A bibliometric analysis of Covid-19 research in Africa

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21881290
AutoresFatuma Hassan Guleid (0000-0002-8103-8136, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Robinson Oyando (0000-0001-8768-6014, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Evelyn Kabia (0000-0002-3473-3603, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Audrey Mumbi (0000-0002-6967-4068, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Samuel Akech (0000-0001-5126-1225, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Edwine Barasa (0000-0001-5793-7177, Kenya Medical Research Institute, autor correspondente)
Ano2021
Volume6
Fascículo5
Páginase005690
Data de publicação2021-05-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoBMJ Global Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908
EditoraBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bmjgh-2021-005690
PMID33972261
OpenAlexW3137057278
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas10
Referências citadas24

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented global research effort to build a body of knowledge that can inform mitigation strategies. We carried out a bibliometric analysis to describe the COVID-19 research output in Africa in terms of setting, study design, research themes and author affiliation. METHODS: We searched for articles published between 1 December 2019 and 3 January 2021 from various databases including PubMed, African Journals Online, medRxiv, Collabovid, the WHO global research database and Google. All article types and study design were included. RESULTS: A total of 1296 articles were retrieved. 46.6% were primary research articles, 48.6% were editorial-type articles while 4.6% were secondary research articles. 20.3% articles used the entire continent of Africa as their study setting while South Africa (15.4%) was the most common country-focused setting. The most common research topics include 'country preparedness and response' (24.9%) and 'the direct and indirect health impacts of the pandemic' (21.6%). However, only 1.0% of articles focus on therapeutics and vaccines. 90.3% of the articles had at least one African researcher as author, 78.5% had an African researcher as first author, while 63.5% had an African researcher as last author. The University of Cape Town leads with the greatest number of first and last authors. 13% of the articles were published in medRxiv and of the studies that declared funding, the Wellcome Trust was the top funding body. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights Africa's COVID-19 research and the continent's existing capacity to carry out research that addresses local problems. However, more studies focused on vaccines and therapeutics are needed to inform local development. In addition, the uneven distribution of research productivity among African countries emphasises the need for increased investment where needed

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Bibliometrics · Environmental health · Geography · Library science · MEDLINE · Pandemic · Political science · Academic Publishing and Open Access · Computer Science · COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies · Global Health and Surgery · Medicine · Virology