Authors
1 Department of Information & Knowledge Science, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
2 Department of Information & Knowledge Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract
Background
The Neonatal period is one of the most dangerous and vulnerable stages of life. The importance of neonates' mortality has led to national and international efforts, notably as research and scientific studies. However, different aspects and patterns of the scientific productivity in the field have not yet been studied. The present study aimed to investigate the scientific production in the field of "Neonates’ health" in Scopus.
Materials and Methods
Using a scientometric method, the present study tries to identify and analyze a sample of 2,842 neonates’-health-related items indexed by Scopus during 1914 to 2014. After some preparation and refinement, the data were analyzed by Excel 2010, using descriptive and analytical statistics including frequency, percentile, and regression models (P <0.01).
Results
The Neonates’ Health field showed to be growing on an exponential basis. Its authorship pattern adheres to Lotka's law in that the number of authors decreases as their publications increase on a power basis. The field is revealed to be globally distributed, within a wide language variation and a wide range of countries. USA is the most prolific country in Neonates’ Health. "The Pediatrics" journal ranks first among the fields’ core journals. Research articles are the dominant document type, implying the field’s research-oriented nature.
Conclusion
The field’s exponential growth model and its adherence to Lotka’s law mark its similarity to established science systems implying it to be establishing and sustaining its research realm. The language and geographical diversity of the Neonates’ Health signifies the world's concerns for research in the field, though at a very low and unbalanced level. Consequently, the Neonates’ Health seems to get progressively developed throughout the world. This promises an improvement in neonatal health and well-being in a not-far future.
Keywords
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