Scientific letter
Scientific research in family medicine in Latin America: A bibliometric analysis
Investigación científica en medicina familiar en América Latina: un análisis bibliométrico
Juan Pablo Hernández-Ovallea, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Moralesa,b,
, Grupo de Investigación de Residentes de Medicina Familiar 2023 IUVA ◊
Corresponding author
a Program of Family Medicine Specialization, Faculty of Medicine, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas-Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia
b Master of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru
Annex. Members of the IUVA group
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Rodriguez-Morales" "autores" => array:3 [ 0 => array:3 [ "nombre" => "Juan Pablo" "apellidos" => "Hernández-Ovalle" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etiqueta" => "<span class="elsevierStyleSup">a</span>" "identificador" => "aff0005" ] ] ] 1 => array:4 [ "nombre" => "Alfonso J." "apellidos" => "Rodriguez-Morales" "email" => array:1 [ 0 => "alfonso.rodriguez@uam.edu.co" ] "referencia" => array:3 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etiqueta" => "<span class="elsevierStyleSup">a</span>" "identificador" => "aff0005" ] 1 => array:2 [ "etiqueta" => "<span class="elsevierStyleSup">b</span>" "identificador" => "aff0010" ] 2 => array:2 [ "etiqueta" => "<span class="elsevierStyleSup">*</span>" "identificador" => "cor0005" ] ] ] 2 => array:2 [ "colaborador" => "Grupo de Investigación de Residentes de Medicina Familiar 2023 IUVA" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etiqueta" => "<span class="elsevierStyleSup">◊</span>" "identificador" => "fn0005" ] ] ] ] "afiliaciones" => array:2 [ 0 => array:3 [ "entidad" => "Program of Family Medicine Specialization, Faculty of Medicine, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas-Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia" "etiqueta" => "a" "identificador" => "aff0005" ] 1 => array:3 [ "entidad" => "Master of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru" "etiqueta" => "b" "identificador" => "aff0010" ] ] "correspondencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:3 [ "identificador" => "cor0005" "etiqueta" => "⁎" "correspondencia" => "Corresponding author." ] ] ] 1 => array:2 [ "autoresLista" => "" "autores" => array:1 [ 0 => array:1 [ "colaborador" => "Annex. Members of the IUVA group" ] ] ] ] "titulosAlternativos" => array:1 [ "es" => array:1 [ "titulo" => "Investigación científica en medicina familiar en América Latina: un análisis bibliométrico" ] ] "resumenGrafico" => array:2 [ "original" => 0 "multimedia" => array:7 [ "identificador" => "fig0005" "etiqueta" => "Figure 1" "tipo" => "MULTIMEDIAFIGURA" "mostrarFloat" => true "mostrarDisplay" => false "figura" => array:1 [ 0 => array:4 [ "imagen" => "gr1.jpeg" "Alto" => 1478 "Ancho" => 2667 "Tamanyo" => 274049 ] ] "descripcion" => array:1 [ "en" => "<p id="spar0005" class="elsevierStyleSimplePara elsevierViewall">Research trends by year (A), geographical origin (B), institutions (C), and H index (D), on family medicine in Latin America, from 1976 to 2023, at Scopus.</p>" ] ] ] "textoCompleto" => "<span class="elsevierStyleSections"><p id="par0005" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">Family medicine is a rapidly growing discipline in developing regions such as Latin America. With the emergence of new medical–surgical specialities and subspecialties, its value is recognized in disease prevention and management of the health of families, considering as a reference on the multidimensional socio-environment of the patient.<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#bib0035"><span class="elsevierStyleSup">1</span></a> Family medicine today also uses the approach of evidence-based practice that provides the best findings for clinical decisions.<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#bib0040"><span class="elsevierStyleSup">2</span></a> Despite that, there is still a lack of research on family medicine in certain regions, such as Latin America. That is why it is pertinent to investigate the scientific production of this discipline in this region to provide guidelines, recommendations and standards that allow the different medical faculties and care sites at all levels of health to promote or improve the scientific production of the speciality.</p><p id="par0010" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">A bibliometric analysis was done, using available information retrievable in three bibliographical databases to assess the status of family medicine-related literature worldwide. PubMed, Scopus, and SciELO, using the application Publish or Perish® v.8, were examined, using the terms “family medicine” and “Latin America” in the article title as the primary search operators, up to December 31, 2023.</p><p id="par0015" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">Only 319 family medicine articles were indexed in Scopus, 1162 in PubMed, and 2503 in SciELO. The median of articles was 1, 15, and 47, respectively. From 2000 to 2002, there was a significant change in the number of articles (<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#fig0005">Fig. 1</a>), reaching the highest in Scopus in 2022 (30 articles). The top countries with more publications are Mexico, Brazil and Cuba (<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#fig0005">Fig. 1</a>), corresponding to institutions such as the Instituto Mexicano de Seguridad Social, Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de La Habana (Cuba), and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, among others (<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#fig0005">Fig. 1</a>). At Scopus, the <span class="elsevierStyleItalic">H</span>-index of the topic is relatively low, with a value of 16 (<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#fig0005">Fig. 1</a>). The highest-cited article has 100 citations so far,<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#bib0045"><span class="elsevierStyleSup">3</span></a> a study designed to evaluate the validity and applicability of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) used by family medicine residents in primary health care in Brazil.<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#bib0045"><span class="elsevierStyleSup">3</span></a></p><elsevierMultimedia ident="fig0005"></elsevierMultimedia><p id="par0020" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">Scientific research in family medicine is crucial for Latin America due to its direct impact on health equity, quality of care, and policy development; however, as observed, it is still important to promote it as it lacks in the region. Family medicine research helps tailor healthcare to the region's unique demographic, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts, addressing prevalent issues like chronic diseases, infectious diseases, and maternal–child health. Research identifies and addresses disparities in access to care, outcomes, and resources among diverse populations.<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#bib0050"><span class="elsevierStyleSup">4</span></a> It informs strategies to provide equitable, culturally competent care to underserved communities. Research-based guidelines improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies for local health challenges. This enhances primary care quality, reducing hospitalisations and improving patient outcomes. Research supports formulating health policies responsive to the region's needs.<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#bib0055"><span class="elsevierStyleSup">5</span></a> Data-driven insights guide public health interventions, resource allocation, and healthcare system improvements. Research fosters the continuous education of family medicine practitioners, integrating the latest findings into medical training programs, thus preparing physicians to meet emerging health challenges effectively.<a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#bib0060"><span class="elsevierStyleSup">6</span></a></p><p id="par0025" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">In summary, scientific research in family medicine is pivotal for advancing healthcare in Latin America, leading to more effective, equitable, and culturally sensitive health systems.</p><span id="sec0005" class="elsevierStyleSection elsevierViewall"><span class="elsevierStyleSectionTitle" id="sect0005">Ethical considerations</span><p id="par0030" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">Not applicable.</p></span><span id="sec0010" class="elsevierStyleSection elsevierViewall"><span class="elsevierStyleSectionTitle" id="sect0010">Funding</span><p id="par0035" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">None.</p></span><span id="sec0015" class="elsevierStyleSection elsevierViewall"><span class="elsevierStyleSectionTitle" id="sect0015">Conflict of interest</span><p id="par0040" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">None. All authors.</p></span></span>" "textoCompletoSecciones" => array:1 [ "secciones" => array:4 [ 0 => array:2 [ "identificador" => "sec0005" "titulo" => "Ethical considerations" ] 1 => array:2 [ "identificador" => "sec0010" "titulo" => "Funding" ] 2 => array:2 [ "identificador" => "sec0015" "titulo" => "Conflict of interest" ] 3 => array:1 [ "titulo" => "References" ] ] ] "pdfFichero" => "main.pdf" "tienePdf" => true "NotaPie" => array:1 [ 0 => array:3 [ "etiqueta" => "◊" "nota" => "<p class="elsevierStyleNotepara" id="npar0005">Please see a list of the members of the Family Medicine Residents Research Group 2023 IUVA in <a class="elsevierStyleCrossRef" href="#sec0020">Appendix A</a>.</p>" "identificador" => "fn0005" ] ] "apendice" => array:1 [ 0 => array:1 [ "seccion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:4 [ "apendice" => "<p id="par0045" class="elsevierStylePara elsevierViewall">Ivan Camilo Jaramillo-Montoya, Jessica Marcela Hermosa-Sanchez, Juan Felipe López-Marín, Maria Camila Bernal-Chica, Nahun Alejandro Giraldo-Corrales, Omar Jair Mantilla-Moreno, Hector Andres Mosquera-Alba, Sergio Imbachi-Anacona, Luis Daniel Reyes-Espinosa.</p>" "etiqueta" => "Appendix A" "titulo" => "Family Medicine Residents Research Group 2023 IUVA" "identificador" => "sec0020" ] ] ] ] "multimedia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:7 [ "identificador" => "fig0005" "etiqueta" => "Figure 1" "tipo" => "MULTIMEDIAFIGURA" "mostrarFloat" => true "mostrarDisplay" => false "figura" => array:1 [ 0 => array:4 [ "imagen" => "gr1.jpeg" "Alto" => 1478 "Ancho" => 2667 "Tamanyo" => 274049 ] ] "descripcion" => array:1 [ "en" => "<p id="spar0005" class="elsevierStyleSimplePara elsevierViewall">Research trends by year (A), geographical origin (B), institutions (C), and H index (D), on family medicine in Latin America, from 1976 to 2023, at Scopus.</p>" ] ] ] "bibliografia" => array:2 [ "titulo" => "References" "seccion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "identificador" => "bibs0015" "bibliografiaReferencia" => array:6 [ 0 => array:3 [ "identificador" => "bib0035" "etiqueta" => "1" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "contribucion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "titulo" => "The domain of family practice: scope, role, and function" "autores" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etal" => false "autores" => array:2 [ 0 => "W.R. Phillips" 1 => "D.G. Haynes" ] ] ] ] ] "host" => array:1 [ 0 => array:1 [ "Revista" => array:6 [ "tituloSerie" => "Fam Med" "fecha" => "2001" "volumen" => "33" "paginaInicial" => "273" "paginaFinal" => "277" "link" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "url" => "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11322520" "web" => "Medline" ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] 1 => array:3 [ "identificador" => "bib0040" "etiqueta" => "2" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "contribucion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "titulo" => "Elements influencing the election of Family and Community Medicine" "autores" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etal" => false "autores" => array:6 [ 0 => "J.E. McGhie" 1 => "A. Dalmau Roig" 2 => "M. Florensa Puig" 3 => "P. Silva Ruiz" 4 => "G. Oñate Ferriz" 5 => "E.M. Gracia Baño" ] ] ] ] ] "host" => array:1 [ 0 => array:1 [ "Revista" => array:4 [ "tituloSerie" => "Aten Prim" "fecha" => "2021" "volumen" => "53" "paginaInicial" => "102153" ] ] ] ] ] ] 2 => array:3 [ "identificador" => "bib0045" "etiqueta" => "3" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "contribucion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "titulo" => "Validity and applicability of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview administered by family medicine residents in primary health care in Brazil" "autores" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etal" => false "autores" => array:2 [ 0 => "J.M. de Azevedo Marques" 1 => "A.W. Zuardi" ] ] ] ] ] "host" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "doi" => "10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2008.02.001" "Revista" => array:6 [ "tituloSerie" => "Gen Hosp Psychiatry" "fecha" => "2008" "volumen" => "30" "paginaInicial" => "303" "paginaFinal" => "310" "link" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "url" => "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18585532" "web" => "Medline" ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] 3 => array:3 [ "identificador" => "bib0050" "etiqueta" => "4" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "contribucion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "titulo" => "Achieving health equity in the care of patients with heart failure" "autores" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etal" => false "autores" => array:4 [ 0 => "J.L. Lopez" 1 => "G. Duarte" 2 => "C.N. Taylor" 3 => "N.E. Ibrahim" ] ] ] ] ] "host" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "doi" => "10.1007/s11886-023-01994-4" "Revista" => array:6 [ "tituloSerie" => "Curr Cardiol Rep" "fecha" => "2023" "volumen" => "25" "paginaInicial" => "1769" "paginaFinal" => "1781" "link" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "url" => "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37975970" "web" => "Medline" ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] 4 => array:3 [ "identificador" => "bib0055" "etiqueta" => "5" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "contribucion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "titulo" => "Addressing cancer disparities through community engagement: lessons and best practices" "autores" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etal" => true "autores" => array:6 [ 0 => "S. Kale" 1 => "S. Hirani" 2 => "S. Vardhan" 3 => "A. Mishra" 4 => "D.B. Ghode" 5 => "R. Prasad" ] ] ] ] ] "host" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "doi" => "10.7759/cureus.43445" "Revista" => array:5 [ "tituloSerie" => "Cureus" "fecha" => "2023" "volumen" => "15" "paginaInicial" => "e43445" "link" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "url" => "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37711952" "web" => "Medline" ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] 5 => array:3 [ "identificador" => "bib0060" "etiqueta" => "6" "referencia" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "contribucion" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "titulo" => "Health equity, care access and quality in headache – Part 2" "autores" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "etal" => true "autores" => array:6 [ 0 => "B. Raffaelli" 1 => "E. Rubio-Beltrán" 2 => "S.J. Cho" 3 => "R. De Icco" 4 => "A. Labastida-Ramirez" 5 => "D. Onan" ] ] ] ] ] "host" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "doi" => "10.1186/s10194-023-01699-7" "Revista" => array:5 [ "tituloSerie" => "J Headache Pain" "fecha" => "2023" "volumen" => "24" "paginaInicial" => "167" "link" => array:1 [ 0 => array:2 [ "url" => "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38087219" "web" => "Medline" ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] "idiomaDefecto" => "en" "url" => "/02126567/0000005700000001/v10_202410210558/S0212656724002324/v10_202410210558/en/main.assets" "Apartado" => array:4 [ "identificador" => "88762" "tipo" => "SECCION" "en" => array:2 [ "titulo" => "Cartas científicas" "idiomaDefecto" => true ] "idiomaDefecto" => "en" ] "PDF" => "https://static.elsevier.es/multimedia/02126567/0000005700000001/v10_202410210558/S0212656724002324/v10_202410210558/en/main.pdf?idApp=UINPBA00004N&text.app=https://www.elsevier.es/" "EPUB" => "https://multimedia.elsevier.es/PublicationsMultimediaV1/item/epub/S0212656724002324?idApp=UINPBA00004N" ]
| Year/Month | Html | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 November | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2024 October | 47 | 23 | 70 |
| 2024 September | 138 | 65 | 203 |
