Abstract
Introduction Abstract presentations at scientific meetings provide a platform to share and discuss new research. It would be desirable if the abstracts were subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals as this is the most accepted method to allow the dissemination of scientific research.
Aims To determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) general sessions in 2014 and 2015, and factors involved from presentation to publication.
Design A systematic search of PubMed and Google Scholar databases was performed of the abstracts identified. Abstract titles, author's last name and key words were used to identify whether an abstract resulted in a publication. Abstracts published in full-length articles were then analysed.
Results There were a total number of 5,847 abstracts presented at 2014 and 2015 IADR general sessions. 60.9% of posters presented and 72.1% of oral presentations were consecutively published as a full-length article. The average publication rate of abstracts was 63.3%. USA had the highest number of published abstracts with a publication rate of 64.9%, followed by Brazil and Japan which had 62.3% and 67.9%, respectively. The mean time from presentation to publication was 13 months.
Conclusion There is scope for further guidance to ensure scientific work is properly disseminated and published.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Walby A, Kelly A M, Georgakas C. Abstract to publication ratio for papers presented at scientific meetings: how does emergency medicine compare? Emerg Med (Fremantle) 2001; 13: 460-464.
Roy D, Sankar V, Hughes J P, Jones A, Fenton J E. Publication rates of scientific papers presented at the Otorhinolarygological Research Society meetings. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 2001; 26: 253-256.
Janssen T, Bartels R, Lind B, Villas Tome C, Vleggeert-Lankamp C L A. Publication rate of paper and podium presentations from the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society Annual Meeting. Eur Spine J 2016; 25: 2311-2316.
Peng P H, Wasserman J M, Rosenfeld R M. Factors influencing publication of abstracts presented at the AAO-HNS Annual Meeting. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006; 135: 197-203.
Harris I A, Mourad M S, Kadir A, Solomon M J, Young J M. Publication bias in papers presented to the Australian Orthopaedic Association Annual Scientific Meeting. ANZ J Surg 2006; 76: 427-431.
Kleweno C P, Bryant W K, Jacir A M, Levine W N, Ahmad C S. Discrepancies and rates of publication in orthopaedic sports medicine abstracts. Am J Sports Med 2008; 36: 1875-1879.
Donegan D J, Kim T W, Lee G C. Publication rates of presentations at an annual meeting of the American academy of orthopaedic surgeons. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2010; 468: 1428-1435.
Demir S B. Predatory journals: Who publishes in them and why? J Informetr 2018; 12: 1296-1311.
Iyandemye J, Thomas M P. Low income countries have the highest percentages of open access publication: A systematic computational analysis of the biomedical literature. PLoS One 2019; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220229.
Link A M. US and Non-US Submissions: An Analysis of Reviewer Bias. JAMA 1998; 280: 246.
Dahllöf G, Wondimu B, Maniere M C. Subsequent publication of abstracts presented at the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry meetings. Int J Paediatr Dent 2008; 18: 91-97.
Livas C, Pandis N, Ren Y. Full-text publication of abstracts presented at European Orthodontic Society congresses. Eur J Orthod 2014; 36: 569-575.
Chung K J, Lee J H, Kim Y H, Kim T G, Ha J H. How many presentations are published as full papers? Arch Plast Surg 2012; 39: 238-243.
Lee D J, Yuan J C C, Prasad S, Barão V A R, Shyamsunder N, Sukotjo C. Analysis of abstracts presented at the prosthodontic research section of IADR General Sessions 2004-2005: demographics, publication rates, and factors contributing to publication. J Prosthodont 2012; 21: 225-231.
Duyx B, Urlings M J E, Swaen G M H, Bouter L M, Zeegers M P. Scientific citations favour positive results: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Epidemiol 2017; 88: 92-101.
Jannot A S, Agoritsas T, Gayet-Ageron A, Perneger T V. Citation bias favouring statistically significant studies was present in medical research. J Clin Epidemiol 2013; 66: 296-301.
Mlinarć A, Horvat M, Šupak Smolčić V. Dealing with the positive publication bias: Why you should really publish your negative results. Biochem Med (Zagreb) 2017; DOI: 10.11613/BM.2017.030201.
Autorino R, Quarto G, Sio M D et al. Fate of abstracts presented at the World Congress of Endourology: are they followed by publication in peer-reviewed journals? J Endourol 2006; 20: 996-1001.
Nasir A A, Ameh E A. Fate of abstracts presented at Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria annual meetings. Afr J Paediatr Surg 2012; 9: 132-136.
Hoag C C, Elterman D S, Macneily A E. Abstracts presented at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting: determinants of subsequent peer reviewed publication. J Urol 2006; DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2006.08.021.
Scherer R W, Dickersin K, Langenberg P. Full publication of results initially presented in abstracts. A meta-analysis. JAMA 1994; 272: 158-162.
Rao A R, Beatty J D, Laniado M, Motiwala H G, Karim O M A. Publication rate of abstracts presented at the British Association of Urological Surgeons Annual Meeting. BJU Int 2006; 97: 306-309.
Bagheri S C, Lenox N, Verschueren D S et al. Abstracts from the American Association Of Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeons annual scientific meeting: proportion published and time to publication. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2005; 63: 838-840.
Sprague S, Bhandari M, Devereaux P J et al. Barriers to full-text publication following presentation of abstracts at annual orthopaedic meetings. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2003; 85: 158-163.
Weber E J, Callaham M L, Wears R L, Barton C, Young G. Unpublished research from a medical speciality meeting: why investigators fail to publish. JAMA 1998; 280: 257-259.
Duracinsky M, Lalanne C, Rous L et al. Barriers to publishing in biomedical journals perceived by a sample of French researchers: results of the DIAzePAM study. BMC Med Res Methodol 2017; 17: 96.
Bakkum B W, Chapman C. Barriers to peer-reviewed journal article publication of abstracts presented at the 2006-2008 Association of Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference and Research Agenda Conference Meetings. J Chiropr Educ 2017; 31: 20-26.
Dickersin K. The existence of publication bias and risk factors for its occurrence. JAMA 1990; 263: 1385-1389.
Okoduwa S I R, Abe J O, Samuel B I et al. Attitudes, Perceptions, and Barriers to Research and Publishing Among Research and Teaching Staff in a Nigerian Research Institute. Front Res Metr Anal 2018; 3: 26.
Shergill R, Kaka H, Kennedy S A, Baerlocher M O. Publication rates of abstracts presented at major interventional radiology conferences. Diagn Interv Radiol 2017; 23: 435-440.
McGrail M R, Rickard C M, Jones R. Publish or perish: a systematic review of interventions to increase academic publication rates. High Educ Res Dev 2006; 25: 19-35.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the IADR for all their assistance in this research. We would also like to thank Justin Lee and Yu Qiao for reviewing an earlier draft of this paper.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
YWJL conceived the study. YWJL, CHW and CC undertook the data collection. GB led the statistical analysis. YWJL, CHW and CC drafted a paper, and GB contributed to the final draft. All authors gave their final approval and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
There were no conflicts of interest noted in this study. No funding was received and no industry affiliations to disclose.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, Y., Wong, C., Cheong, C. et al. Outcomes of abstracts presented at IADR general meetings in 2014 and 2015. Br Dent J 228, 631–636 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1371-7
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1371-7


