Publication rate of exotic companion mammal conference abstracts and influencing factors: 2011–2015

Abstract

Background: Abstracts presented during scientific conferences enable the early dissemination of scientific and evidence-based information. The expected outcome of the data presented in these abstracts is publication in peer-reviewed journals. However, numerous studies evaluated publication rates in human and veterinary medicine, and showed more than half of the abstracts did not reach publication. Methods: Conferences abstracts regarding exotic companion mammals from the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians Conference and the International Conference on Avian Herpetological and Exotic Mammal Medicine of the years 2011 to 2015 were included and searched in scientific databases for peer-reviewed publication. The time course of subsequent full publication and factors affecting publication probability were analyzed. Results: The results showed that 34.3% of abstracts were published in peer-reviewed journals. Several factors were associated with increased publication rate: presence of academic, PhD holder or board-certified authors, and experimental or observational prospective studies. The median time of publication from the date of the conference was 14.6 months. Differences in results between abstract and peer-reviewed publication were rare. Conclusions: This study revealed a low abstract-to-publication ratio in exotic companion mammal medicine, similar to most studies in other veterinary disciplines. Factors associated with higher publication rates did not differ from those identified in other fields, and may help to evaluate to probability of subsequent publication of abstracts. Nonpublication and differences in outcomes between abstracts and publications encourage to take precautions when using data presented during conferences.