Bibliographic characteristics of the research output of pediatric anesthesiologists in Canada

Abstract

Purpose: Various bibliometric citation indices have been used to evaluate research productivity and scientific impact, but recently, Hirsch's h-index has gained widespread recognition. Although described initially for physical sciences, h-indices are being used to assess research productivity and impact in other disciplines. Methods: In this descriptive study, Scopus™ and Web of Science® citation databases were used to identify the bibliographic characteristics of pediatric anesthesiologists from all university affiliated departments of pediatric anesthesia in Canada up to May 2009. For each anesthesiologist, the h-index, mean citations per publication, total number of publications, total number of citations, and year of first publication were determined. Results: A study population of 151 pediatric anesthesiologists was identified. The range of h-index values for this cohort was 0-32 with a median (interquartile range) of 2 (1-5). The 90th percentile was 8.0. The median (interquartile range) number of citations per publication was 6 (1-15), with a range of 0-87. The median (interquartile range) number of publications was 4 (1-9) with a range of 0-165. Conclusions: We describe the bibliographic characteristics of the research output of pediatric anesthesiologists in Canada. This study highlights the growing influence of scientometrics on the evaluation of scientific performance in medical specialties. © 2010 Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.