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

Review of all nonmilitary US research articles published in Annals of Emergency Medicine, American Journal of Emergency Medicine, and Journal of Emergency Medicine during the years 1985 and 1992.

METHODS

Data on research methodology, number of authors, number of institutions, and funding source were collected.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

One hundred sixty-nine articles met the entry criteria published in 1985, and 207 met the criteria in 1992. Retrospective studies, case series, clinical trials, and laboratory studies were the most common research methodologies in both years. The number of multicenter studies increased between 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 and more likely to be funded by industrial sources than studies published in the literature of other specialties.

CONCLUSION

The majority of research articles published in the three journals during the two years did not list a source of funding. This is in contrast to other specialties, in which the majority of published research is funded. The emergency medicine literature relies more heavily on private industry funding than does the literature of other specialties.