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Low-income countries' orthopaedic information needs: challenges and opportunities
Kathryn Doughty1, Linda Rothman, Luke Johnston
1Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Room S-107, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
|May 1, 2010
Summary
Internet initiatives improve access to scientific articles for surgeons in low-income countries. Open access journals are crucial for delivering vital medical literature to underserved regions and healthcare workers.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Global Health Equity
- Scientific Publishing
Background:
- Access to peer-reviewed scientific articles is crucial for orthopaedic surgeons in low-income countries (LIC).
- Subscription costs for full-text journal articles present a significant barrier for many in LIC.
- Internet-based initiatives aim to overcome these access barriers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of Internet-based initiatives in delivering clinically relevant information to healthcare professionals in LIC.
- To assess if the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) meets the information needs of African surgeons.
- To determine awareness and usage of open access journals among global healthcare workers in relation to the global burden of disease (GBD).
Main Methods:
- Comparison of electronic resource availability between The Ptolemy Project and HINARI.
- Analysis of readership patterns for "PLoS Medicine" across different income regions.
- Correlation of readership data with healthcare worker density and GBD.
Main Results:
- Significant electronic resources utilized via The Ptolemy Project were not accessible through HINARI.
- "PLoS Medicine" readership in Africa demonstrated a strong correlation with local healthcare worker density and GBD.
- Open access journal readership in Africa reflects the region's disease burden and healthcare needs.
Conclusions:
- Free and low-cost Internet-based programs can substantially enhance access to medical literature in LIC.
- Open access journals play a vital role in disseminating essential medical information to regions and professionals with the greatest need.
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