Bibliometric Assessment of European and Sub-Saharan African Research Output on Poverty-Related and Neglected Infectious Diseases from 2003 to 2011.
BACKGROUND
The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is a partnership of European and sub-Saharan African countries that aims to accelerate the development of medical interventions against poverty-related diseases (PRDs). A bibliometric analysis was conducted to 1) measure research output from European and African researchers on PRDs, 2) describe collaboration patterns, and 3) assess the citation impact of clinical research funded by EDCTP.


RESULTS
Disease-specific research publications were identified in Thomson Reuters Web of Science using search terms in titles, abstracts and keywords. Publication data, including citation counts, were extracted for 2003-2011. Analyses including output, share of global papers, normalised citation impact (NCI), and geographical distribution are presented. Data are presented as five-year moving averages. European EDCTP member countries accounted for ~33% of global research output in PRDs and sub-Saharan African countries for ~10% (2007-2011). Both regions contributed more to the global research output in malaria (43.4% and 22.2%, respectively). The overall number of PRD papers from sub-Saharan Africa increased markedly (>47%) since 2003, particularly for HIV/AIDS (102%) and tuberculosis (TB) (81%), and principally involving Southern and East Africa. For 2007-2011, European and sub-Saharan African research collaboration on PRDs was highly cited compared with the world average (NCI in brackets): HIV/AIDS 1.62 (NCI: 1.16), TB 2.11 (NCI: 1.06), malaria 1.81 (NCI: 1.22), and neglected infectious diseases 1.34 (NCI: 0.97). The NCI of EDCTP-funded papers for 2003-2011 was exceptionally high for HIV/AIDS (3.24), TB (4.08) and HIV/TB co-infection (5.10) compared with global research benchmarks (1.14, 1.05 and 1.35, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The volume and citation impact of papers from sub-Saharan Africa has increased since 2003, as has collaborative research between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. >90% of publications from EDCTP-funded research were published in high-impact journals and are highly cited. These findings corroborate the benefit of collaborative research on PRDs.
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), The Hague, The Netherlands.
J Gabrielle
JG
Breugelmans
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), The Hague, The Netherlands.
Michael M
MM
Makanga
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), The Hague, The Netherlands.
Ana Lúcia V
AL
Cardoso
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), The Hague, The Netherlands.
Sophie B
SB
Mathewson
Evidence, Thomson Reuters, Intellectual Property & Science, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Bethan R
BR
Sheridan-Jones
Evidence, Thomson Reuters, Intellectual Property & Science, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Karen A
KA
Gurney
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), The Hague, The Netherlands.
Charles S
CS
Mgone
D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D015706:Bibliometrics; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011203:Poverty; D011643:Publishing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012106:Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*