Contribution of Jimma University to Provide Scientific Morankar S. et al 157

BRIEF COMMUNICATION

CONTRIBUTION OF JIMMA UNIVERSITY TO PROVIDE SCINTIFIC INFORMATION AND RESEARCH CULTURE IN

Morankar Sudhakar N., MSc, PhD, HCMTC, PGDP, Deshpande Ragini V., MSc, MPhil,

ABSTRACT

Background: Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences is published by Jimma University since July 1990 to provide scientific and technological information on health and related fields for informed planning and decision-making and to enable researchers share their scientific work, observations and experiences. This study does the content analysis of EJHS regarding its contribution publishing the type of articles, discipline of the study, cultural area (urban/rural), and region of the study, research conducted by (University/college), topics of research and other variables. Methods: Broad categories as variable of each article of all the volumes available in Jimma University were entered in the software SPSS 11.0. Interpretation was based on the simple frequency analysis. Results: A total 209 articles in 15 volumes until January 2005 were analyzed. The journal is regularly published in January and July every year (87%). Emphasis was on original articles (70%) published an average by 2 authors holding Bachelor (55%) and Master (35%) degree. Medical sciences were the dominating discipline publishing 50% articles followed by social and behavioral sciences (22%). Majority research was conducted in urban (82%) by Jimma (82%) university in Oromiya (76%) region. Major topics studied were on communicable diseases (22%), environmental health (11%), demography/family planning (10%), nutrition (9%), pharmacy & drug testing (8%) using quantitative methods (86%). Conclusion: Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences served its primary purpose providing scientific and technological information regularly. Research community needs to conduct research in rural areas with emphasis on social and behavioral sciences using qualitative methods.

KEY WORDS: Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, Content analysis, Jimma University.

*Jimma University P.O.Box 378 Jimma,Ethiopia Phone 047-1112736 Fax 047-111450 Email: [email protected] [email protected]

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INTRODUCTION University for last 15 years. The analysis considers three major parts of each article The print journal builds a collective as: I. Administrative content of the article knowledge base, communicating (study type, number of authors, information, validating the quality of research/study conducted at, first author’s research and building scientific institution/department/faculty, location of communities. Some authors see a scientific institution, first author’s degree), II. Study journal as an entity with its own profile, area- geographic coverage (cultural area – consisting of a combination of focus, rural, urban - of the study, region of study community of readers and contributors and area), III. Scientific content of the article traditions, including articles in a traditional (type of article, type of discipline, subjects format (1). Scientific validity is the most studied, broad topic of the study, broad important part of the journal, which subjects (areas) of the study, method of contributes to the knowledge generation or study, recommendations given). This validating the current theories (2). African- analysis shows how far the journal has published journals are considered important covered the health research needs of to academic work, both in teaching and Ethiopian context. Such reviews provide a research. The reasons given were that window on current trends and research in journals published in Africa are contextual the field of studies of discipline of the and the results presented and discussed are journal. In it, scholars, educators, and relevant to the African environment and policymakers can find pertinent conditions. However, African Journals are information about the discipline (4). This being given importance only by 19% and review will help: (a) scholars engage in the 18% of the kind of dialogue and debate that will shape academic staff and students in the the field of health studies in the future; (b) University of (UGL) and at graduate and undergraduate students University of (UNZA) as "They understand the major issues in health need to be more regular"; “Their coverage studies and identify promising of subject matter is insufficient"; "Some of opportunities for research; and (c) the quality of research is below standard"; educators keep up with new ideas and "Some are not very well edited". These research. opinions were reflected in the EJHS is a publication of the research improvements that were suggested (3). The and publications office of Jimma need for better-researched articles was University (JU). The first issue of the cited by 16% of those at (UGL) and 35% of journal was published as Bulletin of Jimma those at UNZA, whilst the need for better Institute of Health Sciences (JIHS) Vol.1, refereeing (2, 3) and editorial control was No.1, in July 1990. Bulletin received included by 13% of those at UGL and 39% International Standard Serial Number of those at UNZA (3). (ISSN) 1025-9732 in the year January Internet search has not reflected on 1996. When the journal was launched the any such studies conducted in Ethiopia on need was felt that a very few trained any of the Ethiopian journal. This inspired medical and public health professional the authors to do content analysis of the remained in didactic atmosphere and journal titled “Ethiopian Journal of Health majority were working in Government and Sciences (EJHS)” which is being other organizations. Research undertaking uninterruptedly published by the Jimma was lacking to a large extent. The reasons Contribution of Jimma University to Provide Scientific Morankar S. et al 159 were: there was no research infrastructure 2. To contribute to the scientific knowledge built within the health system; no efficient and practices in medicine, public health flow or exchange of scientific information and related fields by providing a formal among professionals, working in isolation, means for researchers to share their the lack of understanding by many that scientific research works, observations and research is a problem solving tool, the low experiences. level of research capability and so on. Thus Two members of editorial board were the aim of JIHS Bulletin was to meet the replaced and one post of associate editor in professional needs of its readers and the chief was created and post of publication objectives were (5): manager was renamed as business manager 1. To encourage, stimulate and promote but currently this position is abolished. research among members of the academic However, editorial consultants remained community the same. New ISSN 1029-1857 number 2. To provide scientific and technological was received to EJHS from July 1998. information for the faculty and staff The articles published are on original 3. To provide formal means for members to research findings, observations, review share observations, experiences and ideas articles, case reports and book reviews. All 4. To serve as a link for researchers active the manuscripts are sent to at least two in medicine, public health and related fields experts in the field for review. The 5. To introduce the various aspects of the guidelines for the submission of Jimma Institute of Health Sciences to a manuscripts are in accordance with the academic and other organizations “Uniform requirements for Manuscripts 6. To nurture “academic culture” among submitted to Biomedical Journals” professional instructional staff at the published in New England Journal of Institute Medicine; 1997: 336: 309 -15 (6, 7). After 7 years of publication as In consistent with the original policy bulletin of JIHS the name was changed to of the publication of Bulletin the EJHS is Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences. Last published twice a year in January and July. issue of bulletin was Vol.7, No.2 in July Initially the bulletin had limited but 1997 and first issue of Ethiopian Journal of structured information for contributors. In Health Sciences was Vol. 8, No.1 in Bulletin abstract was allowed up to 200 January 1998. In these issues there is no words and was not structured. But in explanation for the change from Bulletin of journal editorial board accepted “Uniform Jimma Institute of Health Sciences to Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences Biomedical Journals” published in N. Eng except mentioning on the cover page of J. Med, 1997; 336, 309-15. Then abstract Vol. 8, No.1, 1998 as formerly Bulletin of has became 250 words. In bulletin there Jimma Institute of Health Sciences. was no word limits mentioned for original, However, significant changes on page iii of review articles and brief communication. Vol. 8, No.1 are that the original 6 However, it was limited to 3000 words for objectives mentioned in bulletin are being original article, 5000 words for review quizzed in 2 objectives as: articles and 1500 words for brief 1. To provide current scientific and communication and case reports as uniform technological information on health and manuscript policy. There is no consistent related fields for informed planning and policy of writing editorials since beginning decision-making. of the bulletin. Editorials are written as and when the editorial board felt. 160 Ethiop. J Health Sci. Vol. 16, No. 2 July 2006

MATERIALS AND METHODS Study area - geographic coverage (cultural area – rural, urban - of the study, Content of the article was categorized in region of study area), and major variables. Major variables were Scientific content of the article (type of volume number, issue number, year of article, type of discipline, subjects studied, publication, month of the issue, type of broad topic of the study, broad subjects issue, type of article, discipline of the (areas) of the study, method of study, study, cultural area of the study, region of recommendations given) the study area, study type (base of study), number of authors, research (study) RESULTS conducted by, place of institute, first author’s degree, first author’s institute/ In 15 volumes of the journal, total 209 department/faculty, subjects studied (study articles were published (Table – 1). An conducted on), broad topic of the study, average 8.7 articles were published in each broad subjects of the study, method of issue. More than half (53%) of the articles study and recommendations spelt out by were published in issue number one and 44 the study. These variables were created in percent in issue number two and remaining the SPSS11.0, a computer based statistical 3 percent were published in special issue. package, and all the articles published since The journal has been published regularly as inception, July 1990, till January 2005 in decided in January (42% articles) and in 15 volumes were entered. Simple July (44% articles). Only few issues of frequency tables of each variable were bulletin (14% articles) were published in interpreted with valid percentages. other months and there after all the EJHS Analysis purpose the data is organized in volumes were published in the months of major topics as: July and January every year. About one Administrative content of the article third (34%) articles were published in (study type, number of authors, bulletin and 63 percent in EJHS and 3 research/study conducted at, first author’s percent in special issues. institution/department/faculty, location of institution, first author’s degree)

Table 1. Details of the journal Particulars Number % Articles (N=209) Year of publication of 1st issue as bulletin July, 1990 - Year of change in name as Ethiopian Journal of Health January 1998 - Sciences Number of volumes analyzed 15 - Total of number of articles analyzed 209 - Total articles published the months of January Issue 87 41.6 July Issue 92 44.0 Articles published in Bulletin 72 34.4 EJHS 131 62.7 Special issue 6 2.9

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Administrative content of the article Number of Authors: There were an Study type: Jimma hospital is the main average 1.92 authors per article ranging hospital in Oromiya region and serves from 1 to 6. About half of the articles people in the radius of 500 km. People (48.3%) were single authored (Table - 2) visiting hospital have provided a unique and only 7.7 percent articles had a large opportunity to the researchers to collect team ranging form 4 to 6 authors. This their information from patients or relatives shows that the team members in the study in the hospital premises hence one third of have been given authorship as per their the articles were hospital based and one contribution. fifth were laboratory based. Despite the Research/Study conducted at: As Jimma University’s flagship approach as Ethiopian higher education system is still community based service and research developing and only universities has the since its inception researchers were not capacity to conduct research and most of attracted to conduct research in rural areas the studies (90.4%) were conducted by to collect the information (Table - 2). For university departments (90.4%) and very 15% articles the data were collected within few articles were conducted by government university campus from students, staff, health departments (7.2%) and other health workers, and staff of students and institutions (1.5%). Other specialized staff lounge. Three percent studies were institutions may not prefer to publish their conducted on school children. research in EJHS as it has a limited reach to Ethiopia only. Table 2. Administrative content of the article Particulars Number % to total articles (N=209)

Study type Hospital/service based 74 35.4 Community based 58 27.8 Laboratory based 40 19.1 Number of authors of article One 101 48.3 Two 54 25.8 Three 38 18.2 Research Study conducted at University Departments 189 90.4 Government Hospital/ Health Centers 15 7.2 1st Author’s Institution/Department Faculty University Departments 185 88.5 Special Institutions 10 4.8 Place of Institute Jimma 171 81.8 24 11.5 First Author’s Degree Bachelors only 116 55.5 Masters 72 34.5 PhD/ DSc / DrPh 14 6.7 Note: for each variable only important detail are given showing only high percentages.

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First Author’s Institution/ Department / in many universities masters programmers Faculty: Majority of authors belonged to are initiated since last 5 years as well as the university departments (88.5%) and students who did their research at masters specialized institutions (4.8%). Remaining outside the country had shared more than authors belonged to government hospitals one third (34.5%) articles in the journal. and health centers (3.8%), other colleges Share of PhD/DSc/DrPh is very small (1.4%) and overseas institutions (1.5%). (6.7%) as faculty members are undertaking Place of Institute: Jimma University had their PhD outside the county. This shows published majority of articles (82%) that there is an urgent need to accelerate followed by the institutions located at higher education particularly Masters and Addis Ababa (12%). About 5% articles PhDs to improve further quality of were published by other universities in research. Remaining 8.3% articles which Ethiopia and 1.5% in Cairo, . This is appeared in bulletin have not mentioned the but natural as Jimma University has large authors. number of departments and research at Study Area - Geographic coverage undergraduate level is compulsory. This Cultural area of study: As discussed provides ready made articles to publish in elsewhere in this paper, as majority of time and hence the journal is regularly studies are hospital based, naturally published in time. majority of the research is being conducted First Authors Degree: As majority of the in urban area (82.3%, Table - 3). This gives articles were from Jimma University and further research direction to conduct more selected from the undergraduate research research in rural areas as 85% of the more than half (55. 5%) of the articles were Ethiopian population lives in rural areas. authored by bachelors. Bachelor’s research The 6.7% articles were laboratory based methodology is quite rigorous in Jimma hence cultural area analysis becomes University for their research projects. Now irrelevant to such articles. Region of the study area: As majority of states. Other universities which are close to the articles are urban based studies and these regions or situated in the region have Jimma University serves Oromiya region, to pay more attention to conduct research majority of the research is conducted in in their regions. Oromiya and Addis Ababa (Table - 3). At Scientific content of the article least one article has been published from Type of article: Journal has fulfilled its the regions Amhara, Somali, SNNPR, policy publishing original articles (70%), Gambella, Dire Dawa, and Tigray. There is brief communications (10%), and case no single article published from the Afar, report (5.7%) as major contribution (Table Harere and Beninshegul in EJHS. There is - 4). Remaining 14.3% articles are the possibility that in these regions research pedagogical, book review, features and might have been conducted and published abstracts. Journal could not publish much elsewhere which is beyond the scope of review articles as critical thinking has not this study. Based on these findings Jimma much developed in the higher education University, Ministry of Education and circle in Ethiopia. This will take its own Ministry of Health should direct their time to improve the quality of education as efforts to gain more information on these well as research.

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Table 3. Study area - Geographic coverage

Particulars Number % to total articles N=209 1. Cultural Area of Study 1.1 Rural 23 11.0 1.2 Urban 172 82.3 2 Region of the study area 2.1 159 76.1 2.2 Addis Ababa 23 11.0 Note: For each variable only important detail are given, showing only high percentages.

Table-4. Scientific content of the article

Particulars Number % to total articles N=209 Type of article Original article 146 69.9 Brief communication 21 10.0 Case Report 12 5.7 Discipline of the study Public Health and Medical sciences 102 48.8 Social and behavioral sciences 45 21.5 Environmental sciences 17 8.1 Subjects studied Human 151 72.2 Zoological species 12 5.7 Liquids 9 4.3 Broad Topic of the study Pharmacy and Drug Testing 17 8.1 Nutritional problems 14 6.7 HIV/AIDS epidemiology 13 6.2 Broad subject (areas) of study Communicable Diseases 46 22.0 Environment and Health 23 11.0 Demography and family planning 21 10.0 Method of study Quantitative 180 86.1 Qualitative 19 9.1 Recommendation given in the article Yes 168 80.4 No 41 19.6 Note: For each variable only important detail are given showing only high percentages.

Discipline of the Study: Jimma Institute of Pharmacy were opened at the Institute and Health Sciences was established in 1983. other health related programmes began School of Medicine and School of during 1983 – 1988. Public Health and 164 Ethiop. J Health Sci. Vol. 16, No. 2 July 2006

Medical Sciences is the dominating (22%), environment and health (11%) and discipline to publish their articles in the demography and family planning (10%). journal (49%) where as Social and Other areas are nutrition and health (9.1%), Behavioral Sciences stood second (22%) to pharmacy and drug testing (8.1%), understand problems of the communicable obstetrics, paediatrics and genetics (6.7) diseases (Table - 4). Remaining 21% of and social sciences and medicine (6.2). studies cover nursing, epidemiological & Other broad subjects are health care biostatistics, anthropometric, nutrition, system, management information system, environmental sciences, agriculture, non-communicable diseases, medical education and management. It is the need anthropology, health education, of the time to pay more attention towards occupational health and so on. social, behavioral, community, and public Method of Study: As Jimma University health aspects. has emphasized and adopted western Subjects Studied: Human subjects were models of curriculums for medical and studied more (72%) compared to other public health faculty, majority of the species or required natural and other studies (86%) used quantitative methods resources (Table - 4). Remaining 17.8% and only 9% studies have adopted subjects were botanical species, qualitative research method. Quantitative environmental work, secondary methods included are longitudinal study, information, zoological species, liquids and cross-sectional study, randomized trial, so on. Communicable diseases were the case control, comparative, bacterial count major problem studied with the behavioral method, descriptive epidemiological study, aspects of the human being. Non-equipped retrospective, prospective, attitudinal, and laboratories at international standards may bio-chemical. Qualitative methods clubbed not have allowed researchers to carry out in 9% are content analysis, case report, sophisticated laboratory tests, which further radiological case report, ethno-botanical, might have hampered due to non- language, and case study. Researchers find availability of the skilled staff. it easy to adopt quantitative methods for Broad Topics of the study: There were data collection as it is easy to tick mark the varieties of the specific topics studied, structured questions and easy to adopt which ranged up to 130 originally. We quantitative methods for data collection as further regrouped these specific topics into it is easy to analyze once the data is broad topics, which also range up to 53 inputted in computer based soft ware. categories In that pharmacy and drug Research students are reluctant to use testing had more articles (8%). Nutritional qualitative methods, as they are time problems (7%) and HIV/ AIDS consuming for data collection as well as for Epidemiology (6%) stood next (Table - 4). analysis. Quantitatively how much problem Variety of health problems Ethiopia is has been analyzed and estimated. Now facing and every aspect has to be given Ethiopian research community has to adopt attention. qualitative research methods to understand Broad subjects (areas) of study: 53 broad deeply the problems as why and how to topics were categorized in 17 broad mitigate them? This will enrich the subjects of studies based on K. Parks (8) research and give deeper understanding chapter plan of the book titled: preventive about the problems, which may lead to and social medicine. The research articles more effective solutions and policy were more on the health problems of formulations. Ethiopia such as communicable disease Contribution of Jimma University to Provide Scientific Morankar S. et al 165

Recommendations given in the articles: the current needs of the country, As recommendation is an optional stakeholders and users of their respective component of the manuscript which could products and services (10, 11). Research be a part of the discussion and conclusions, community should also evaluate now how one fifth of the articles have not mentioned much the research results have been useful prominently as recommendation. for policy formulations or modifications in Recommendation section would lead to programmes and how much it has been analyze further how these useful to benefit the development of society recommendations have been used by the at large. The database created in SPSS 11.0 policy makers, researchers, students and for analysis of this study could be used for teachers. Further research has to be continuous updating of all future issues conducted to understand the utility of the published by Research and Publication journal. office. This updated database can be kept on Internet for the access to the users. This DISCUSSION database will be useful to students and teachers for selection of their research The journal fulfils the objectives for what it topic, literature review getting the list of all was started providing the platform to articles of that particular topic. Each publish young researcher’s research results scientific journal should develop a system as original articles providing new of evaluation and the utilization of the information to scientific community, policy journal as how much it has been referred by and programs. Since this is one of the other researchers, academicians, students, prime journal of the Health Sciences in policy planners and programme managers. Ethiopia it has to shift to the research focus guiding researchers to take up their ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS research in rural communities and if possible to cover all the regions of the Authors acknowledge Mr. Tariku Degene Ethiopia. More research may be conducted Demissie who helped us in SPSS or taken up by Masters and PhD holders programme. Authors acknowledge the help with rigor using mixed (qualitative and extended by several people in providing quantitative) methods (9) to understand their personal issues of the EJHS, which we how much the problem is and why the could not locate either in library or problem exists. Qualitative and critical Research and Publications office. theory methods are underrepresented in this journal. Scientific and research community REFERENCES should emphasis now on critical thinking to review the issues or problems of 1. Kortelainen, T. "An analysis of Ethiopian’s health. This will fulfill the the use of electronic journals and Jimma University’s commitment commercial journal article mentioned in section 11 article 67 (2) of collections through the FinELib Proclamation to provide for higher portal” Information Research, education and institutions of higher 2004; 9(2) paper 168 [Available at learning in Ethiopia as higher learning http://InformationR.net/ir/9- institutions shall engage in continuous 2/paper168.html]. As retrieved on assessment to make sure that their 12 Apr 2005 06:21:20 GMT. programs of study, curricula and areas of 2. Lorna Peterson, Using the research and specialization are in tune with Ghanaian journal Research 166 Ethiop. J Health Sci. Vol. 16, No. 2 July 2006

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