Abstract
The rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) constitutes a significant health and socio-economic challenge for the countries in the region. This study examines the patterns and scientific impact of international collaboration in cardiovascular research (CVR) in SSA. Bibliographic data from 2005 to 2014 were obtained from the Web of Science for cardiovascular-related publications with at least one author affiliated to an SSA country. The number of publications involving multiple SSA countries over this period accounted for less than 10% of the total number of multicountry publications that included at least one SSA country. Collaboration patterns reflected dominance by countries in Europe and North America, with South Africa accounting for the bulk of scientific collaboration in CVR within SSA. The findings indicate that pro-active strategies are needed to strengthen collaboration in CVR across SSA for the region to derive health and socio-economic benefits from locally conducted research.
Highlights
The rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease in subSaharan Africa (SSA) constitutes a significant health and socio-economic challenge for the countries in the region
This study examines the patterns and scientific impact of international collaboration in cardiovascular research (CVR) in SSA
The number of publications involving multiple SSA countries over the 10-year period accounted for less than 10% of the total number of multicountry publications that included at least one SSA country
Summary
The rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease in subSaharan Africa (SSA) constitutes a significant health and socio-economic challenge for the countries in the region. The increasing burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in sub-Saharan Africa has been reported in recent studies on the global burden of disease.[1] The epidemiological transition in the region from a predominantly infectious disease burden to one that includes a high prevalence of non-communicable conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, poses significant challenges, for the economies and health systems of the countries, and for the local health research sector, which often lacks the capacity to drive knowledge advancement and innovation leading to positive health impacts.[2]. The evidence from such studies would be valuable in developing strategies to advance knowledge in cardiovascular disease prevention and care in the region
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