A quality assessment of clinical research on type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia

Juliann Saquib, Mohamed Saddik Zaghloul, AbdulRahman Mazrou and Nazmus Saquib ()
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Juliann Saquib: Qassim University
Mohamed Saddik Zaghloul: Sulaiman AlRajhi Colleges
AbdulRahman Mazrou: Sulaiman AlRajhi Colleges
Nazmus Saquib: Sulaiman AlRajhi Colleges

Scientometrics, 2018, vol. 116, issue 3, No 31, 2085-2096

Abstract: Abstract Saudi Arabia has one of the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) worldwide. The aim of the current study was to analyze the research productivity in T2DM, specifically to characterize and quantify the research on T2DM. Data were extracted from studies published between 1987 and 2016 and indexed in PubMed. Study eligibility criteria included: (1) had a selected sample within Saudi Arabia, and (2) had T2DM as an outcome, or (3) included patients with T2DM as study participants, or (4) addressed healthcare management (including registries) of T2DM patients. Study characteristics were extracted from each study; examples included authorship (number and gender), journal, publication year, study location, research design, sample size, sample type (general or patient), sample composition (male or female), and sampling strategy (random or non-random). The overall number of publications on T2DM and the use of a hypothesis-testing design (i.e. case–control, cohort, or trial) increased over time. The majority of the studies (67%) used a hypothesis-generating design, with cross-sectional being the most frequently used (65%). Clinical trials constituted less than 5% of all studies (n = 7); among these trials, 29% used random assignment, 71% had two study arms, and 57% had a follow-up time of more than 6 months. The scientific literature from Saudi Arabia on T2DM has improved qualitatively over time, but there are still deficiencies. Future studies on T2DM should aim to run clinical trials more frequently, particularly in the area of prevention, given the high burden of disease in the population.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Saudi Arabia; Research design; Research quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-018-2823-6

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