title: Collaboration in research and the influential factors in Golestan University of Medical Sciences research projects (2005-2007): an academic sample from Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Number of Iranian articles published in ISI journals has increased significantly in recent years.Despite the quantitative progress, studies performed in Iran represent low collaboration in research; therefore,we decided to evaluate collaboration in Golestan University of Medical Sciences (GOUMS) research projects.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, all GOUMS research projects that had got grants from the universitybetween 2005-2007 were studied. Among 107 research projects included in our study, 102 projects were evaluatedand checklists were completed. The researcher's questionnaire was sent to the principle investigators (n=46) of the projects and eventually 40 questionnaires were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The review of 102 research proposals shows that 10 projects (9.8%) have been performed in collaborationwith other organizations. Scientific outputs in these projects have been more than projects which wereconfined to the university (98% compare to 68%; p= 0.04). The total cost of the projects under study was a littlemore than 300,000 US$. In just 12 projects (11.8%) a part of the cost had been provided by organizations outsidethe university. About 50% of researchers declared that they had chosen their research topic based on their"personal interest". Only 1 project was performed by the demand of nongovernmental organizations and 12 researchersreported no collaboration in their activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that collaboration in GOUMS research projects is low. Moreover, collaborationswith governmental and nongovernmental organizations are trivial. The scientific outputs in collaborativeresearch projects are much more than other projects.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. aborghei@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghei
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran & Department of Epidemiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. qorbani@goums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qorbani
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate of Health Economy, Hospital Management Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. rezapoor_a57@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezapour
authors.affiliation: Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Knowledge Utilization Research Centre (KURC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. rezamajd@sina.tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Majdzadeh
authors.affiliation: Associated professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Knowledge Utilization Research Centre (KURC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. nejatsan@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Saharnaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nedjat
authors.affiliation: Instructor of Paramedical School, Qom University of Medical Science, Qom, Iran. asayeshpsy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asayesh
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor of Health Education, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran. mansourian55@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mansourian
authors.affiliation: PhD Student of Epidemiology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mnoroozei@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noroozi
authors.affiliation: Instructor, Omolbanin Nursing Faculty, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fereydoon
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jahahgir
keywords: Collaboration; Knowledge transfer; Research