Asia. Cardiovascular disease and cancer led the list of the top ten most-indexed published topics by region. CONCLUSIONS: Even in regions rampant with infectious diseases, some capability exists to conduct research on non-communicable diseases. Greater attention should be paid to the conduct and support of such research in LMICs, which will benefit these countries and may yield clues to lower-cost solutions to the burden of these diseases worldwide.
OBJECTIVE: The paper identifies the relative amount of research devoted to non-communicable disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). DESIGN: A bibliometric analysis of a subset of journals published in LMICs was performed. MEASUREMENTS: Seventy-six peer-reviewed journals focused on general medicine or public health published in 46 LMICs and indexed from 1998 to 2003 in MEDLINE. A total of 24 journals were selected, 4 journals from each of 6 LMIC regions. Searches were refined using 18 non-communicable disease topics with 7,012 articles identified for analysis. RESULTS: More than 40% of articles in LMIC regions focused on non-communicable disease research. The percentage was highest in Eastern Europe/Central Asia (47%) and lowest in Latin America (36%). The percentage of articles published in Sub-Saharan Africa (38%) did not differ significantly from that of Latin America or South Asia. Cardiovascular disease and cancer led the list of the top ten most-indexed published topics by region. CONCLUSIONS: Even in regions rampant with infectious diseases, some capability exists to conduct research on non-communicable diseases. Greater attention should be paid to the conduct and support of such research in LMICs, which will benefit these countries and may yield clues to lower-cost solutions to the burden of these diseases worldwide.
Authors: Daisy Acosta; Ruth Rottbeck; Juana G Rodríguez; Loida M González; Mary R Almánzar; Susana N Minaya; Maria del C Ortiz; Cleusa P Ferri; Martin J Prince Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2010-06-16 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: P Sharan; C Gallo; O Gureje; E Lamberte; J J Mari; G Mazzotti; V Patel; L Swartz; S Olifson; I Levav; A de Francisco; S Saxena Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 2009-10 Impact factor: 9.319
Authors: Olivia Namusisi; Juliet N Sekandi; Simon Kasasa; Peter Wasswa; Nicholas T Kamara; Medard Bitekyerezo; Placid Mihayo; Sheba N Gitta; David Mukanga Journal: Pan Afr Med J Date: 2011-11-29
Authors: Meena Daivadanam; Pilvikki Absetz; Thirunavukkarasu Sathish; K R Thankappan; Edwin B Fisher; Neena Elezebeth Philip; Elezebeth Mathews; Brian Oldenburg Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2013-02-01 Impact factor: 3.295