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Ethics code: IR.IUMS.REC.1402.732
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Library and Information Sciences, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Abstract: (11 Views)
Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak led to an unprecedented surge in scientific output, yet its link to national health indicators remains unclear. This study examined the relationship between bibliometric indicators of COVID-19 scientific output and mortality in 15 Middle Eastern countries using Web of Science data.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study used a scientometric approach. Publication data for 15 Middle Eastern countries (2019–2023) were drawn from Web of Science, mortality statistics from WHO, and economic indicators from the World Bank. Data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated in RStudio (significance level 0.05) Results: Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia produced the highest volume of articles. The highest mean citations per article were recorded in Israel and Lebanon. Publication volume was not correlated with mortality; however, a significant positive correlation between citations and mortality was observed in Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, and Yemen (ρ ≥ 0.935). Scientific output was positively correlated with GDP in Israel (ρ = 0.985), Saudi Arabia (ρ = 0.950), the UAE, Iran, and Turkey (all ρ = 0.800), and with R&D expenditure in Israel (ρ = 0.984), the UAE (ρ = 0.532), and Turkey (ρ = 0.614). Qualitative indicators showed no association with economic indicators. Conclusion: The quantitative growth of scientific articles was not associated with a reduction in COVID-19 mortality. Economic capacity and research and development expenditure enhanced the quantity of publications but did not improve their quality. Consequently, revising research priorities and targeting resource allocation towards knowledge translation is essential.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study used a scientometric approach. Publication data for 15 Middle Eastern countries (2019–2023) were drawn from Web of Science, mortality statistics from WHO, and economic indicators from the World Bank. Data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated in RStudio (significance level 0.05) Results: Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia produced the highest volume of articles. The highest mean citations per article were recorded in Israel and Lebanon. Publication volume was not correlated with mortality; however, a significant positive correlation between citations and mortality was observed in Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, and Yemen (ρ ≥ 0.935). Scientific output was positively correlated with GDP in Israel (ρ = 0.985), Saudi Arabia (ρ = 0.950), the UAE, Iran, and Turkey (all ρ = 0.800), and with R&D expenditure in Israel (ρ = 0.984), the UAE (ρ = 0.532), and Turkey (ρ = 0.614). Qualitative indicators showed no association with economic indicators. Conclusion: The quantitative growth of scientific articles was not associated with a reduction in COVID-19 mortality. Economic capacity and research and development expenditure enhanced the quantity of publications but did not improve their quality. Consequently, revising research priorities and targeting resource allocation towards knowledge translation is essential.
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