ArticleBone & joint open2026
Musculoskeletal injury research in sub-Saharan Africa : a ten-year bibliometric analysis of research outputs from Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Article in Bone & joint open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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Authors and funding
49 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Aims: Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries pose a significant health burden across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite this, regional research output is limited, constrained by insufficient infrastructure, limited funding, and underdeveloped research capacity. This bibliometric analysis examined research outputs and collaboration patterns in MSK injury research across three SSA countries, representing a spectrum of income levels: low, lower-middle, and upper-middle income. Methods: MSK injury research articles from Malawi (MLW), South Africa (SA), and Tanzania (TZN), published between January 2014 and April 2024, were identified using Web of Science and Scopus databases, and cross-referenced with ResearchGate. Data were analyzed descriptively in Excel, and institutional coauthorship and collaboration networks were mapped using VOSviewer. Results: A total of 329 articles were published across MLW (n = 98), SA (n = 141), and TZN (n = 90) between January 2014 and April 2024. We report a steady increase in the number of publications from 2014, with a research focus on fracture management, outcomes, and lower limb injuries. Most of the research was published in partnership with high-income countries (HICs) (SA: 51%, MLW: 98%, TZN: 87%), with high-income country (HIC) institutions dominating first and last authorship in MLW (68% and 61%) and TZN (59% and 69%) publications. Most studies were descriptive and based on secondary records. Institutional networks showed strong regional collaboration in SA, international focus in MLW, and limited connectivity in TZN. Conclusion: MSK injury research is increasing across MLW, SA, and TZN, but remains largely HIC-led and descriptive, particularly in lower-income countries. Strengthening local leadership, regional collaboration, and research capacity is essential for more sustainable and context-specific evidence generation.
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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.