A bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974

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dc.contributor.authorWiysonge, Charles S
dc.contributor.authorUthman, Olalekan A
dc.contributor.authorNdumbe, Peter M
dc.contributor.authorHussey, Gregory D
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-16T18:52:34Z
dc.date.available2015-05-16T18:52:34Z
dc.date.issued2013-03-14
dc.date.updated2015-01-15T17:54:22Z
dc.description.abstractBackground: The implementation of strategic immunization plans whose development is informed by available locally-relevant research evidence should improve immunization coverage and prevent disease, disability and death in Africa. In general, health research helps to answer questions, generate the evidence required to guide policy and identify new tools. However, factors that influence the publication of immunization research in Africa are not known. We, therefore, undertook this study to fill this research gap by providing insights into factors associated with childhood immunization research productivity on the continent. We postulated that research productivity influences immunization coverage. Methods: We conducted a bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research output from Africa, using research articles indexed in PubMed as a surrogate for total research productivity. We used zero-truncated negative binomial regression models to explore the factors associated with research productivity. Results: We identified 1,641 articles on childhood immunization indexed in PubMed between 1974 and 2010 with authors from Africa, which represent only 8.9% of the global output. Five countries (South Africa, Nigeria, The Gambia, Egypt and Kenya) contributed 48% of the articles. After controlling for population and gross domestic product, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe were the most productive countries. In univariable analyses, the country's gross domestic product, total health expenditure, private health expenditure, and research and development expenditure had a significant positive association with increased research productivity. Immunization coverage, adult literacy rate, human development index and physician density had no significant association. In the multivarable model, only private health expenditure maintained significant statistical association with the number of immunization articles. Conclusions: Immunization research productivity in Africa is highly skewed, with private health expenditure having a significant positive association. However, the current contribution of authors from Africa to global childhood immunization research output is minimal. The lack of association between research productivity and immunization coverage may be an indication of lack of interactive communication between health decision-makers, program managers and researchers; to ensure that immunization policies and plans are always informed by the best available evidence.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationWiysonge, C. S., Uthman, O. A., Ndumbe, P. M., & Hussey, G. D. (2013). A bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974. <i>BMC Medicine</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12810en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationWiysonge, Charles S, Olalekan A Uthman, Peter M Ndumbe, and Gregory D Hussey "A bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974." <i>BMC Medicine</i> (2013) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12810en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationWiysonge, C. S., Uthman, O. A., Ndumbe, P. M., & Hussey, G. D. (2013). A bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974. BMC medicine, 11(1), 66.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1741-7015en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Wiysonge, Charles S AU - Uthman, Olalekan A AU - Ndumbe, Peter M AU - Hussey, Gregory D AB - Background: The implementation of strategic immunization plans whose development is informed by available locally-relevant research evidence should improve immunization coverage and prevent disease, disability and death in Africa. In general, health research helps to answer questions, generate the evidence required to guide policy and identify new tools. However, factors that influence the publication of immunization research in Africa are not known. We, therefore, undertook this study to fill this research gap by providing insights into factors associated with childhood immunization research productivity on the continent. We postulated that research productivity influences immunization coverage. Methods: We conducted a bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research output from Africa, using research articles indexed in PubMed as a surrogate for total research productivity. We used zero-truncated negative binomial regression models to explore the factors associated with research productivity. Results: We identified 1,641 articles on childhood immunization indexed in PubMed between 1974 and 2010 with authors from Africa, which represent only 8.9% of the global output. Five countries (South Africa, Nigeria, The Gambia, Egypt and Kenya) contributed 48% of the articles. After controlling for population and gross domestic product, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe were the most productive countries. In univariable analyses, the country's gross domestic product, total health expenditure, private health expenditure, and research and development expenditure had a significant positive association with increased research productivity. Immunization coverage, adult literacy rate, human development index and physician density had no significant association. In the multivarable model, only private health expenditure maintained significant statistical association with the number of immunization articles. Conclusions: Immunization research productivity in Africa is highly skewed, with private health expenditure having a significant positive association. However, the current contribution of authors from Africa to global childhood immunization research output is minimal. The lack of association between research productivity and immunization coverage may be an indication of lack of interactive communication between health decision-makers, program managers and researchers; to ensure that immunization policies and plans are always informed by the best available evidence. DA - 2013-03-14 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1186/1741-7015-11-66 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - BMC Medicine LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 SM - 1741-7015 T1 - A bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974 TI - A bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974 UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12810 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/12810
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-11-66
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationWiysonge CS, Uthman OA, Ndumbe PM, Hussey GD. A bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974. BMC Medicine. 2013; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12810.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066en
dc.publisherBioMed Centralen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentInstitute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicineen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)*
dc.rights.holderWiysonge et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_ZA
dc.sourceBMC Medicineen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/
dc.subject.otherbibliometricsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherchildhood immunizationen_ZA
dc.subject.otherExpanded Program on Immunizationen_ZA
dc.subject.othersub-Saharan Africaen_ZA
dc.titleA bibliometric analysis of childhood immunization research productivity in Africa since the onset of the Expanded Program on Immunization in 1974en_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetype
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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