SAGE Open (Sep 2021)

Breast Cancer Research in Pakistan: A Bibliometric Analysis

  • Shakil Ahmad,
  • Shafiq Ur Rehman,
  • Abid Iqbal,
  • Rai Khalid Farooq,
  • Arslan Shahid,
  • Muhammad Ikram Ullah

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211046934
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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This study aimed to capture a clear picture of breast cancer research in Pakistan. It used bibliometric methods to investigate the status of breast cancer research in Pakistan. The data for this study were retrieved from the Web of Science database on 11-02-2021. Bibliometric parameters (publication and citation count, average citations per publication, h-index, impact factor, and journal quartile) for the purpose of evaluating authors/journals/organizations/countries were examined. It was found that till the filing of this bibliometric report, 1,605 research publications on breast cancer have been published by 7,774 authors, with averages of 0.206 documents per author, 4.84 authors per document, and 18.25 citations per documents. More than 72% of these publications were published between 2015 and 2020. Several local and international institutions were involved in funding these research publications. Furthermore, these publications have been cited 29,297 times, with an average of 18.25 citations per publication. On average, five authors have prepared a research study. International collaborations have been made with 88 countries around the world for this research. These results are encouraging but not in line with the rapid growth of breast cancer cases in Pakistan. There is a need for further attention and revisiting of the policy at the national level.