Uthman, Olalekan A., Wiysonge, Charles Shey, Ota, Martin O., Nicol, Mark, Hussey, Gregory D., Ndumbe, Peter M. and Mayosi, Bongani M. (2015) Increasing the value of health research in the WHO African Region beyond 2015 : reflecting on the past, celebrating the present and building the future : a bibliometric analysis. BMJ Open, Volume 5 (Number 3). Article number e006340. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006340 ISSN 2044-6055.

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Abstract

Objective:
To assess the profile and determinants of health research productivity in Africa since the onset of the new millennium.

Design:
Bibliometric analysis.

Data collection and synthesis:
In November 2014, we searched PubMed for articles published between 2000 and 2014 from the WHO African Region, and obtained country-level indicators from World Bank data. We used Poisson regression to examine time trends in research publications and negative binomial regression to explore determinants of research publications.

Results:
We identified 107 662 publications, with a median of 727 per country (range 25–31 757). Three countries (South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya) contributed 52% of the publications. The number of publications increased from 3623 in 2000 to 12 709 in 2014 (relative growth 251%). Similarly, the per cent share of worldwide research publications per year increased from 0.7% in 2000 to 1.3% in 2014. The trend analysis was also significant to confirm a continuous increase in health research publications from Africa, with productivity increasing by 10.3% per year (95% CIs +10.1% to +10.5%). The only independent predictor of publication outputs was national gross domestic product. For every one log US$ billion increase in gross domestic product, research publications rose by 105%: incidence rate ratio (IRR=2.05, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.04). The association of private health expenditure with publications was only marginally significant (IRR=1.86, 95% CI 1.00 to 3.47).

Conclusions:
There has been a significant improvement in health research in the WHO African Region since 2000, with some individual countries already having strong research profiles. Countries of the region should implement the WHO Strategy on Research for Health: reinforcing the research culture (organisation); focusing research on key health challenges (priorities); strengthening national health research systems (capacity); encouraging good research practice (standards); and consolidating linkages between health research and action (translation).

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Population, Evidence & Technologies (PET) Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Public health -- Research -- Africa
Journal or Publication Title:	BMJ Open
Publisher:	BMJ
ISSN:	2044-6055
Official Date:	13 March 2015
Dates:	Date Event 13 March 2015 Published 15 December 2014 Accepted 11 August 2014 Submitted
Volume:	Volume 5
Number:	Number 3
Number of Pages:	9
Article Number:	Article number e006340
DOI:	10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006340
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit:	29 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access:	29 December 2015
Funder:	World Health Organization (WHO), Lily and Ernst Hausmann Research Trust
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