Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Since the year 2000, a periodic audit has been done to count the number of active members in the Cochrane Review Groups, subdivided by the country in which these people are based.
Objective: To assess international activity within Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) of The Cochrane Collaboration.
Methods: Using Issue 1, 2007 of The Cochrane Library, data were taken from the section headed 'Editorial information' in each CRG's module (repeating what had been done in previous years). Data were extracted by one of the authors (CA), and can be analyzed by role within the CRG, and the country of residence. If a country had not been allocated to a person, he or she was not included. If a person was listed in more than one CRG, he or she was counted each time.
Results: Among the 51 CRGs, 15,740 contributors were identified from 100 countries. This is an increase from 14,925 (97 countries) in 2006; 13,047 contributors (97) in 2005; 11,517 contributors (91) in 2004; 9281 contributors (83) in 2003; 7727 contributors (78) in 2002; and 5436 contributors (64) in 2000. The number of contributors based in countries classified by The World Bank as low, lower-middle, or upper-middle income economies has continued to increase: In 2007 it was 1824 (11.6%) people compared with 1676 (11.2%) in 2006, 1292 (10%) in 2005, 1079 (9.4%) in 2004, 762 (8.2%) in 2003, 552 (7.1%) in 2002, and 307 (5.6%) in 2000. In 2007, 9445 (60%) contributors were listed as authors, compared with 8823 (59%) in 2006, 7543 (58%) in 2005, 6695 (58%) in 2004, 5159 (55%) in 2003, 4250 (55%) in 2002, and 2840 (52%) in 2000.
Conclusions: The activity within CRGs is growing in terms of the number of contributors, and the international nature of the organisation. The relative contribution of different countries is variable, but there is a year on year increase in the number of contributors from low, lower-middle and upper-middle income economy countries. This increase is proportionally greater than for high-income economy countries. The spreadsheet is available at www.cochrane.org. As the contact details of contributors to The Cochrane Collaboration are increasingly stored in 'Archie' (the Collaboration's Contact Database), we expect to use Archie rather than The Cochrane Library for future audits.
Objective: To assess international activity within Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) of The Cochrane Collaboration.
Methods: Using Issue 1, 2007 of The Cochrane Library, data were taken from the section headed 'Editorial information' in each CRG's module (repeating what had been done in previous years). Data were extracted by one of the authors (CA), and can be analyzed by role within the CRG, and the country of residence. If a country had not been allocated to a person, he or she was not included. If a person was listed in more than one CRG, he or she was counted each time.
Results: Among the 51 CRGs, 15,740 contributors were identified from 100 countries. This is an increase from 14,925 (97 countries) in 2006; 13,047 contributors (97) in 2005; 11,517 contributors (91) in 2004; 9281 contributors (83) in 2003; 7727 contributors (78) in 2002; and 5436 contributors (64) in 2000. The number of contributors based in countries classified by The World Bank as low, lower-middle, or upper-middle income economies has continued to increase: In 2007 it was 1824 (11.6%) people compared with 1676 (11.2%) in 2006, 1292 (10%) in 2005, 1079 (9.4%) in 2004, 762 (8.2%) in 2003, 552 (7.1%) in 2002, and 307 (5.6%) in 2000. In 2007, 9445 (60%) contributors were listed as authors, compared with 8823 (59%) in 2006, 7543 (58%) in 2005, 6695 (58%) in 2004, 5159 (55%) in 2003, 4250 (55%) in 2002, and 2840 (52%) in 2000.
Conclusions: The activity within CRGs is growing in terms of the number of contributors, and the international nature of the organisation. The relative contribution of different countries is variable, but there is a year on year increase in the number of contributors from low, lower-middle and upper-middle income economy countries. This increase is proportionally greater than for high-income economy countries. The spreadsheet is available at www.cochrane.org. As the contact details of contributors to The Cochrane Collaboration are increasingly stored in 'Archie' (the Collaboration's Contact Database), we expect to use Archie rather than The Cochrane Library for future audits.