Rotavirus - Global research density equalizing mapping and gender analysis.

BACKGROUND: Rotaviruses are the leading reason for dehydration and severe diarrheal disease and in infants and young children worldwide. An increasing number of related publications cause a crucial challenge to determine the relevant scientific output. Therefore, scientometric analyses are helpful to evaluate quantity as well as quality of the worldwide research activities on Rotavirus. Up to now, no in-depth global scientometric analysis relating to Rotavirus publications has been carried out. This study used scientometric tools and the method of density equalizing mapping to visualize the differences of the worldwide research effort referring to Rotavirus. The aim of the study was to compare scientific output geographically and over time by using an in-depth data analysis and New quality and quantity indices in science (NewQIS) tools. Furthermore, a gender analysis was part of the data interpretation.

METHODS: We retrieved all Rotavirus-related articles, which were published on "Rotavirus" during the time period from 1900 to 2013, from the Web of Science by a defined search term. These items were analyzed regarding quantitative and qualitative aspects, and visualized with the help of bibliometric methods and the technique of density equalizing mapping to show the differences of the worldwide research efforts. This work aimed to extend the current NewQIS platform.

RESULTS: The 5906 Rotavirus associated articles were published in 138 countries from 1900 to 2013. The USA authored 2037 articles that equaled 34.5% of all published items followed by Japan with 576 articles and the United Kingdom - as the most productive representative of the European countries - with 495 articles. Furthermore, the USA established the most cooperations with other countries and was found to be in the center of an international collaborative network. We performed a gender analysis of authors per country (threshold was set at a publishing output of more than 100 articles by more than 50 authors whose names could be identified in more than 50% of cases) showed a domination of female scientists in Brazil, while in all other countries, male scientists predominate. Relating the number of publications to the population of a country (Q1) and compared to the GPD (Q2), we found that European and African countries as well as Australia and New Zealand - not the USA - were among the top ranked nations.

CONCLUSION: Regarding rotavirus-related scientific output, the USA was the overall leading nation when qualitative and qualitative aspects were taken into account. In contrast to these classical scientometric variables, indices such as Q1 and Q2 enable comparability between countries with unequal conditions and scientific infrastructures helping to differentiate publishing quality and quantity in a more relevant way. Also, it was deduced that counties with a high rotavirus-associated child mortality, like the Democratic Republic of Congo, should be integrated into the collaborative efforts more intensively.