Related Experiment Videos
Impact factor of medical journals: problems in geriatrics
C Mussi1, C Palazzi, R Pasqualini
1University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. cmussi@iol.it
Insights
Geriatric journals show a growing Impact Factor (IF), indicating increased importance. However, key geriatric topics are still mainly published in non-geriatric journals, highlighting a need for greater specialization.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
- Bibliometrics
- Journal Impact Evaluation
Background:
- The Impact Factor (IF) is a common metric for assessing journal quality.
- No prior studies have analyzed the temporal trends of IF in geriatric journals.
- Geriatric medicine is a multidisciplinary field, making comparisons challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Impact Factor (IF) trend of geriatric journals.
- To compare the IF of geriatric journals with internal medicine journals.
- To assess the publication proportion of key geriatric topics in geriatric versus general journals.
Main Methods:
- Literature review to define and critique the Impact Factor (IF).
- Bibliometric analysis of publications on syncope, falls, hip fractures, and delirium.
- Analysis of IF trends in geriatric journals over time.
Main Results:
- Geriatric journals exhibit a low but increasing Impact Factor (IF).
- Key geriatric topics (syncope, falls, hip fractures, delirium) are predominantly published in non-specialized journals.
- The number of publications on these specific geriatric topics has not significantly increased.
Conclusions:
- Comparing IF across disciplines, especially broad fields like geriatrics, is difficult.
- The rising IF of geriatric journals signifies growing importance and may encourage submissions.
- Increased publication in geriatric journals can enhance the specificity of the gerontology discipline.
Abstract:
The Impact Factor (IF) is one of the most reliable methods for evaluating the quality of scientific journals. To date, no one has studied the IF of geriatric journals over time. Our aims were 1) to evaluate the IF trend of geriatric journals in general, and with respect to internal medicine, which is the nearest discipline, and 2) to assess the proportion of papers on common geriatric topics published in geriatric journals, with respect to other general periodicals. The current literature was studied to define what IF is and describe its good points and deficiencies. We then analyzed the situation regarding geriatric journals. A bibliometric analysis addressed the kind of journal interested in important geriatric themes (syncope, falls, hip fractures, delirium). Geriatric journals have a low IF, but their importance has been growing over the years. Despite this, papers regarding geriatric themes are published mainly in non-specific journals, and the number of publications regarding syncope, falls, hip fractures, and delirium has not increased during the period in question. In conclusion, it is difficult to use the IF for comparisons between different disciplines, in particular when the one under consideration (geriatrics and gerontology) is spread over a wide range of medical fields. The increase in IF of geriatric journals over time is the most important result of our analysis; this finding will encourage geriatric scientists to submit their papers to geriatric periodicals and will increase the specificity of the gerontological discipline.