Using the H-Index to Measure the Impact of Human Diseases
Author Information
Author(s): K. Marie McIntyre, Iain Hawkes, Agnès Waret-Szkuta, Serge Morand, Matthew Baylis
Primary Institution: University of Liverpool
Hypothesis
Can the H-index serve as an objective measure for assessing the impact of pathogens on human health?
Conclusion
The study found that scientific interest, as measured by the H-index, reflects the true impact of pathogens.
Supporting Evidence
- Emerging pathogens had higher H-indices than non-emerging pathogens.
- Zoonotic pathogens tended to have higher H-indices than human-only pathogens.
- There was a significant correlation between DALY estimates and H-index scores.
Takeaway
This study shows that the H-index can help us understand which diseases are most important by looking at how much scientists are studying them.
Methodology
The study analyzed H-index scores for 1,414 human pathogens and compared them with Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) estimates.
Potential Biases
Results may be biased due to trends in research interest and the quality of publications.
Limitations
The H-index may under-represent newly emerging pathogens and is influenced by publication biases.
Participant Demographics
The study included a diverse range of pathogens affecting humans.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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