• Journal of Information Management
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.215-240
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• 2008

This paper presents a scientometric analysis of national patterns of research output and priorities in the sub-fields of Hepatitis covered in three bibliographic databases namely MEDLINE, CINAHL and IPA. The literature covered in three databases for the period 1984-2003 was considered. We have already discussed the Trends in the Growth of Literature on Hepatitis in our previous paper. Therefore in this paper only sub-fields analysis is presented. It has been found that the Hepatitis literature output has been grouped in 23 major sub-fields based on databases covered. It was found that there were high priorities for some of the sub-fields of Hepatitis research during 1984-1993. It was found that the research priority profile was more or less homogenous since majority of the sub-fields are showing either below or above average levels of priority profile. In the first phase of the research period covering from 1984-1993, there are high priorities in 10 sub-fields in USA followed by 9 in UK and 8 in Germany, 7 each in Canada, Russia and Netherlands. On the other hand, in the second phase (1994-2003) there are high priorities for 10 sub-fields in Germany, 9 in UK, 8 in USA, 7 each in Canada, Russia and Netherlands. In the productivity of Pediatrics sub-field, India is in the third position.