Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: It is difficult to identify the existing journals belonging to a particular area. In Latin America, there are some specific databases (LILACS, SciELO, Latindex) which are very useful but many journals are not indexed and therefore not easy to detect by other means.
Objectives: To identify all biomedical journals published in Spanish, both in Spain and Latin America in order to analyse and describe their main features.
Methods: Biomedical journals that may publish original clinical research papers were selected. One or more people affiliated with the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network assumed the responsibility of identifying the respective national journals included into the specialised databases (Medline, LILACS, SciELO, Latindex), publishers' catalogues or available at libraries. For each journal identified, the following characteristics were collected: name of the journal; ISSN; activity in 2009 (yes / no); period of activity; publisher; databases in which it is indexed; medical specialty. Further criteria were applied at the coordinating centre, in consultation with reviewers, for increasing consistency.
Results: 2145 biomedical journals published in Spanish that met the inclusion criteria in 2009 were identified. After keeping apart Mental Health and Nursing and refining data, the distribution of included journals (948) by country is: Argentina 155, Bolivia 85, Chile 90, Colombia 57, Costa Rica 16, Cuba43, Ecuador 32, El Salvador 6, Spain 253, Guatemala 2, Honduras 3, Mexico 100, Nicaragua 0, Panama4, Paraguay 5, Peru 32, R. Dominicana 7, Uruguay 18, Venezuela 40. Results will be presented by country, specialty, and database and activity period.
Conclusions: Many biomedical journals are publishing clinical studies in Spanish although only a small proportion is indexed in bibliographic databases. A detailed analysis of collected data will permit making useful recommendations. Also, electronic and hand searches will be more efficient and comprehensive for identifying published randomised clinical trials and systematic reviews.
Objectives: To identify all biomedical journals published in Spanish, both in Spain and Latin America in order to analyse and describe their main features.
Methods: Biomedical journals that may publish original clinical research papers were selected. One or more people affiliated with the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network assumed the responsibility of identifying the respective national journals included into the specialised databases (Medline, LILACS, SciELO, Latindex), publishers' catalogues or available at libraries. For each journal identified, the following characteristics were collected: name of the journal; ISSN; activity in 2009 (yes / no); period of activity; publisher; databases in which it is indexed; medical specialty. Further criteria were applied at the coordinating centre, in consultation with reviewers, for increasing consistency.
Results: 2145 biomedical journals published in Spanish that met the inclusion criteria in 2009 were identified. After keeping apart Mental Health and Nursing and refining data, the distribution of included journals (948) by country is: Argentina 155, Bolivia 85, Chile 90, Colombia 57, Costa Rica 16, Cuba43, Ecuador 32, El Salvador 6, Spain 253, Guatemala 2, Honduras 3, Mexico 100, Nicaragua 0, Panama4, Paraguay 5, Peru 32, R. Dominicana 7, Uruguay 18, Venezuela 40. Results will be presented by country, specialty, and database and activity period.
Conclusions: Many biomedical journals are publishing clinical studies in Spanish although only a small proportion is indexed in bibliographic databases. A detailed analysis of collected data will permit making useful recommendations. Also, electronic and hand searches will be more efficient and comprehensive for identifying published randomised clinical trials and systematic reviews.