PGI Chandigarh among the top for COVID-19 research output in South Asia: A study

India: The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi in South Asia were recognized as the most productive organizations in COVID-19 research, a recent bibliometric analysis has found.

The analysis gauged the impact and trajectory of South Asia's COVID-19 research through highly cited papers (HCPs), shedding light on key contributors, influential organizations, and impactful journals.

The study stated that amidst the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, researchers across South Asia have contributed significantly to scientific literature, spearheaded notably by India, followed closely by Pakistan and Bangladesh. The study is scheduled for publication in the July-September issue of Apollo Medicine and is now available online ahead of its print release.

The researchers identified core and significant authors, journals, organizations, subject fields, significant keywords, collaborators, and funding agencies involved in South Asia’s COVID-19 research.

"Our study analyzed highly cited papers on COVID-19 research from South Asia to understand the region's research landscape. It identified the most productive institutions, impactful organizations, collaborating countries, and funding sources, " the study author, Dr. (Prof.) Raju Vaishya, Department of Orthopaedics, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, India, told Medical Dialogues.

"This contributes to the field by offering a deeper understanding of South Asia's strengths and potential areas for further development in COVID-19 research."

He added that "by highlighting highly cited research, this study can guide clinical practice and public health efforts. Doctors and public health officials can reference these HCPs to stay updated on the most impactful findings in areas like treatment strategies, transmission dynamics, or public health interventions."

Highly cited papers wield substantial influence on both research and clinical practice, serving to identify core literature and pivotal advancements within a field. The study aimed to evaluate the current status and prospects of COVID-19 research in South Asia through highly cited papers, utilizing bibliometric indicators.

For this purpose, the researchers analyzed COVID-19 literature from South Asia published between 2019 and 2023. They evaluated the top HCPs, having more than 200 citations. Data about citation counts, authors, affiliations of organizations, year of publication, journal sources, geographical origins, subject areas, article types, funding details, and more were gathered and subjected to analysis. The analysis involved the use of Microsoft Excel and other bibliometric software tools for data visualization and interpretation.

The following were the key findings of the study:

• The 298 South Asia HCPs were published from 2020 to 2023 and were cited 200–3,596 times, with a mean average of 413.9 citations per paper (CPP).

• Around 24.5% and 51.3% of HCPs received external funding support and were involved in international collaboration, respectively.

• The most productive organizations were the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, while the most impactful organizations were Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, Mumbai, and Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute, Mumbai.

• The most productive journals were Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews.

Commenting on the study's significance, Dr. Vaishya said, "The high citation counts of South Asian HCPs indicate their influence on global research. These publications likely shaped global understanding of COVID-19 by contributing valuable data, novel perspectives, or effective methodologies. This, in turn, could have informed global treatment protocols or public health guidelines."

"The study highlights areas for future research. South Asian researchers can focus on building on existing strengths in collaboration and receiving external funding. Policymakers and funding agencies can prioritize research areas with high potential impact, such as those aligned with top-cited publications or addressing regional disease patterns," Dr. Vaishya noted.

Reference:

Gupta, B. M., N. Mamdapur, G. M., Vaish, A., & Vaishya, R. (2024). COVID-19 Research Output from South Asia: A Scientometric Analysis of Highly Cited Papers. Apollo Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/09760016241245854