Factors associated with the publication of scholarly articles by pharmacists

Factors associated with the publication of scholarly articles by pharmacists were evaluated.

A Web-based survey was distributed to all pharmacists who published at least one scholarly article in selected pharmacy and medical journals in 2008. All scholarly works published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, Annals of Pharmacotherapy, and Pharmacotherapy during the study period were categorized by study design using a predetermined algorithm. A secondary group of pharmacists who published in at least 1 of 10 selected medical journals during the study period was also evaluated to identify any differences between those who published in pharmacy versus medical journals.

The final number of usable responses was 254, for an adjusted response rate of 72.9%. Factors identified as the most helpful for facilitating publication efforts included time allotment, mentorship, and collaborative efforts. "Lack of time" was reported as the most important barrier to publication. The majority of respondents (73%, n = 182) published their first article during a training program (academic program, residency, or fellowship). Of the 468 scholarly works published in the selected pharmacy journals during the study period, review articles were most common (38.7%, n = 177).

The most influential factors on the publication efforts by pharmacists were time allotment, collaboration between pharmacy colleagues and within multidisciplinary teams, and training in research methods and scientific writing. Introduction to the publication process during training programs appeared to influence future propensity toward scholarly participation. Review and descriptive articles were the most frequently published types of articles in the pharmacy literature.