Contribution of low- and middle-income countries to research published in leading general psychiatry journals, 2002–2004

Abstract

We aimed to describe the contribution of low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries to leading general psychiatric journals. We reviewed original research published over a 3-year period (2002–2004) in the six highest-impact general psychiatry journals and contacted editorial offices to gather data on country of origin of submitted and accepted articles. Only 3.7% of published research emerges from these less affluent countries, which account for over 80% of the global population. Compared with the findings of a similar review of the period 1996–1998, there has been little change. The three European journals had a higher representation than the three American journals. The proportion of psychiatrists in a country was associated with that country’s research output. As much as 50% of the research from LAMI countries is led by authors from high-income countries. The proportion of submissions from LAMI countries was very low, and articles from them were more frequently rejected. Strengthening the research capacity of these countries and reviewing the editorial policies of leading journals can help increase the international representation of LAMI countries in psychiatric research.