title: HIV research productivity and structural factors associated with HIV research output in European Union countries: a bibliometric analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess HIV/AIDS research productivity in the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), and the structural level factors associated with levels of HIV/AIDS research productivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A bibliometric analysis was conducted with systematic search methods used to locate HIV/AIDS research publications (period of 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2011; search databases: MEDLINE (Ovid, PubMed), EMBASE, ISI-Thomson Web of Science; no language restrictions). The publication rate (number of HIV/AIDS research publications per million population in 10 years) and the rate of articles published in HIV/AIDS journals and selected journals with moderate to very high (IF ≥3) 5-year impact factors were used as markers for HIV research productivity. A negative binomial regression model was fitted to assess the impact of structural level factors (sociodemographic, health, HIV prevalence and research/development indicators) associated with the variation in HIV research productivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total numbers of HIV/AIDS research publications in 2002-2011 by country ranged from 7 to 9128 (median 319). The median publication rate (per million population in 10 years) was 45 (range 5-150) for all publications. Across all countries, 16% of the HIV/AIDS research was published in HIV/AIDS journals and 7% in selected journals with IF ≥3. Indicators describing economic (gross domestic product), demographic (size of the population) and epidemiological (HIV prevalence) conditions as well as overall scientific activity (total research output) in a country were positively associated with HIV research productivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV research productivity varies noticeably across EU countries, and this variation is associated with recognisable structural factors.
authors: Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Uusküla
authors: Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Toompere
authors: Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
authors: K T
authors: KT
authors: Laisaar
authors: Centre of Continuing Medical Education, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Rosenthal
authors: Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Pürjer
authors: Department of Drug Research and Evaluation, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Knellwolf
authors: Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Läärä
authors: The Baron Edmond de Rothschild Chemical Dependency Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors: D C
authors: DC
authors: Des Jarlais
mesh_terms: D015706:Bibliometrics; D035843:Biomedical Research; D005062:European Union; D059066:Gross Domestic Product; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D011643:Publishing; D012106:Research
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; STATISTICS & RESEARCH METHODS
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