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A negative trend of biomedical research in Libya: a bibliometric study

Benamer, Hani T. S. ; Bredan, Amin and Bakoush, Omran LU (2009) In Health Information and Libraries Journal 26(3). p.240-245
Abstract
Background: It is well established that Libya is lagging behind its peers in biomedical research. The aim of this study is to analyse all the original biomedical publications affiliated with Libya from 1973 to 2007. Methods: PubMed and the Science Citation Index Expanded were searched for 'original research' biomedical studies affiliated with Libya. The generated data were hand searched and 329 'original research' studies were included in the analysis. Results: The first study was published in 1973. Publication rate peaked to an average of 15.2 studies per year during 1986-1996 and dropped to an average of 8.8 studies per year during 1997-2007. Of 166 first authors; 41% were Libyans and 59% were expatriates. The latter contributed 104... (More)
Background: It is well established that Libya is lagging behind its peers in biomedical research. The aim of this study is to analyse all the original biomedical publications affiliated with Libya from 1973 to 2007. Methods: PubMed and the Science Citation Index Expanded were searched for 'original research' biomedical studies affiliated with Libya. The generated data were hand searched and 329 'original research' studies were included in the analysis. Results: The first study was published in 1973. Publication rate peaked to an average of 15.2 studies per year during 1986-1996 and dropped to an average of 8.8 studies per year during 1997-2007. Of 166 first authors; 41% were Libyans and 59% were expatriates. The latter contributed 104 studies between 1986 and 1996 and 36 studies between 1997 and 2007, while the Libyans contributed 63 and 61 studies in the two respective periods. Authors affiliated with Benghazi produced 67% of the published studies, while authors from Tripoli produced 30% and other medical schools, hospitals and research centres from other Libyan cities produced only 3%. Conclusion: This study showed a decline in biomedical research publication in Libya. We propose that the lack of a research culture among the Libyan medical professionals is one of the factors contributing to this decline, which coincided with the departure of expatriate doctors from Libya. Raising awareness of the importance of research and improving research skills among Libyan medical professionals may help to reverse the current trend. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Health Information and Libraries Journal
volume
26
issue
3
pages
240 - 245
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000269368900008
  • scopus:69449099646
ISSN
1471-1834
DOI
10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00792.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dd7281f9-1f70-4696-8c4b-121ce88a9832 (old id 1476311)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:57:05
date last changed
2022-02-25 23:40:51
@article{dd7281f9-1f70-4696-8c4b-121ce88a9832,
  abstract     = {{Background: It is well established that Libya is lagging behind its peers in biomedical research. The aim of this study is to analyse all the original biomedical publications affiliated with Libya from 1973 to 2007. Methods: PubMed and the Science Citation Index Expanded were searched for 'original research' biomedical studies affiliated with Libya. The generated data were hand searched and 329 'original research' studies were included in the analysis. Results: The first study was published in 1973. Publication rate peaked to an average of 15.2 studies per year during 1986-1996 and dropped to an average of 8.8 studies per year during 1997-2007. Of 166 first authors; 41% were Libyans and 59% were expatriates. The latter contributed 104 studies between 1986 and 1996 and 36 studies between 1997 and 2007, while the Libyans contributed 63 and 61 studies in the two respective periods. Authors affiliated with Benghazi produced 67% of the published studies, while authors from Tripoli produced 30% and other medical schools, hospitals and research centres from other Libyan cities produced only 3%. Conclusion: This study showed a decline in biomedical research publication in Libya. We propose that the lack of a research culture among the Libyan medical professionals is one of the factors contributing to this decline, which coincided with the departure of expatriate doctors from Libya. Raising awareness of the importance of research and improving research skills among Libyan medical professionals may help to reverse the current trend.}},
  author       = {{Benamer, Hani T. S. and Bredan, Amin and Bakoush, Omran}},
  issn         = {{1471-1834}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{240--245}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Health Information and Libraries Journal}},
  title        = {{A negative trend of biomedical research in Libya: a bibliometric study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00792.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00792.x}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}