Statistics research design and methodologies used in scientific publications in international journals in pubmed database by staff members of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University from 2007 to 2009

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study research was to study statistics research design and methodologies used in scientifi c publications in international journals in Pubmed database by staff members of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University from 2007 to 2009. Publications in order to be able to get the details of statistics analysis, research design and methodologies and journal impact factors. Data were analyzed and presented as descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentage, mean, standard deviation, median, and range. The results showed that, total publications was 585 articles, from pre-clinical departments 167 articles (28.5% of total articles) and clinical departments 418 articles (71.5% of total articles). The proportion publications per person of pre-clinical departments was 0.42 and clinical departments was 0.46. The most frequent statistical analysis employed in pre-clinical departments were ANOVA and student’s t-test, 29 articles each (15.7% of total pre-clinical articles). The most frequent statistical analysis in clinical departments was chi-square test, 126 articles (15.5% of total clinical articles). Research design and methodologies mostly used in preclinical departments was experimental study, 107 articles (73.8% of total pre-clinical articles) while those in clinical departments was observational (descriptive/report) study, 85 articles (25.9% of total clinical articles). The most frequent journal which published articles from preclinical departments was Parasitology Research 20 articles (11.8% of total pre-clinical articles) while those in clinical departments was Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 77 articles (18.5% of total clinical articles). The journal with highest impact factor published from pre-clinical departments was BLOOD, with the impact factor 10.555 in 2009 while the journal for clinical departments was New England Journal of Medicine the impact factor of 52.589 in 2007. The impact factor between 1.001–5.000 was associated with majority of publication 324 articles (55.4% of total articles) and the highest impact factor means of pre-clinical and clinical departments were 2.592 and 12.374 respectively. The results of this study indicated the diverse statistical analysis including the research design and methodologies which can be used as background information for development of consultancy service.