ArticleBMC medical research methodology2009
Arab nations lagging behind other Middle Eastern countries in biomedical research: a comparative study.
Article in BMC medical research methodology, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 65 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
65 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Exploring Translational Medical Research Progress in G20 Countries:Saudi medical journal · 2026Pooled it
- Non-communicable diseases research output in the Eastern Mediterranean region: an overview of systematic reviews.BMC medical research methodology · 2020Pooled it
- Medical and biomedical research productivity in Bahrain: an analysis of gender differences and patterns over two decades.Frontiers in research metrics and analytics · 2026Article
- Determinants of cancer screening intentions among UAE residents: an exploratory model with application of the information-motivation-behavioral skills model.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Research roadblocks: a cross-sectional study on barriers and perceptions among medical students in Sudan.BMC medical education · 2025Observational
- Article
- Analyzing Cardiovascular Disease Research in the Arab Region: A Bibliometric Review From 2012 to 2022.International journal of vascular medicine · 2024Review
- Setting the agenda for diabetes research in the state of Qatar.Public health challenges · 2023Article
- Cancer Research in Vulnerable Populations: A Call for Collaboration and Sustainability From MENAT Countries.JCO global oncology · 2023Article
- A Bibliometric Study of Scientific Literature on Obesity Research in Web of Science Database (2008-2020): Evidence from the MENA Region.Iranian journal of public health · 2023Article
- Cancer research activity in the Arab world: a 15-year bibliometric analysis.The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association · 2022Article
- Productivity of Clinical Trials Conducted in the Gulf Cooperative Council Region.Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2022Article
- Medical Research Conduct and Publication during Higher Education in Syria: Attitudes, Barriers, Practices, and Possible Solutions.Avicenna journal of medicine · 2022Article
- Contribution of Arab Countries to Familial Mediterranean Fever Research: a PubMed-based bibliometric analysis.Rheumatology international · 2022Observational
- Period-prevalence and Publication Rate of Health Research Productivity in Seven Arabian Gulf Countries: Bibliometric Analysis from 1996 to 2018.Oman medical journal · 2021Article
- Article
- Research Publications of the Oman Medical Specialty Board.Oman medical journal · 2021Review
- Health-related articles on Syria before and after the start of armed conflict: a scoping review for The Lancet-American University of Beirut Commission on Syria.Conflict and health · 2020Article
- Systematic review on the quality of randomized controlled trials in Saudi Arabia: Authors' response.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2020Article
- Mapping of climate change research in the Arab world: a bibliometric analysis.Environmental science and pollution research international · 2020Article
5 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAnalysis of biomedical research and publications in a country or group of countries is used to monitor research progress and trends. This study aims to assess the performance of biomedical research in the Arab world during 2001-2005 and to compare it with other Middle Eastern non-Arab countries.
methodsPubMed and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-expanded) were searched systematically for the original biomedical research publications and their citation frequencies of 16 Arab nations and three non-Arab Middle Eastern countries (Iran, Israel and Turkey), all of which are classified as middle or high income countries.
resultsThe 16 Arab countries together have 5775 and 14,374 original research articles listed by PubMed and SCI-expanded, respectively, significantly less (p < 0.001) than the other three Middle Eastern countries (25,643 and 49,110). The Arab countries also scored less when the data were normalized to population, gross domestic product (GDP), and GDP/capita. The publications from the Arab countries also have a significantly lower (p < 0.001) citation frequency.
conclusionThe Arab world is producing fewer biomedical publications of lower quality than other Middle Eastern countries. Studies are needed to clarify the causes and to propose strategies to improve the biomedical research status in Arab countries.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.