Trends in otolaryngology publications: a 9-year bibliometric analysis of articles published in Journal of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery

This bibliometric study aims to characterize the trends of authorship and institutional contributions within the Canadian Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Our findings indicate changes in authorship contributions with increased MD senior author representation. Thematic content analysis revealed increase in review literature in comparison to original research articles. Lastly, there is a significant increase in international participation highlighting the expansion of the journal within the global research landscape.

Trends in first and senior author designations

Our findings demonstrate a significant decrease in MD first authors over the 9-year period with an increase in current medical students as first authors. OHNS residency has historically been competitive, with the 2021 Canadian Resident Matching Service data placing it as the top competitive specialty with a supply demand ratio of 0.49 in the first match iteration [10]. Furthermore, a 2020 study analyzing factors affecting Canadian medical students’ success in the residency match identified that there is a prevailing belief among students that enhancing one’s curriculum vitae with research productivity will increase the likelihood of a successful match [11]. It also demonstrated that the number of research activities for those pursuing a competitive discipline was higher than those for less competitive disciplines [11]. Additionally, US studies indicate that productive research experience appear to be a strong predictor of a successful match in OHNS [12].

In terms of senior authorship, there was a significant increase in authors with MD over the 9-year period with subsequent decrease in non-MD author representation. This may suggest that clinical researchers are increasingly generating high quality work for publication. Furthermore, as the number of publications held is often a significant factor for securing research funding and career advancement, medical professionals may be increasingly motivated to attain senior authorship in scientific journals to enhance professional growth. Non-MD authors may be selecting different journals that align more specifically with their research focus, or may face barriers when submitting to this journal. Previous studies have shown that basic science presentations at annual meetings did not necessarily have a greater publication rate compared to clinical work [13].

Trends by article category

With respect to article categories, we note a significant decrease in education articles published in the journal over the 9 years examined. High quality education research serves to enhance clinical practices and careers of current trainees and surgical educators. A 2016 bibliometric analysis identified that publications in OHNS education increased rapidly from 2000 to 2015 with education articles being published more frequently in higher-impact OHNS journals [14]. Furthermore, OHNS education research can also be published in education-focused (non-OHNS) journals with high impact factors. It may be that these education articles are being increasingly published in different or dedicated journals. Funding allocations for medical education research may also play a role in impacting research quantity and quality. Future work should emphasize the importance of quality education research with regard to training the next generation of OHNS surgeons in a time of increasing complexity of surgical techniques and technologies.

Head and Neck Surgery was another area in which publications significantly decreased over time. The approach to head and neck oncology is complex with multidisciplinary experts involved in the care of patients [15]. Despite the rapid advancements in the field, there is a pressing need for clinical and translational research to advance treatment outcomes [16]. Currently, there is a shift towards understanding the cancer biology at a molecular level to identify biomarkers and individualize therapy [17]. However, some of the caveats of translational research include the resource and time required for basic science research and the associated challenges of transforming the findings into clinical trials [18]. Currently, a fifth of surgical trials in general are abandoned and less than half published [19]. The length of time along with the high attrition rate could potentially reflect the decrease in head and neck research within the journal. However, there also might be a shift in preference for other journals with higher impact factors, or the shift may be more relative, due to an increase in high-quality research in other subspecialties decreasing the relative proportion of head and neck surgery focused work.

Furthermore, there is a significant increase in pediatric OHNS articles published in the journal. Our findings are consistent with a recent Canadian review which showed a greater absolute number of pediatric OHNS articles published over 20 years [20]. Another Canadian study demonstrated that Pediatric OHNS was heavily represented among program directors, and may be partially explained by differences in remuneration. As academic pediatric otolaryngologists are more commonly remunerated through an alternate funding plan [21], this may increase time allocated to research. As such, alternate funding plan may provide benefits to otolaryngologists who are interested in a combination of clinical, research and administrative duties.

Trends by article type

When analyzing the article type, our findings indicate a significant increase in systematic and scoping reviews and a significant decrease in original research. Systematic and scoping reviews are of high clinical importance as they amalgamate existing studies to provide recommendations to clinicians [22, 23]. A systematic analysis of research availability within OHNS in 2010 identified that systematic reviews make up only 2% of publications [24]. In communication with the journal’s editorial office, the impact factor of the journal has been relatively consistently increasing over the last 9 years, from 1.020 in 2014 to the journal’s most recent 2-year impact factor of 4.856 [25]. This highlights the acceptance of higher quality scientific submissions with correspondingly higher citation and reach.

Even though original research decreased significantly, it still represents the highest absolute proportion of article type in the journal over the 9-year period. Wasserman et al. identified 75% of clinical research in their review of articles in 2006 amongst 4 major OHNS journals [26]. In comparison, our findings indicate a higher baseline and recent proportions. Clinical original studies are of vital importance for evidence-based practice. Therefore, researchers and clinicians should be encouraged to publish clinical evidence to increase the quality and quantity of original research.

Trends in Canadian-international collaborations

Our findings indicate a significant decrease in Canadian-International collaborations with Canadian authors spearheading the publications as first or senior authors. The benefits of international research collaborations include access to additional resources, expertise, new perspectives and increased networking with others in the field [27]. On the other hand, some of the challenges of international collaborations include cultural factors (e.g., language and cultural norms), structural factors (e.g., leadership and recognition and reward systems) and professional factors (e.g., methodological preferences, work styles and past experiences) [28].

Despite the challenges, there is an increase in demand for international collaborations within the Canadian OHNS community. University of Toronto OHNS faculty’s recent strategic plan identified partnership and collaboration as one of the top five pillars with goals of promoting national and international partnerships [29]. Our findings indicate an opportunity for improved international collaborations. Clinicians spearheading research projects should be encouraged to include international collaborators to enrich research outcomes. Furthermore, the constraints of COVID-19 on international collaborations might influence our findings as well. Further research is required to track the evolution of international partnerships within the Canadian OHNS landscape.

Trends in international publications

Our findings indicate a significant increase in both first and senior international author representation within the journal. Notably, there is a higher representation from China and United States. These findings are very encouraging as they suggest a shift from a Canadian-focused journal to one that is gaining attention in the international OHNS stage. The journal offers article processing charge (APC) waivers to papers whose corresponding authors are based in countries classified by the World Bank as low-income economies [25]. Additionally, researchers affiliated with BioMed Central’s member institutions are eligible to receive discounts on APCs in addition to funding and support services. By minimizing the financial barriers to publications, the journal provides a promising venue for researchers from developing nations. Furthermore, the journal is able to provide users with a global understanding of the current research within OHNS. Attracting high-quality international research can also help bolster the journal’s impact factor and growth. International authors may be more inclined to publish in a reputable North American journal due to financial incentives, personal credibility, career promotion and institutional credibility [30]. Furthermore, increased international publications promotes diversity within the journal and advances research visibility for users.

Limitations

Our study is subject to a number of limitations that must be considered in the interpretation of the data. Due to the nature of information obtained, we were unable to confirm the accuracy or validity of the data collected. Finally, we also acknowledge that Canadian authors have the option of publishing with many journals nationally and internationally. Our data is limited to one journal which may affect the generalizability of the overall Canadian OHNS publication outcomes.

留言 (0)

沒有登入
gif