Bibliometric analysis of peer-reviewed literature on Syrian refugees and displaced people (2011–2017)

Research Contribution of the Oldest Seat of Higher Learning in Pakistan: A Bibliometric Analysis of University of the Punjab

Bibliometric methods are used to access various elements in any data set. Similarly, this study uses a bibliometric method to evaluate the research performance of the University of the Punjab (PU), the oldest university of Pakistan. A peer university from a neighboring country, India, has been selected in this study along with three state-owned universities of Pakistan. The research yield of selected universities was analyzed since their establishment until 2019. The data were retrieved from the Scopus database in February 2020. The guidelines of the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education were used to select the peer universities. It has been analyzed that steady progress in research productivity was observed during the 20th century and in the last few years of the 19th century. A focus shift was observed with the onset of the 21st century and a rapid increase in research publications was observed in Pakistani universities. Around 92% of research studies of the University of the Punjab were carried out during the first 20 years of the 21st century and it leads the compared peer universities in terms of the number of research publications and the citations. It is also analyzed that there is a tendency among the authors of studied universities to publish their research articles in subscription-based journals. The authors affiliated with the University of the Punjab are more inclined to publish their research in open access journals as compared to the researchers of other studied universities. It is also observed that publications with single authors received a low average of citations per document while the publications with six or more authors had the highest average citations. The study recommends collaborative efforts for carrying out research and publication in open access journals is encouraged because of greater visibility, access, and impact.

Responding to health needs of women, children and adolescents within Syria during conflict: intervention coverage, challenges and adaptations

Background

Women and children suffer disproportionately in armed-conflicts. Since 2011, the protracted Syrian crisis has fragmented the pre-existing healthcare system. Despite the massive health needs of women and children, the delivery of key reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH&N) interventions, and its underlying factors are not well-understood in Syria. Our objective was to document intervention coverage indicators and their implementation challenges inside Syria during conflict.

Methods

We conducted 1) a desk review to extract RMNCAH&N intervention coverage indicators inside Syria during the conflict; and 2) qualitative interviews with decision makers and health program implementers to explore reasons behind provision/non-provision of RMNCAH&N interventions, and the rationale informing decisions, priorities, collaborations and implementation. We attempt to validate findings by triangulating data from both sources.

Results

Key findings showed that humanitarian organisations operating in Syria adopted a complex multi-hub structure, and some resorted to remote management to improve accessibility to certain geographic areas. The emergency response prioritised trauma care and infectious disease control. Yet, with time, humanitarian organisations successfully advocated for prioritising maternal and child health and nutrition interventions given evident needs. The volatile security context had implications on populations' healthcare seeking behaviors, such as women reportedly preferring home births, or requesting Caesarean-sections to reduce insecurity risks. Additional findings were glaring data gaps and geographic variations in the availability of data on RMNCAH&N indicators. Adaptations of the humanitarian response included task-shifting to overcome shortage in skilled healthcare workers following their exodus, outreach activities to enhance access to RMNCAH&N services, and operating in 'underground' facilities to avoid risk of attacks.

Conclusion

The case of Syria provides a unique perspective on creative ways of managing the humanitarian response and delivering RMNCAH&N interventions, mainly in the multi-hub structure and use of remote management, despite encountered challenges. The scarcity of RMNCAH&N data is a tremendous challenge for both researchers and implementing agencies, as it limits accountability and monitoring, thus hindering the evaluation of delivered interventions.