Contribution to scientific research in paediatrics in The Netherlands: evaluation according to subspeciality over a 10-year period

The board of the Dutch Paediatric Association requested a survey of the scientific research performed in all academic and non-academic paediatric hospitals, authorized to train medical doctors in paediatrics in the Netherlands. Contributions to the international and the Dutch scientific literature, in the form of regular publications, chapters in books, contributions to proceedings and Ph.D. theses were counted over two 5-year periods, i.e. 1981–1985 and 1986–1990. The quality of publications in the international journals was assessed using the average impact factor of the journals over the 10-year period. The number of publications in the international literature doubled during the observation period 1986–1990 compared to the period 1981–1985. Nevertheless, the quality of the publications remained the same. Metabolism, oncology/ haematology, immunology/infectious diseases and cardiology are the subspecialisations in which scientific research takes place in four or more academic paediatric hospitals. In total, 84 Ph.D. theses were produced in which a paediatrician was either the project leader (mostly a professor in paediatrics) or the investigator-in-charge. Insight into structure and major research efforts of paediatric hospitals in other countries of Europe may lead to exchange of views and, maybe, profitable co-operation.