Low-research settings: is there a need for specific attention from funders?

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Bibliometrics
• Health Research Equity

Background:

• Global health research equity is essential for addressing worldwide health challenges.
• Identifying underrepresented countries in medical research is key to informing targeted interventions.
• Existing research landscapes may perpetuate inequalities, necessitating a focus on visibility and representation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify countries with low medical research output using bibliometric analysis.
• To distinguish between low-resource and low-research countries to better understand global research disparities.
• To inform potential funders and collaborators on addressing inequalities in healthcare research.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection database.
• Focus on English-language medical research output to identify less visible countries.
• Analysis considering diverse World Bank income classifications and population sizes.

Main Results:

• Identified specific countries with notably low medical research output.
• Highlighted that low research output is not solely determined by resource availability or country income level.
• Revealed a distinction between low-resource and low-research countries.

Conclusions:

• Addressing global health research equity requires active engagement with less visible countries.
• Potential funders and collaborators should consider the identified disparities when planning interventions.
• The study underscores the need to address potential issues of coloniality in the global healthcare research landscape.