Publications as an Indicator of Increased Tobacco Control Research Productivity (Quantity and Quality) in New Zealand

[Eugene Garfield]

Publications as an Indicator of Increased Tobacco Control Research 
Productivity (Quantity and Quality) in New Zealand

Author(s): Kira, A (Kira, Anette); Glover, M (Glover, Marewa); Bullen, C (Bullen, 
Chris); Viehbeck, S (Viehbeck, Sarah)
Source: NICOTINE & TOBACCO RESEARCH  Volume: 13  Issue: 6  Pages: 474-
478  DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntr029  Published: JUN 2011  

Abstract: Introduction: Tobacco control (TC) research capacity and 
productivity are critical for developing evidence-informed interventions that will 
reduce the harmful effects of smoking. The aim of this paper was to investigate 
New Zealand's (NZ) TC research capacity along with the quantity and quality 
of publications, following two government initiatives aimed, in part, at improving 
the quantity and quality of NZ TC research. 
Method: Scopus was searched for articles with at least one NZ author and 
where the topic was of primary relevance to TC. Publications were organized 
into two time periods, following the government initiatives, 1993-2003 and 
2004-2009. We analyzed the number of publications, publication journals, type 
of publications, impact (using the impact factor), and authorship. 
Results: There has been an increase in number and impact of publications and 
number of authors. The number of publications has increased from an average 
of 14 (1994-2003) to 38 per year (2004-2009). The number of journals 
published increased from 64 to 86. The impact during 2004-2009 was almost 
three fold than in 1993-2003. The number of authors increased from 212 to 
345, and the number of authors who had at least one first-authored publication 
increased from 80 to 124. 
Conclusions: These results show an encouraging trend in NZ TC research, with 
an increase in research productivity, quality, and in research capacity. It is 
possible that government-initiated and -funded infrastructural support 
contributed to increasing needed TC research, which supports the worth of 
such initiatives.

Language: English
Document Type: Article
KeyWords Plus: BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS; BUILDING CAPACITY; SCIENCE; 
POLICY
Addresses: [Kira, A; Glover, M] Univ Auckland, Sch Populat Hlth, Ctr Tobacco 
Control Res, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
[Bullen, C] Univ Auckland, Sch Populat Hlth, Clin Trials Res Unit, Auckland 1142, 
New Zealand
[Viehbeck, S] Univ Waterloo, Dept Hlth Studies & Gerontol, Waterloo, ON N2L 
3G1, Canada
Reprint Address: Kira, A (reprint author), Univ Auckland, Sch Populat Hlth, Ctr 
Tobacco Control Res, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

E-mail Address: a.kira at auckland.ac.nz
ISSN: 1462-2203
URL: http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/13/6/474.full