Análise da produção científica brasileira sobre hanseníase identificada na base de dados web of science / Analysis of brazilian scientific production on leprosy identified on the web of science database

Este estudo analisou a bibliografia relacionada à hanseníase no Brasil, representada pela publicação de artigos científicos indexados na base de dados científica Web of Science, de 2000 a 2019. Por meio de análise bibliométrica, procurou-se delinear um panorama das produções científicas acerca do tema, identificando os autores, a evolução histórica do número de produções, as áreas de pesquisa que mais publicam, os tipos de artigos publicados e quais as agências financiadoras envolvidas nas publicações relacionadas ao tema. O corpus documental contou com 376 artigos completos, que demonstraram uma intensificação na produção de estudos sobre a hanseníase nos últimos anos, especialmente na área de Medicina Tropical, com predomínio de financiamento por agências brasileiras, e cuja maior fonte de publicações é uma revista científica internacional, dedicada ao estudo de doenças tropicais negligenciadas. Conclui-se que o interesse no estudo do tema se eleva com o passar dos anos, mas dentre as temáticas evidenciadas pela análise empreendida, as políticas públicas para controle e eliminação da doença, foram incipientes. Revela ainda a necessidade de maior aporte científico sobre a temática estimuladas por órgãos governamentais e que amplie as produções científicas por instituições de ensino e pesquisa, que possam alavancar reflexões direcionadas à implementação de diretrizes políticas efetivas para o controle e eliminação da doença.

This study analyzed the literature related to leprosy in Brazil, represented by the publication of scientific papers indexed in the Web of Science scientific database from 2000 to 2019. Through bibliometric analysis, the authors sought to delineate an overview of scientific productions on the topic, identifying the authors, the historical evolution of the number of productions, the areas of research that had most publications, the types of articles published and which funding agencies are involved in publications related to the topic. The documentary corpus consisted of 376 complete articles, which demonstrated an intensification in the production of studies on leprosy in recent years, especially in the area of Tropical Medicine, with a predominance of funding from Brazilian agencies, and whose largest source of publications is an international scientific journal dedicated to the study of neglected tropical diseases. It can be concluded that the interest in the study of the topic has increased over the years, but among the topics evidenced by the analysis undertaken, public policies for the control and elimination of the disease were incipient. It also reveals the need for greater scientific input on the topic stimulated by both government agencies and educational and research institutions, which can leverage reflections aimed at the implementation of effective political guidelines for the control and elimination of the disease.

Cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent disability in leprosy: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of disability (POD) is one of the key objectives of leprosy programmes. Recently, coverage and access have been identified as the priority issues in POD. Assessing the cost-effectiveness of POD interventions is highly relevant to understanding the barriers and opportunities to achieving universal coverage and access with limited resources. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the quality of existing cost-effectiveness evidence and discuss implications for future research and strategies to prevent disability in leprosy and other disabling conditions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We searched electronic databases (NHS EED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and LILACS) and databases of ongoing trials (www.controlled-trials.com/mrct/, www.who.int/trialsearch). We checked reference lists and contacted experts for further relevant studies. We included studies that reported both cost and effectiveness outcomes of two or more alternative interventions to prevent disability in leprosy. We assessed the quality of the identified studies using a standard checklist for critical appraisal of economic evaluations of health care programmes. We found 66 citations to potentially relevant studies and three met our criteria. Two were randomised controlled trials (footwear, management of neuritis) and one was a generic model-based study (cost per DALY). Generally, the studies were small in size, reported inadequately all relevant costs, uncertainties in estimates, and issues of concern and were based on limited data sources. No cost-effectiveness data on self-care, which is a key strategy in POD, was found. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Evidence for cost-effectiveness of POD interventions for leprosy is scarce. High quality research is needed to identify POD interventions that offer value for money where resources are very scarce, and to develop strategies aimed at available, affordable and sustainable quality POD services for leprosy. The findings are relevant for other chronically disabling conditions, such as lymphatic filariasis, Buruli ulcer and diabetes in developing countries.

Collaborative writing: Tools and tips.

Majority of technical writing is done by groups of experts and various web based applications have made this collaboration easy. Email exchange of word processor documents with tracked changes used to be the standard technique for collaborative writing. However web based tools like Google docs and Spreadsheets have made the process fast and efficient. Various versioning tools and synchronous editors are available for those who need additional functionality. Having a group leader who decides the scheduling, communication and conflict resolving protocols is important for successful collaboration.

EndNote 7.0.

EndNote is a useful software for online literature search and efficient bibliography management. It helps to format the bibliography according to the citation style of each journal. EndNote stores references in a library file, which can be shared with others. It can connect to online resources like PubMed and retrieve search results as per the search criteria. It can also effortlessly integrate with popular word processors like MS Word. The Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology website has a provision to import references to EndNote.