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Pelicioni PHS, Michell A, Santos PCRD, Schulz JS. Facilitating Access to Current, Evidence-Based Health Information for Non-English Speakers. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:1932. [PMID: 37444766 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11131932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Scientific communication is crucial for the development of societies and the advancement of knowledge. However, many countries, and, consequently, their researchers, clinicians and community members, lack access to this information due to the information being disseminated in English rather than their native language. In this viewpoint, we aim to discuss the impacts of this problem and also outline recommendations for facilitating non-English speakers' access to current, evidence-based health information, thus extending the impact of science beyond academia. First, the authors discuss the barriers to accessing scientific health information for non-English speakers and highlight the negative impact of imposing English as a predominant language in academia. Next, the authors discuss the impacts of reduced access to clinical information for non-English speakers and how this reduced access impacts clinicians, clients, and health systems. Finally, the authors provide recommendations for enhancing access to scientific communication worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Henrique Silva Pelicioni
- School of Health Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick 2031, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Randwick 2031, Australia
| | - Antonio Michell
- The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Newtown 2042, Australia
| | | | - Jennifer Sarah Schulz
- The Faculty of Law and Justice, University of New South Wales, Randwick 2031, Australia
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick 2031, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 0627, New Zealand
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El Bcheraoui C, Mimche H, Miangotar Y, Krish VS, Ziegeweid F, Krohn KJ, Ekat MH, Nansseu JR, Dimbuene ZT, Olsen HE, Tine RCK, Odell CM, Troeger CE, Kassebaum NJ, Farag T, Hay SI, Mokdad AH. Burden of disease in francophone Africa, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH 2020; 8:e341-e351. [PMID: 32087171 PMCID: PMC7034333 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(20)30024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background Peer-reviewed literature on health is almost exclusively published in English, limiting the uptake of research for decision making in francophone African countries. We used results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 to assess the burden of disease in francophone Africa and inform health professionals and their partners in the region. Methods We assessed the burden of disease in the 21 francophone African countries and compared the results with those for their non-francophone counterparts in three economic communities: the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic Community of Central African States, and the Southern African Development Community. GBD 2017 employed a variety of statistical models to determine the number of deaths from each cause, through the Cause of Death Ensemble model algorithm, using CoDCorrect to ensure that the number of deaths per cause did not exceed the total number of estimated deaths. After producing estimates for the number of deaths from each of the 282 fatal outcomes included in the GBD 2017 list of causes, the years of life lost (YLLs) due to premature death were calculated. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were estimated as the product of prevalence and a disability weight for all mutually exclusive sequelae. Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were calculated as the sum of YLLs and YLDs. All calculations are presented with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). A sample of 1000 draws was taken from the posterior distribution of each estimation step; aggregation of uncertainty across age, sex, and location was done on each draw, assuming independence of uncertainty. The lower and upper UIs represent the ordinal 25th and 975th draws of each quantity and attempt to describe modelling as well as sampling error. Findings In 2017, 779 deaths (95% UI 750–809) per 100 000 population occurred in francophone Africa, a decrease of 45·3% since 1990. Malaria, lower respiratory infections, neonatal disorders, diarrhoeal diseases, and tuberculosis were the top five Level 3 causes of death. These five causes were found among the six leading causes of death in most francophone countries. In 2017, francophone Africa experienced 53 570 DALYs (50 164–57 361) per 100 000 population, distributed between 43 708 YLLs (41 673–45 742) and 9862 YLDs (7331–12 749) per 100 000 population. In 2017, YLLs constituted the majority of DALYs in the 21 countries of francophone Africa. Age-specific and cause-specific mortality and population ageing were responsible for most of the reductions in disease burden, whereas population growth was responsible for most of the increases. Interpretation Francophone Africa still carries a high burden of communicable and neonatal diseases, probably due to the weakness of health-care systems and services, as evidenced by the almost complete attribution of DALYs to YLLs. To cope with this burden of disease, francophone Africa should define its priorities and invest more resources in health-system strengthening and in the quality and quantity of health-care services, especially in rural and remote areas. The region could also be prioritised in terms of technical and financial assistance focused on achieving these goals, as much as on demographic investments including education and family planning. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel El Bcheraoui
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Evidence-Based Public Health, Centre for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Honoré Mimche
- Institut de Formation et de Recherche Démographiques, Université de Yaoundé II, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Yodé Miangotar
- Faculté des Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Université de N'Djaména, N'Djaména, Chad
| | - Varsha Sarah Krish
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Faye Ziegeweid
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kris J Krohn
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Martin Herbas Ekat
- National AIDS Control Program, Ministry of Health and Population, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Jobert Richie Nansseu
- Department for the Control of Disease, Epidemics and Pandemics, Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Department of Public Heath, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Zacharie Tsala Dimbuene
- Department of Population Sciences and Development, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Microdata Access Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Roger C K Tine
- Service de Parasitologie, Faculté de Médecine, de Pharmacie et d'Odontologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Christopher M Odell
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christopher E Troeger
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Kassebaum
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tamer Farag
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Simon I Hay
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ali H Mokdad
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Michel-Schuldt M, McFadden A, Renfrew M, Homer C. The provision of midwife-led care in low-and middle-income countries: An integrative review. Midwifery 2020; 84:102659. [DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2020.102659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Nussbaumer-Streit B, Klerings I, Dobrescu AI, Persad E, Stevens A, Garritty C, Kamel C, Affengruber L, King VJ, Gartlehner G. Excluding non-English publications from evidence-syntheses did not change conclusions: a meta-epidemiological study. J Clin Epidemiol 2019; 118:42-54. [PMID: 31698064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2019.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to assess whether limiting the inclusion criteria solely to English-language publications affected the overall conclusions of evidence syntheses. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING Our analyses used a dataset of a previous methods study that included 59 randomly selected Cochrane intervention reviews with no language restrictions. First, we ascertained the publication language of all 2,026 included publications. Next, we excluded studies based on the following criteria: (1) publication solely in non-English language, or (2) main publication (in case of multiple publications of the same study) in non-English language. We then re-calculated meta-analyses for outcomes that were presented in the main summary of findings tables of the Cochrane reports. If the direction of the effect estimate or the statistical significance changed, authors of the respective Cochrane reviews were consulted to assess whether the new evidence base would have changed their conclusions. The primary outcome of our analyses examined the proportion of conclusions that would change with the exclusion of non-English publications. We set the threshold for the approach as noninferior if the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of the proportion of changed conclusions did not cross a margin of 10%. RESULTS Across all 59 Cochrane reviews, 29 (49%) included 80 non-English publications. For 16 (27%) of these Cochrane reviews, the exclusion of non-English publications resulted in the exclusion of at least one study. In the remaining 13 Cochrane reviews, the non-English publications were not the only or main publication of the study or they did not contribute to the main summary of the findings table, so their exclusion did not result in an exclusion of the study. Overall, the exclusion of non-English publications led to the exclusion of 31 studies contributing to 40 outcomes. For 38 of the 40 outcomes, the exclusion of non-English studies did not markedly alter the size or direction of effect estimates or statistical significance. In two outcomes, the statistical significance changed, but authors would have still drawn the same conclusion, albeit with less certainty. Thus, the proportion of changed conclusions in our sample was 0.0% (95% CI 0.0-0.6), which indicated the noninferiority of the approach. However, the majority of excluded studies were small. CONCLUSION Exclusion of non-English publications from systematic reviews on clinical interventions had a minimal effect on overall conclusions and could be a viable methodological shortcut, especially for rapid reviews.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Nussbaumer-Streit
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems a.d. Donau, Austria.
| | - I Klerings
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems a.d. Donau, Austria
| | - A I Dobrescu
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems a.d. Donau, Austria
| | - E Persad
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems a.d. Donau, Austria
| | - A Stevens
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - C Garritty
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - C Kamel
- HTA and Rapid Response, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), Ottawa, Canada
| | - L Affengruber
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems a.d. Donau, Austria; Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, The Netherlands
| | - V J King
- The Center for Evidence-based Policy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - G Gartlehner
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems a.d. Donau, Austria; RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Biglu MH, Ghavami M, Biglu S. Cardiovascular diseases in the mirror of science. J Cardiovasc Thorac Res 2016; 8:158-163. [PMID: 28210471 PMCID: PMC5304098 DOI: 10.15171/jcvtr.2016.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Heart disease or cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a kind of illness that involve heart and/or blood vessels of people throughout the world. The major aim of current study was to show the trend of global scientific activities in the field of CVD during a period of 10 years through 2001-2010. Methods: A scientometrics analysis was carried out to show the world wide activities towards scientific production in the field of CVD during a period of 10 years. Science Citation Index- Expanded (SCI-E) was used to extract all documents indexed as a topic of CVD throughout 2001- 2010. Results: Analysis of data showed that the number of publications in the field of cardiovascular has increased steadily. The number of publication indexed in SCI-E in 2010 was three times greater than in 2001. It reached from 5080 documents in 2001 into 15,584 documents in 2010. English consisting 95% of total publication was the most dominant language of publications. Based on Bradford scatterings law the journal of Circulation was the most prolific journal among core journals. The USA sharing 29.5% of world's profiles in the field was the most productive country Harvard University was the most productive Institution followed by Brigham Women's Hospital. Conclusion: The vast majority of scientific publication in the field of CVD was produced by authors from North America and Western Europe. The results of study concluded that research activities in the field of CVD have become an interesting subject area of scientists during years 2001-2010.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad-Hossein Biglu
- Basic Sciences Department, Paramedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mostafa Ghavami
- Radiology Department, Paramedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sahar Biglu
- Asien-Afrika-Institute, Hamburg University, Hamburg, Germany
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Forsman AK, Ventus DBJ, van der Feltz-Cornelis CM, Wahlbeck K. Public mental health research in Europe: a systematic mapping for the ROAMER project. Eur J Public Health 2014; 24:955-60. [PMID: 25428662 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cku055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As part of the ROAMER (ROAdmap for MEntal health Research in Europe) project, aiming to create an integrated European roadmap for mental health research, we set out to map the hitherto unmapped territory of public mental health research in Europe. METHODS Five electronic databases (CINAHL, Health Management, Medline, PsycINFO, Social Services Abstracts) were used for identifying public mental health research articles published between January 2007 and April 2012. The number of publications for each European country in five research domains (i.e. mental health epidemiology, mental health promotion, mental disorder prevention, mental health policy and mental health services) was analysed by population size and gross domestic product (GDP), and mean impact factors were compared. RESULTS In all, 8143 unique publications were identified. Epidemiology research dominates public mental health research, while promotion, prevention and policy research are scarce. Mental health promotion is the fastest growing research area. Research targeting older adults is under-represented. Publications per capita were highest in northwestern Europe, and similar trends were found also when adjusting the number of publications by GDP per capita. The most widely cited research origins from Italy, Switzerland, the UK, the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Greece and France. CONCLUSION In Europe, public mental health research is currently a matter of the affluent northern and western European countries, and major efforts will be needed to promote public mental health research in south and east Europe. In spite of a smaller public mental health research output, some Mediterranean countries produce highly cited public mental health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Forsman
- 1 Nordic School of Public Health NHV, Gothenburg, Sweden 2 National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Mental Health Promotion Unit, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Daniel B J Ventus
- 2 National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Mental Health Promotion Unit, Vaasa, Finland 3 Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Christina M van der Feltz-Cornelis
- 4 Tranzo Department, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands 5 Clinical Center for Body, Mind and Health, Tilburg, the Netherlands 6 Trimbos Instituut Board, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Huffman MD, Baldridge A, Bloomfield GS, Colantonio LD, Prabhakaran P, Ajay VS, Suh S, Lewison G, Prabhakaran D. Global cardiovascular research output, citations, and collaborations: a time-trend, bibliometric analysis (1999-2008). PLoS One 2013; 8:e83440. [PMID: 24391769 PMCID: PMC3877050 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Health research is one mechanism to improve population-level health and should generally match the health needs of populations. However, there have been limited data to assess the trends in national-level cardiovascular research output, even as cardiovascular disease [CVD] has become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a time trends analysis of cardiovascular research publications (1999-2008) downloaded from Web of Knowledge using a iteratively-tested cardiovascular bibliometric filter with >90% precision and recall. We evaluated cardiovascular research publications, five-year running actual citation indices [ACIs], and degree of international collaboration measured through the ratio of the fractional count of addresses from one country against all addresses for each publication. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Global cardiovascular publication volume increased from 40 661 publications in 1999 to 55 284 publications in 2008, which represents a 36% increase. The proportion of cardiovascular publications from high-income, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] countries declined from 93% to 84% of the total share over the study period. High-income, OECD countries generally had higher fractional counts, which suggest less international collaboration, than lower income countries from 1999-2008. There was an inverse relationship between cardiovascular publications and age-standardized CVD morbidity and mortality rates, but a direct, curvilinear relationship between cardiovascular publications and Human Development Index from 1999-2008. CONCLUSIONS Cardiovascular health research output has increased substantially in the past decade, with a greater share of citations being published from low- and middle-income countries. However, low- and middle-income countries with the higher burdens of cardiovascular disease continue to have lower research output than high-income countries, and thus require targeted research investments to improve cardiovascular health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D. Huffman
- Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, India
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Abigail Baldridge
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Gerald S. Bloomfield
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lisandro D. Colantonio
- University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Public Health, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | | | | | - Sarah Suh
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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Epstein RJ, Epstein SD. Modernising the regulation of medical migration: moving from national monopolies to international markets. BMC Med Ethics 2012; 13:26. [PMID: 23039098 PMCID: PMC3563447 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-13-26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional top-down national regulation of internationally mobile doctors and nurses is fast being rendered obsolete by the speed of globalisation and digitisation. Here we propose a bottom-up system in which responsibility for hiring and accrediting overseas staff begins to be shared by medical employers, managers, and insurers. DISCUSSION In this model, professional Boards would retain authority for disciplinary proceedings in response to local complaints, but would lose their present power of veto over foreign practitioners recruited by employers who have independently evaluated and approved such candidates' ability. Evaluations of this kind could be facilitated by globally accessible National Registers of professional work and conduct. A decentralised system of this kind could also dispense with time-consuming national oversight of continuing professional education and license revalidation, which tasks could be replaced over time by tighter institutional audit supported by stronger powers to terminate underperforming employees. SUMMARY Market forces based on the reputation (and, hence, financial and political viability) of employers and institutions could continue to ensure patient safety in the future, while at the same time improving both national system efficiency and international professional mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Epstein
- Conjoint Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, St Vincent's Hospital, Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, 2010, Australia
| | - Stephen D Epstein
- Senior Counsel, Nigel Bowen Chambers, Phillip St, Sydney, 2000, Australia
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Abstract
As part of a cluster of articles leading up to the 2012 World Health Report and critically reflecting on the theme of “no health without research," Martin McKee and colleagues examine the question of what to do to build capacity in the many countries around the world where health research is virtually non-existent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin McKee
- European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Chun-Hai Fung
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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Fung ICH. Seek, and ye shall find: accessing the global epidemiological literature in different languages. Emerg Themes Epidemiol 2008; 5:21. [PMID: 18826609 PMCID: PMC2570666 DOI: 10.1186/1742-7622-5-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2008] [Accepted: 09/30/2008] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The thematic series 'Beyond English: Accessing the global epidemiological literature' in Emerging Themes in Epidemiology highlights the wealth of epidemiological and public health literature in the major languages of the world, and the bibliographic databases through which they can be searched and accessed. This editorial suggests that all systematic reviews in epidemiology and public health should include literature published in the major languages of the world and that the use of regional and non-English bibliographic databases should become routine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac C H Fung
- Department of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK.
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