title: Analysis of research output parameters: density equalizing mapping and citation trend analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burden of disease studies indicate major socio-economic burdens since many years. They should be used for the allocation of funding. However, imbalances are present in funding policies and therefore benchmarking becomes increasingly important in health services research.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study assessed benchmarking approaches. Using large data base analyses, research was analyzed for different health research output parameters. The fields of cardiovascular and respiratory medicine served as models to assess irregular patterns of health research. For visualization, density equalizing mapping procedures were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specific areas of major research activity were identified for European countries and large differences were found. Spatial distribution of published items for cardiac and cardiovascular systems differed in comparison to the distribution for the respiratory system. In general, large countries dominated the overall number of published items. When qualitative measures such as citation analysis were assessed, differing results were achieved. In this category, mostly Scandinavian countries dominated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present approach of comparative output benchmarking can be used to assess institutional operating figures at the national and international level and to analyze imbalances in health and research funding.
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Groneberg-Kloft
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scutaru
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welte
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kreiter
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quarcoo
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking / Q000379:methods; D015706:Bibliometrics; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002309:Cardiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D004467:Economics; D005060:Europe; D005378:Financial Support; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors