Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Since 2000, a periodic audit has been done of members of Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs), subdivided by country of residence.
Objectives: To assess international activity within CRGs.
Methods: Data were retrieved in February 2012 for all active contributors to CRGs whose contact details were in The Cochrane Collaboration’s Contact Database (Archie). One author (CA) analyzed the data by role within the CRG and country of residence, counting each person once only. This repeated the procedure used in 2011, but in previous years individuals were counted repeatedly each time they appeared in the audit. This makes comparisons to absolute numbers in 2000–2010 difficult, hence the following focus on percentages.
Results: Among 53 CRGs, there were 26 794 individual contributors from 120 countries compared to 24 228 contributors from 118 countries in 2011 (an 11% increase). Of these, 22 557 (84%) contributors were listed as authors, the same proportion as in 2011 but higher than in the years before 2011 (usually around 75%), and much higher than in the early years (e.g. 52% in 2000). There are 5166 contributors in countries with low- and middle-income economies, compared to 4618 (12% increase) in 2011; representing 19% of all contributors (compared to 6% in 2000). Of these 5166 people, 4943 were listed as authors (95%).
Conclusions: The international diversity of people involved in the work of The Cochrane Collaboration continues to grow; almost 27 000 individuals are contributing to the work of its CRGs, usually through direct involvement in the preparation and maintenance of Cochrane Reviews, ensuring the continuing success of the Collaboration as the world’s largest producer of systematic reviews in health care. The growth in the contribution of people from low- and middle-income countries has been sustained. The poster will contain additional analyses and the data will be available at www.cochrane.org.
Objectives: To assess international activity within CRGs.
Methods: Data were retrieved in February 2012 for all active contributors to CRGs whose contact details were in The Cochrane Collaboration’s Contact Database (Archie). One author (CA) analyzed the data by role within the CRG and country of residence, counting each person once only. This repeated the procedure used in 2011, but in previous years individuals were counted repeatedly each time they appeared in the audit. This makes comparisons to absolute numbers in 2000–2010 difficult, hence the following focus on percentages.
Results: Among 53 CRGs, there were 26 794 individual contributors from 120 countries compared to 24 228 contributors from 118 countries in 2011 (an 11% increase). Of these, 22 557 (84%) contributors were listed as authors, the same proportion as in 2011 but higher than in the years before 2011 (usually around 75%), and much higher than in the early years (e.g. 52% in 2000). There are 5166 contributors in countries with low- and middle-income economies, compared to 4618 (12% increase) in 2011; representing 19% of all contributors (compared to 6% in 2000). Of these 5166 people, 4943 were listed as authors (95%).
Conclusions: The international diversity of people involved in the work of The Cochrane Collaboration continues to grow; almost 27 000 individuals are contributing to the work of its CRGs, usually through direct involvement in the preparation and maintenance of Cochrane Reviews, ensuring the continuing success of the Collaboration as the world’s largest producer of systematic reviews in health care. The growth in the contribution of people from low- and middle-income countries has been sustained. The poster will contain additional analyses and the data will be available at www.cochrane.org.