A profile of regional psychiatry publishing: home and away.
OBJECTIVE
Previous reports have profiled Australian psychiatry publishing in high-ranking international journals over the last two decades. An audit of selected high ranking and regional psychiatric journals was therefore undertaken to obtain a current profile of Australasian publishing.


METHODS
Journals were selected on the basis of impact factors for the year 2000, with the top five regional, generalist and specialist journals being selected, and with publication numbers over a two-year period (1999-2000) compared with numbers from other major geographical regions.


RESULTS
Of the 4573 papers identified in the 15 journals, Australasian authors contributed 269 to the regional journals (with two-thirds in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry), 47 to the generalist journals (with two-thirds in Psychological Medicine) and very few (23) to the specialist journals. Representation in the so-called "dominant four" international journals has increased since the 1986-1989 audit. When analysis was made of the "top nine" international journals, the Australasian representation rate was a low 1.8% and lower than most regions examined.


CONCLUSIONS
If Australasian psychiatry is to advance its international presence, a greater representation rate in top-ranking international journals should be set as an objective.
Parker
Gordon
G
School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Euroa Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney 2031, New South Wales, Australia. g.parker@unsw.edu.au
Parker
Kay
K
D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D011570:Psychiatry; D011643:Publishing