Barriers to Research, Scientific Writing, and Publishing: Sudanese Paediatricians Perspective
Author(s): Mohammed Abdulrahman A Alhassan*
Abstract
Background: Research, scientific writing, and publishing are essential for expanding knowledge and understanding, informing health policies, and guiding clinical practices. There has been a noticeable decline in the published research output by Sudanese clinicians, including pediatricians, in both quality and quantity. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted to study the barriers to research, writing, and publishing activities among Sudanese fully trained pediatricians. A link to an online questionnaire was sent to Sudanese paediatric professional and social groups on the WhatsApp platform. Data from submitted responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: One hundred and sixty-four pediatricians completed and submitted the questionnaire. Overall, ≈43% of Sudanese pediatricians who responded to this survey declared they have never authored or co-authored any published work; and ≈40% have authored/co-authored 1 to 4 published articles. Insufficient time, lack of appropriate training, lack of funds and monetary incentives, personal financial difficulties, prohibitive institutional cultures and regulations, and lack of technical support were the most critical barriers to research conduction, scientific writing, and publishing among Sudanese pediatricians. Conclusion: The scholarly productivity of Sudanese pediatricians is shown to be relatively low. A carefully designed and holistic national research strategy is thought to provide long-term remedies for the problem. Meanwhile, intermediate-and-short-term solutions can be achieved through individual institutions assuming research-promoting culture and research-facilitating regulations, taking more care of research education and training, and providing technical support and financial incentives for researchers.