[Bibliometric study of scientific output published by the Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública/Pan American Journal of Public Health from 1997-2012].
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the scientific output of the Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública/Pan American Journal of Public Health (RPSP) as a scientific publication of reference in the public health sector in the Americas.


METHODS
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted based on the articles published in the RPSP from 1997-2012. Bibliometric indicators of productivity (documents published, languages, authorship, and indices of productivity and collaboration); impact (impact factor according to the SciELO Network, Journal Citation Report and SCImago); key words; and bibliographic references, their structure (document type and main nucleus of Bradford) and degree of obsolescence (Burton and Kebler half-life, and Price index), were analyzed.


RESULTS
A total of 2 815 articles with a median of 3 authors and 2 institutions per article were published. The percentage of original research articles increased in 2008-2012 compared to 2003-2007 and 1997-2002 (P < 0.001). The predominant language was Spanish, displaced by English in the last 5 years. A total of 88.76% of the key words referred to the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) and had a public health and community orientation related to the Americas. The Burton and Kebler half-life of bibliographic references was 8 years, although it decreased to 5 years in 2012. The Price index was 20.47% and the nucleus of Bradford was made up of 20 mainstream journals. The percentage of self-citation was low (2.07%).


CONCLUSIONS
The RPSP is an international publication with bibliometric indicators similar to those of the most representative Latin American health science journals, with improvements in the recent years studied that lead it to fully meet international publishing criteria.
Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante, España, jsanz@umh.es.
Javier
J
Sanz-Valero
Hospital General Universitario, Alicante, España.
Vicente Tomás
VT
Casterá
Hospital General Universitario, Alicante, España.
Carmina
C
Wanden-Berghe
D000569:Americas; D015706:Bibliometrics; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011634:Public Health; D011643:Publishing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors