Factors Influencing Citation Rates in Medical Literature
Author Information
Author(s): Abhaya V. Kulkarni, Jason W. Busse, Iffat Shams
Primary Institution: Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hypothesis
What characteristics of medical articles are associated with higher citation rates?
Conclusion
Larger trials with group authorship, industry funding, and industry-favoring results in oncology or cardiology are associated with greater citation rates.
Supporting Evidence
- Industry funding and industry-favoring results were associated with an increase in citation rate of 25.7.
- Articles in cardiovascular medicine had 13.3 more citations per year.
- Group authorship was linked to 11.1 more citations annually.
Takeaway
This study found that articles with more authors, industry funding, and positive results get cited more often in medical research.
Methodology
A cohort study analyzing 328 original articles from high-impact medical journals using regression models.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from industry funding influencing study results.
Limitations
Some citations may have been missed, and self-citation was not assessed.
Participant Demographics
Articles published in leading medical journals, primarily from the United States.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.02
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 8.5 to 42.8
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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