A worldwide assessment of medical journal editors' practices and needs results of a survey by the World Association of Medical Editors

Objectives. To identify editors interested in participating in a global org anisation and communication network of medical editors; to assess current u se of the peer-review process; and to determine current computer capabiliti es, needs, and interests of medical journal editors around the world. Design. Mail survey of senior editors at 727 medical journals. Setting. Fifty-seven countries worldwide. Results. Two hundred and sixty-nine editors (37%) responded. Eighty-seven p er cent of responding editors expressed interest in a global organisation o f medical editors. Almost all editors (94%) reported using peer-review syst ems. Practices varied widely across journals, but in most cases were not hi ghly correlated with the countries' level of development: 44% reported form al orientation for reviewers; 71% used specific instructions; 39% required reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest; 36% masked the identity of aut hors; and 42% graded reviews for quality. Seventy-eight per cent of editors reported using a computer in their work and 47% had Internet access; two-t hirds of those without access expected to have Internet access within 18 mo nths. Conclusions. There was strong interest among respondents in a global organi sation for medical editors. Peer review was widely reported by medical jour nal editors throughout the world, although specific practices varied widely . Half of the responding editors reported having access to the Internet, ma king participation in a worldwide computer network of editors feasible.