Institution-level collaboration in cardiovascular research in sub-Saharan Africa

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Disease Research
• Health Research Collaboration
• Scientific Knowledge Production

Background:

• Sub-Saharan Africa's contribution to global cardiovascular disease (CVD) knowledge is minimal.
• High prevalence of CVD risk factors in the region presents significant challenges.
• Existing research on inter-institutional collaboration in African cardiovascular research is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map institutional collaboration networks in sub-Saharan African cardiovascular research.
• To identify key collaborating institutions within the region.
• To assess the potential of these networks for enhancing research capacity.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of co-authorship data from cardiovascular research publications.
• Focus on publications between 2005 and 2014.
• Identification of institutional linkages within sub-Saharan Africa.

Main Results:

• Identified key institutions actively engaged in cardiovascular research collaboration within sub-Saharan Africa.
• Revealed patterns of co-authorship indicating specific collaborative networks.
• Highlighted the extent of intra-regional collaboration in cardiovascular research.

Conclusions:

• Collaboration networks exist among institutions in sub-Saharan Africa for cardiovascular research.
• These networks hold potential for fostering research capacity growth in the region.
• Further understanding and strengthening of these collaborations are crucial for addressing the CVD burden.