Volume 28, Issue 4 (3-2026)
jha 2026, 28(4): 99-104 |
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Sheikhtaheri A. A commentary on “bibliometric analysis and visual mapping of Journal of Health Administration from 1997 to 2024”: citation and publication challenges in Persian journals. jha 2026; 28 (4) :99-104
URL: http://jha.iums.ac.ir/article-1-4811-en.html
URL: http://jha.iums.ac.ir/article-1-4811-en.html
Department of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran & Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Research Unit, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. , sheikhtaheri.a@iums.ac.ir
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Table 1. Trends of publications and citations of the journal in Scopus
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Extended Abstract
The Journal of Health Administration is a quarterly publication by Iran University of Medical Sciences. Published in Persian with an extended English abstract, it is one of the oldest specialized Iranian journals in the field of health policy and management. Its thematic scope encompasses digital health (health information management, medical informatics, health information technology, artificial intelligence in health), health services management, health policy, health in disasters and emergencies, health technology assessment, health economics, and medical library and information science. This journal has been indexed in Scopus since 2019 [1,2].
Evaluating journals’ publishing activities informs editors and editorial board members about post-publication trends and the journal’s impact on the research community [3]. Recently, a study titled “Bibliometric analysis and visual mapping of Journal of Health Administration from 1997 to 2024,” examined the trends in publications and citations received by the Journal of Health Administration. In that study, all articles published since the journal’s inception (1997 to 2024) were analyzed using data from Google Scholar and Scopus, totaling 733 articles. Considering the period after Scopus indexing, 163 articles were analyzed based on Scopus. However, some findings and conclusions in that study, particularly regarding the journal's status and citation patterns in Scopus, require reconsideration and updates. The underlying data for this clarification were extracted from the Scopus database at the end of January 2025. This updated dataset provides a precise reflection of the journal’s indexing, publications, and citation trends, ensuring reliable bibliometric interpretation.
The researchers reported that the number of articles published in 2019 was 34, yet in another section, they reported this number as 41. Additionally, the reported article counts for the years following journal’s inclusion in Scopus are inconsistent between Figure 1 and Supplementary Figure 1. At the time of the study, only five articles were analyzed for 2024 based on Scopus. Accordingly, the authors concluded that there had been approximate 10% decrease in publications [3]. According to Supplementary Figure 2, all articles had received a total of 6233 citations in the Google Scholar by 2024, distributed as 181, 263, 315, 283, 330, and 5 citations from 2019 (Scopus inclusion) to 2024, respectively. However, Table 1 in the same study shows the citation pattern based on Scopus as follows: 2019 (81 citations), 2020 (50 citations), 2021 (48 citations), 2022 (43 citations), 2023 (6 citations), 2024 and 2025 (0 citations). It should be noted that the citations in Scopus were calculated based on all published articles, not only on those indexed in Scopus since 2019. On this base, the authors concluded a downward trend in citations after Scopus indexing and suggested that including this journal in Scopus has not increased citations in either Scopus or Google Scholar [3].
In another section, the authors reported that factors such as the requirement for extended English abstracts, and the journal’s policy of publishing more research articles might explain the reduction in high-quality submissions and then citations. They also reported that, among the 163 articles indexed in Scopus, Iran University of Medical Sciences ranked first with 116 articles (71%). Furthermore, among the 155 journals citing articles from the Journal of Health Administration, this journal ranked first with 52 articles, while citations came from 46 countries, with Iran contributing 88% of the total [3].
Table 1 presents the publication and citation trends of the Journal of Health Administration based on Scopus. It is important to note that this table reports only articles indexed from 2019 to 2024 and their received citations. Figure 1 also shows the publication and citation trends in Scopus. By the end of 2024, 198 articles were indexed in Scopus, of which the authors analyzed only 163 due to the time of their investigation. As evident, except for 2019 (41 articles published), the number of articles in all years ranged between 30 and 33, with no notable decrease observed. Only in 2023, 29 articles were indexed, which then returned to the prior trend in subsequent years.
The citation trend shows an increase in the citations received in Scopus, from zero in 2019 to 97 and 84 in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Differences in results may be attributed to variations in the timing of review or potential underestimation by the original authors. The actual citations from 2022 onwards are higher than what the authors reported. Since the authors examined the citations for all published articles (not only those indexed from 2019 onwards), the reported citation counts appear underestimated. Therefore, contrary to the original authors' conclusion, Scopus indexing seems to have contributed to an increase in received citations. The authors’ reported trend from Google Scholar also shows an upward trajectory in citations in the years following Scopus indexing (except for 2022 with 283 citations). The five citations reported for 2024 reflect the study’s timing.
In total, 357 citations to 198 articles were recorded in Scopus, of which 67 citations were in articles published in the Journal of Health Administration (18.7%). Overall, 74% of citations were from Iran and 26% were from other countries. The citation trend indicates that approximately 183 citations (51%) were in Iranian journals and 174 citations (49%) in non-Iranian journals. The annual citation trend shows that citations from non-Iranian journals and authors are increasing, suggesting that, contrary to the original conclusions, Scopus indexing has improved both the number of citations and authors’ trust on articles. It demonstrates increased visibility following indexing, which may additionally reflect the positive impact of the extended English abstract on author trust and article visibility.
Evaluating journals’ publishing activities informs editors and editorial board members about post-publication trends and the journal’s impact on the research community [3]. Recently, a study titled “Bibliometric analysis and visual mapping of Journal of Health Administration from 1997 to 2024,” examined the trends in publications and citations received by the Journal of Health Administration. In that study, all articles published since the journal’s inception (1997 to 2024) were analyzed using data from Google Scholar and Scopus, totaling 733 articles. Considering the period after Scopus indexing, 163 articles were analyzed based on Scopus. However, some findings and conclusions in that study, particularly regarding the journal's status and citation patterns in Scopus, require reconsideration and updates. The underlying data for this clarification were extracted from the Scopus database at the end of January 2025. This updated dataset provides a precise reflection of the journal’s indexing, publications, and citation trends, ensuring reliable bibliometric interpretation.
The researchers reported that the number of articles published in 2019 was 34, yet in another section, they reported this number as 41. Additionally, the reported article counts for the years following journal’s inclusion in Scopus are inconsistent between Figure 1 and Supplementary Figure 1. At the time of the study, only five articles were analyzed for 2024 based on Scopus. Accordingly, the authors concluded that there had been approximate 10% decrease in publications [3]. According to Supplementary Figure 2, all articles had received a total of 6233 citations in the Google Scholar by 2024, distributed as 181, 263, 315, 283, 330, and 5 citations from 2019 (Scopus inclusion) to 2024, respectively. However, Table 1 in the same study shows the citation pattern based on Scopus as follows: 2019 (81 citations), 2020 (50 citations), 2021 (48 citations), 2022 (43 citations), 2023 (6 citations), 2024 and 2025 (0 citations). It should be noted that the citations in Scopus were calculated based on all published articles, not only on those indexed in Scopus since 2019. On this base, the authors concluded a downward trend in citations after Scopus indexing and suggested that including this journal in Scopus has not increased citations in either Scopus or Google Scholar [3].
In another section, the authors reported that factors such as the requirement for extended English abstracts, and the journal’s policy of publishing more research articles might explain the reduction in high-quality submissions and then citations. They also reported that, among the 163 articles indexed in Scopus, Iran University of Medical Sciences ranked first with 116 articles (71%). Furthermore, among the 155 journals citing articles from the Journal of Health Administration, this journal ranked first with 52 articles, while citations came from 46 countries, with Iran contributing 88% of the total [3].
Table 1 presents the publication and citation trends of the Journal of Health Administration based on Scopus. It is important to note that this table reports only articles indexed from 2019 to 2024 and their received citations. Figure 1 also shows the publication and citation trends in Scopus. By the end of 2024, 198 articles were indexed in Scopus, of which the authors analyzed only 163 due to the time of their investigation. As evident, except for 2019 (41 articles published), the number of articles in all years ranged between 30 and 33, with no notable decrease observed. Only in 2023, 29 articles were indexed, which then returned to the prior trend in subsequent years.
The citation trend shows an increase in the citations received in Scopus, from zero in 2019 to 97 and 84 in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Differences in results may be attributed to variations in the timing of review or potential underestimation by the original authors. The actual citations from 2022 onwards are higher than what the authors reported. Since the authors examined the citations for all published articles (not only those indexed from 2019 onwards), the reported citation counts appear underestimated. Therefore, contrary to the original authors' conclusion, Scopus indexing seems to have contributed to an increase in received citations. The authors’ reported trend from Google Scholar also shows an upward trajectory in citations in the years following Scopus indexing (except for 2022 with 283 citations). The five citations reported for 2024 reflect the study’s timing.
In total, 357 citations to 198 articles were recorded in Scopus, of which 67 citations were in articles published in the Journal of Health Administration (18.7%). Overall, 74% of citations were from Iran and 26% were from other countries. The citation trend indicates that approximately 183 citations (51%) were in Iranian journals and 174 citations (49%) in non-Iranian journals. The annual citation trend shows that citations from non-Iranian journals and authors are increasing, suggesting that, contrary to the original conclusions, Scopus indexing has improved both the number of citations and authors’ trust on articles. It demonstrates increased visibility following indexing, which may additionally reflect the positive impact of the extended English abstract on author trust and article visibility.
Table 1. Trends of publications and citations of the journal in Scopus
| Year | Citations in JHA N (%) |
Citations in Iranian journals N (%) |
Citations in non_ Iranian journals N (%) |
Citations by non- Iranian authors
N (%) |
Citations in Scopus (N) | Publications in Scopus (N) |
| 2019 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 | 41 |
| 2020 | 4 (33) | 9 (75) | 3 (25) | 1 (8) | 12 | 30 |
| 2021 | 6 (19) | 21 (66) | 11 (34) | 3 (9) | 32 | 32 |
| 2022 | 22 (37) | 42 (71) | 17 (29) | 5 (8) | 59 | 33 |
| 2023 | 6 (9) | 34 (52) | 32 (48) | 11 (17) | 66 | 29 |
| 2024 | 20 (21) | 46 (47) | 51 (53) | 19 (20) | 97 | 33 |
| 2025 | 9 (11) | 31 (37) | 53 (63) | 22 (26) | 84 | - |
| 2026 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 7 (100) | 2 (29) | 7 | - |
| Total | 67 (18.7) | 183 (51) | 174 (49) | 63 (18) | 357 | 198 |
JHA: Journal of Health Administration. Citations in Iranian journals include citations in JHA.
An analysis of the authors' organizational affiliation reveals that among the 198 articles indexed in Scopus, only 57 articles (28.8%) included at least one author affiliated with the Iran University of Medical Sciences. It is likely that in the early years of the journal’s formation, most articles were authored by founders, editorial board members, and individuals affiliated with the Iran University of Medical Sciences. This pattern may be attributed to the journal not being indexed at that time. However, the trend in author affiliations following Scopus indexing indicates the journal’s increasing attention to relevant research conducted
nationwide.
These observations do not necessarily reflect a satisfactory trend in the number of published articles, the quality of submissions, or the number of citations received. The underlying reasons extend beyond the journal’s internal policies, which could have been discussed in the original article. For example, in recent years, the number of Iranian and Persian journals with a scope similar to that of the Journal of Health Administration has increased in the country. This naturally results in a distribution of articles and citations across these journals. For several reasons, Iranian researchers usually demonstrate a lower propensity to submit their highest-quality manuscripts to Persian-language journals or to cite Persian publications. This pattern is not merely a matter of author preference but is closely linked to prevailing research evaluation and incentive structures. Current academic national and university-level policies and activities frequently consider training courses in publication in English, assign lower research evaluation scores to Persian-language publications, while awarding higher institutional credit for articles published in English, particularly in ISI-indexed journals with higher quartile rankings and impact factors. Research funding allocation mechanisms may further prioritize scholars with publications in high-impact, internationally indexed journals. Additionally, doctoral students are often required to publish in journals indexed in databases such as PubMed or ISI as a condition for graduation. Collectively, these policy orientations create strong incentives for researchers to prioritize international English-language journals over national Persian publications. On the other hand, these authors tend to cite articles that are accessible by editors, peer-reviewers, and audiences of international or English-language journals. As a consequence, Persian journals, including the Journal of Health Administration, face a dual challenge: limited access to high-quality manuscript submissions and reduced citation inflow from domestic scholars. This dynamic may inadvertently constrain the development of robust national scientific discourse in the Persian language and weaken the role of domestic journals in shaping health policy debates. Addressing this imbalance may require a more nuanced research policy framework, one that simultaneously encourages international visibility and strengthens national scholarly platforms. Recognizing the complementary roles of Persian and international journals could help foster a more sustainable and inclusive academic publishing ecosystem.
nationwide.
These observations do not necessarily reflect a satisfactory trend in the number of published articles, the quality of submissions, or the number of citations received. The underlying reasons extend beyond the journal’s internal policies, which could have been discussed in the original article. For example, in recent years, the number of Iranian and Persian journals with a scope similar to that of the Journal of Health Administration has increased in the country. This naturally results in a distribution of articles and citations across these journals. For several reasons, Iranian researchers usually demonstrate a lower propensity to submit their highest-quality manuscripts to Persian-language journals or to cite Persian publications. This pattern is not merely a matter of author preference but is closely linked to prevailing research evaluation and incentive structures. Current academic national and university-level policies and activities frequently consider training courses in publication in English, assign lower research evaluation scores to Persian-language publications, while awarding higher institutional credit for articles published in English, particularly in ISI-indexed journals with higher quartile rankings and impact factors. Research funding allocation mechanisms may further prioritize scholars with publications in high-impact, internationally indexed journals. Additionally, doctoral students are often required to publish in journals indexed in databases such as PubMed or ISI as a condition for graduation. Collectively, these policy orientations create strong incentives for researchers to prioritize international English-language journals over national Persian publications. On the other hand, these authors tend to cite articles that are accessible by editors, peer-reviewers, and audiences of international or English-language journals. As a consequence, Persian journals, including the Journal of Health Administration, face a dual challenge: limited access to high-quality manuscript submissions and reduced citation inflow from domestic scholars. This dynamic may inadvertently constrain the development of robust national scientific discourse in the Persian language and weaken the role of domestic journals in shaping health policy debates. Addressing this imbalance may require a more nuanced research policy framework, one that simultaneously encourages international visibility and strengthens national scholarly platforms. Recognizing the complementary roles of Persian and international journals could help foster a more sustainable and inclusive academic publishing ecosystem.
Declarations
Ethical considerations: Not applicable.
Funding: Not applicable.
Conflict of interest: Abbas sheikhtaheri is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Health Administration. There are no other conflicts to declare.
Authors' contributions: Abbas sheikhtaheri: Conceptualization, writing – review and editing, final approval.
Consent for publication: Not applicable.
Data availability: Not applicable.
AI declaration: ChatGPT was applied to proofread the text. All AI-generated contents were reviewed and approved by the author.
Acknowledgments: Not applicable.
Ethical considerations: Not applicable.
Funding: Not applicable.
Conflict of interest: Abbas sheikhtaheri is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Health Administration. There are no other conflicts to declare.
Authors' contributions: Abbas sheikhtaheri: Conceptualization, writing – review and editing, final approval.
Consent for publication: Not applicable.
Data availability: Not applicable.
AI declaration: ChatGPT was applied to proofread the text. All AI-generated contents were reviewed and approved by the author.
Acknowledgments: Not applicable.
Type of Study: Commentary |
Subject:
Medical Librarianship and Information Science
Received: 2026/03/2 | Accepted: 2026/03/6 | Published: 2026/03/10
Received: 2026/03/2 | Accepted: 2026/03/6 | Published: 2026/03/10
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