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Theses on Healthcare-Associated Infections and Their Publication Conversion Rates
Merve Arslan1, Taliha Karakök2, Fethiye Akgül3
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Dursunbey State Hospital, Balıkesir, Türkiye.
Insights
While many theses on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) exist in Türkiye, less than half are published. Strategies are needed to boost publication rates for these important HAI studies.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a significant global health burden.
- Türkiye has a substantial body of academic research on HAIs, primarily in the form of theses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the distribution and publication rates of theses on HAIs in Türkiye.
- To identify factors influencing thesis publication and propose strategies for improvement.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search of the National Thesis Center (YÖKTEZ) database was conducted for theses on HAIs from 2000-2023.
- Publication status of these theses was determined by searching national and international databases.
- Data on thesis specialty, degree, publication year, and journal indexing were collected.
Main Results:
- 1077 theses on HAIs were identified.
- Only 40.1% of these theses were published in scientific journals.
- Among published works, 41.4% were indexed in SCI, SCI-E, or ESCI.
- No significant difference in publication rates was found across disciplines.
Conclusions:
- A considerable number of HAIs theses in Türkiye are not being published, indicating a gap in knowledge dissemination.
- There is a need to raise awareness and implement targeted strategies to enhance the conversion of theses into peer-reviewed publications.
- Improving publication output will contribute to greater scientific productivity and impact in the field of HAIs research.
Objective:
This study aimed to examine the distribution of theses on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Türkiye, determine the publication rates of these theses in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and identify strategies to increase publication rates.
Materials And Methods:
Theses on HAIs completed between 2000 and 2023 were screened in the YÖKTEZ (National Thesis Center) database. For each thesis, the title, the author's specialty, academic degree, and year of completion were recorded. The included theses were subsequently searched across national and international databases to determine their publication status. For each identified publication, the article title, journal name, year of publication, and indexing status were documented.
Results:
A total of 1077 theses were included in the study. Of these, 34.2% were conducted in Medical Microbiology and 26.1% in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology. Overall, 40.1% (n = 432) of the theses were converted into scientific publications. Among the published studies, 41.4% (n = 179) were indexed in Science Citation Index (SCI), Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E), or Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI). No statistically significant difference in publication rates was observed between disciplines (p = 0.7).
Conclusion:
Although a substantial number of theses on HAIs have been conducted in Türkiye, the rate of conversion into academic publications remains lower than expected. Increasing awareness of this issue and developing solution-oriented strategies may improve scientific productivity and publication output in this field.
Graphic Abstract:
Graphic Abstract.
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