FUNDING IN THE EMERGENCY-MEDICINE LITERATURE - 1985 TO 1992

Study objective: To examine the rate and source of funding of research articles published in the emergency medicine literature. Design: Revi ew of all nonmilitary US research articles published in Annals of Emer gency Medicine, American Journal of Emergency Medicine, and Journal of Emergency Medicine during the years 1985 and 1992. Methods: Data on r esearch methodology, number of authors, number of institutions, and fu nding source were collected. Measurements and main results: One hundre d sixty-nine articles met the entry criteria published in 1985, and 20 7 met the criteria in 1992. Retrospective studies, case series, clinic al trials, and laboratory studies were the most common research method ologies in both years. The number of multicenter studies increased bet ween the two years (P<.006). The rate of funding increased from 21.3% in 1985 to 29.0% in 1992. The funding sources, however, did not change significantly between the two years. Funded studies published in the emergency medicine literature are less likely to be federally funded a nd more likely to be funded by industrial sources than studies publish ed in the literature of other specialties. Conclusion: The majority of research articles published in the three journals during the two year s did not list a source of funding. This is in contrast to other speci alties, in which the majority of published research is funded. The eme rgency medicine literature relies more heavily on private industry fun ding than does the literature of other specialties.