PLoS Medicine editors highlight mismatch between global burden of ill-health and published research

The editors highlight specific topics that the journal aims to prioritise in 2012, including respiratory conditions, stomach, colorectal, liver, and lung cancers, vision and hearing disorders, and injuries. Additionally, the editors seek to encourage research studies focussing on some relatively understudied risk factors for ill-health including unmet contraception needs, unsafe sex, childhood sexual abuse, and illicit drug use.

In explaining these priorities, the editors comment: "The lack of available research on some conditions will have multiple causes; it may reflect inequities in the distribution of research funding; the lack of a robust research infrastructure in many parts of the world; and, of course, the decisions of researchers as to whether and where to publish." They conclude with a call to the wider research community: "it is not enough to simply raise awareness among our readership by publishing on issues that really matter in global health; it is now essential to leverage this awareness to bring about change in health care priorities globally."

More information: The PLoS Medicine Editors (2012) A New Year at PLoS Medicine: Maintaining a Focus on the World's Health Priorities and Identifying the Gaps. PLoS Med 9(1): e1001168. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001168

Provided by Public Library of Science