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Scientometrics of a pandemic: HIV/AIDS research in South Africa and the World

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Abstract

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is of international interest with the 2008 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine having being awarded for the discovery of the virus that causes AIDS. South Africa has a particular interest in the field of HIV/AIDS research as it is the country with the largest number of HIV infections in the world and the issue has created a number of political and scientific debates. This investigation identifies the state of HIV/AIDS related research in South Africa vis-a-vis the rest of the world using evaluative scientometrics in order to inform relevant policy. South Africa is identified as producing an increasing number of HIV/AIDS related publications, making it one of the most prolific fields in the country. The rest of the world appears to have stabilized its research efforts after the development of highly active antiretroviral therapies. The USA is identified as the main producer of HIV/AIDS research while Europe appears to under-emphasise the issue. Comparison of the world’s most prolific universities with those in South Africa identifies that the latter has a fragmented system. A number of policy issues are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank two anonymous referees for constructive comments on an earlier version of the article. The usual caveats apply.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Capacity and Strategic Platforms Grants, National Research Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa

    Anthipi Pouris

  2. Institute for Technological Innovation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Anthipi Pouris & Anastassios Pouris

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  1. Anthipi Pouris
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  2. Anastassios Pouris
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Correspondence to Anthipi Pouris.

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Pouris, A., Pouris, A. Scientometrics of a pandemic: HIV/AIDS research in South Africa and the World. Scientometrics 86, 541–552 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0277-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0277-6

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