[Research in primary care: 1994-2003]

[Thematic analysis of Primary Care journals indexed in Journal Citation Reports: 2015-2019]

OBJECTIVE

Analyze the thematic lines of the articles and reviews published between 2015 and 2019 in the journals indexed in the "Primary Health Care" category of the Journal Citation Reports.

METHODS

Observational bibliometric study. The bibliographic records of the Web of Science were identified and the frequencies of appearance of the thematic descriptors and their co-occurrence in the documents included in the study were analyzed. In addition to the global analysis, the reviews, the most cited documents, those published in 2015, and those published in 2019 were analyzed separately. Descriptors were classified by thematic clusters using the Current Canadian Index scale and clinical publications were analyzed using the second edition of the International Classification of Primary Care.

RESULTS

A total of 16,444 descriptors were identified in the 7,453 documents analyzed. The most frequent descriptors focus on: diagnosis, prevalence, management, risks, care practice and the figure of the health professional. In the most cited documents, terms with specific themes were used: depression, intervention, satisfaction, quality, therapy, research-based practice. In 2019, there were a greater number of publications focused on epidemiology, clinic, research and provision of services. From a clinical point of view, studies on psychological and mental health problems, nervous system, social problems, palliative care and cancer increased in 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

The analysis carried out identifies the relevant thematic lines in primary care journals, highlighting the diagnosis and prevalence of diseases, the management of pathologies and their associated risks, as well as clinical practice and the figure of the health professional.

[Bibliometric map of research done in primary care in Spain during the period 2008-2012]

OBJECTIVE

To describe the Spanish scientific production of primary care during 2008-2012.

DESIGN

Observational study bibliometric.

SETTING

Spanish scientific production in primary care.

PARTICIPANTS

The study focused on publications indexed in Medline.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

In each record was obtained journal, year of publication, first/last author, workplace and autonomous community. Later, articles were classified according to their content or areas of research. The impact factor was obtained from the basis of bibliometric analysis Journal Citation Reports.

RESULTS

Using search criteria, were selected 1,048 documents. The transiency rate was 62.6%. Production increased from 170 papers in 2008 to 291 in 2012. Most (65.7%) came from health centers, but we observed a significant increase (P=.01) of the articles from units or research institutes (5.9% in 2008, 12.0% in 2012). Of the total, 61.6% were classified as «clinical aspects», 22.5% were published in the journal Atención Primaria, 80.5% in journals with impact factor and 33.49% in foreign journals, being higher this proportion (P<.001) in units or research institutes (70.5% vs. 29.8%). In relation to population (articles/100.000 inhab.), the most productive communities were Cataluña (4.1), Castilla-La Mancha (3.6), Aragón (3.4) and Navarra (3.4).

CONCLUSIONS

In primary care publications there is great diversity in both research areas such as in journals where published. Most are from health centers, treat clinical aspects and published in Spanish journals. Differences in the volume of scientific production between regions are observed.