Trends in publication of general surgical research in New Zealand, 1996-2015

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recent analyses of the surgical literature have suggested a general trend towards increasing numbers of published articles and an improved quality of evidence produced. The aim of this bibliometric analysis was to identify trends in the publication of general surgical research in New Zealand from 1996 to 2015. METHODS: Ovid MEDLINE was searched for general surgical publications by New Zealand authors. Two investigators screened results, and a range of data were collected for included articles. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data and identify significant trends. RESULTS: A total of 601 articles were identified, with a progressive increase in the number of publications from 1996 to 2015. Randomized trials and systematic reviews accounted for 33 and 97 publications, respectively. The median number of authors per paper rose from 3.0 to 5.0 (P < 0.001). There was an exponential increase in the publication of randomized trials (P = 0.001) and systematic reviews (P < 0.001), while publication of basic science articles remained relatively steady (P = 0.22). The median impact factor for published articles increased from 1.5 to 2.6, which was equivalent to organic growth of the journal impact factors over the 20-year period. CONCLUSION: The quality and quantity of surgical research in New Zealand has substantially increased over the past two decades. These results reflect the successful growth of a culture of academic surgery and the ongoing support of partner organizations.