title: A 20-year analysis of hand and wrist research productivity in Asia.
abstract: Bibliometric analyses of the hand and wrist research have previously shown a significant increase in research productivity in Asia. We examined the key contributors to this change by performing bibliometric analyses regarding hand and wrist research in all Asian countries producing significant research. Original research articles from 1988 to 2007 were collected from seven English language journals based on the impact factor. Trends in research productivity were determined by country using linear regression analysis. Compared to the rest of the world, Asia produced fewer level I and basic studies, but more level IV studies. Significant increase in both research volume and productivity in Asia was observed, with Japan, Korea, and Taiwan having the highest aggregate productivity in hand and wrist research. From 1988 to 2007, the relative research production among Asian countries showed significant change, in contrary to that of Europe, Latin American, and the United States.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA , Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Gordon H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015706:Bibliometrics; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D055811:Journal Impact Factor; D014953:Wrist