Contribution of Jimma University to Provide Scintific Information and Research Culture in Ethiopia

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.

Ethiop. J Health Sci. Vol. 16, No. 2 July 2006