Iranian research output in pediatrics: 1975-2007

Area of Science:

• Pediatric research
• Bibliometric analysis
• Iranian medical publications

Background:

• Bibliometric studies map scientific fields to aid research funding decisions.
• This study analyzes Iranian pediatrics articles published in PubMed-indexed journals from 1975 to 2007.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of Iranian pediatric research.
• To identify trends and characteristics of Iranian pediatric publications.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of all pediatric articles from Iran in PubMed-indexed journals (1975-2007).
• Data collected included publication date, journal impact factor, author collaboration, study population, research design, and specialty.
• Analysis of 819 published articles.

Main Results:

• A sharp increase in publications was observed after 2002.
• International collaboration was present in 13.7% of papers.
• Infectious diseases, public health, and metabolic diseases were the most frequent research areas.
• Original articles constituted 89.7%, with cross-sectional designs being most common (51.2%).

Conclusions:

• Iranian contribution to pediatric science has sharply increased since 2002.
• This growth aligns with trends in other research fields.
• Findings can inform research policy and funding in pediatrics.