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Abstract
BackgroundPopulation health (PH) research capacity and performance are essential pillars of evidence-based practice to help address health inequalities. Best evidence is provided by systematic reviews (SRs). None of the published bibliometric analysis specifically assess the production of SRs on PH in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The aim of our study is to investigate publication patterns and time trends of SRs reporting PH in the MENA region to evaluate the state of PH research performance in the region.MethodThe study protocol was developed a priori (protocol registration number: CRD42017076736). PubMed was searched. Two independent reviewers screened 5747 identified articles. We investigated author affiliation and collaboration, yearly citations of the SRs and journal information. Joinpoint regression was used to explore these characteristics overtime.ResultsOur meta-research included 387 SRs published between 2008 and 2016 which reported data on PH in 20 MENA countries. Publication of SRs increased over time in journals with impact factor < 4 and in the categories of yearly number of citations < 50 (p values ≤ 0.0024). Authors belonging to the region published increasingly (p value = 0.0001) over time. Thirty percent of the SRs were from authors solely from the region, while an additional 30% were from the region collaborating with Western country authors. Of these collaborative reviews, 79% were led by authors from the region. However, collaboration in the region (with the exclusion of collaboration with Western country authors) was rare (0.8%). These authors from the region published more in open-access journals while authors from Western countries collaborating or not with authors from the region published more in hybrid or non-open-access journals (p value < 0.0001). Collaboration between authors from MENA and Western countries led to published SRs in journals with impact factor ≥ 10. Systematic reviews with global coverage were published more by authors from Western countries, while SRs with country-level coverage were published by authors from the region (p value < 0.0001).ConclusionThe incremental trend of PH SR publications on MENA likely reflects the ongoing improvement in research performance in the region. Authors from the region appear to be taking a lead role in conducting and disseminating MENA PH research. Open-access journals are a major contributor in facilitating MENA research dissemination.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO registration number CRD42017076736
Highlights
Population health (PH) research capacity and performance are essential pillars of evidence-based practice to help address health inequalities
Thirty percent of the Systematic review (SR) were from authors solely from the region, while an additional 30% were from the region collaborating with Western country authors
The incremental trend of PH SR publications on Middle East and North Africa (MENA) likely reflects the ongoing improvement in research performance in the region
Summary
The capability of a country to generate detailed knowledge and understanding of its health challenges is essential for developing and implementing preventative strategies to address health problems through evidencebased decision-making [2]. This is typically undertaken through published primary studies and thereafter critically synthesized in SRs. Researchers, policymakers, and clinicians should be informed with the best evidence available pertaining to their country’s population health (PH) in order to identify context-appropriate solutions. The aim of our study is to investigate publication patterns and time trends of SRs reporting on PH topics in the MENA region to evaluate the state of PH research performance in the region. The objectives of our study are to (1) assess publication patterns and time trends of SRs on PH in MENA, (2) evaluate collaboration in published SRs, (3) identify common topics explored in PH research pertaining to MENA, and (4) explore the role of journals’ access policies in research dissemination from MENA
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