title: Current status and future prospects of epidemiology and public health training and research in the WHO African region.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date little has been published about epidemiology and public health capacity (training, research, funding, human resources) in WHO/AFRO to help guide future planning by various stakeholders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A bibliometric analysis was performed to identify published epidemiological research. Information about epidemiology and public health training, current research and challenges was collected from key informants using a standardized questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1991 to 2010, epidemiology and public health research output in the WHO/AFRO region increased from 172 to 1086 peer-reviewed articles per annum [annual percentage change (APC) = 10.1%, P for trend < 0.001]. The most common topics were HIV/AIDS (11.3%), malaria (8.6%) and tuberculosis (7.1%). Similarly, numbers of first authors (APC = 7.3%, P for trend < 0.001), corresponding authors (APC = 8.4%, P for trend < 0.001) and last authors (APC = 8.5%, P for trend < 0.001) from Africa increased during the same period. However, an overwhelming majority of respondents (>90%) reported that this increase is only rarely linked to regional post-graduate training programmes in epidemiology. South Africa leads in publications (1978/8835, 22.4%), followed by Kenya (851/8835, 9.6%), Nigeria (758/8835, 8.6%), Tanzania (549/8835, 6.2%) and Uganda (428/8835, 4.8%) (P < 0.001, each vs South Africa). Independent predictors of relevant research productivity were 'in-country numbers of epidemiology or public health programmes' [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 3.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.90-6.11; P = 0.03] and 'number of HIV/AIDS patients' (IRR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.02-1.66; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since 1991, there has been increasing epidemiological research productivity in WHO/AFRO that is associated with the number of epidemiology programmes and burden of HIV/AIDS cases. More capacity building and training initiatives in epidemiology are required to promote research and address the public health challenges facing the continent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Centre for Infectious Diseases, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jean B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Nachega
authors.forename: Olalekan A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Uthman
authors.forename: Yuh-Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Chuka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anude
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kayembe
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wabwire-Mangen
authors.forename: Exnevia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gomo
authors.forename: Papa Salif
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sow
authors.forename: Ude
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Obike
authors.forename: Theophile
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusiaku
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Bongani M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mayosi
authors.forename: Carel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ijsselmuiden
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D015706:Bibliometrics; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000193:education*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D012106:Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014944:World Health Organization / Q000458:organization & administration*