Research reported in the AJA: Who does it and where do they do it?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology research
• Academic publishing
• Health services research

Background:

• Understanding authorship trends is crucial for academic publishing.
• The Australian Journal of Ageing (AJA) publishes research relevant to older adults.
• Author demographics and research settings can influence scientific output.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze author positions and disciplinary backgrounds in the AJA.
• To examine the research settings of published studies.
• To identify patterns in authorship and research practices.

Main Methods:

• A review of 82 papers published between March 2016 and June 2018.
• Analysis of 373 authors' academic positions and affiliations.
• Categorization of research based on methods (surveys, database analyses) and settings (hospitals, aged care).

Main Results:

• Distinct authorship clusters emerged for different research types and settings.
• Two-thirds of authors held academic positions.
• Hospital-based practitioners were more likely to have academic affiliations than those in aged care.

Conclusions:

• Editorial policies are key to maintaining publication standards.
• Publication partners can enhance recognition for diverse professional roles.
• Opportunities exist to broaden the scope of published research, particularly in nursing and social sciences.