Features of International Publications in Vietnamese Radiological Societies after The Enactment of 37/2018/QĐ-TTg

BACKGROUND: In Vietnam, after the enactment of 37/2018/QĐ-TTg, a distinct shift could be observed in the international publications by radiological societies. OBJCTIVE: This study examined trends in the international publications achieved by Vietnamese radiological societies following the enactment of 37/2018/QĐ-TTg. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated data that are freely accessible and available online and, therefore, did not require institutional review board approval. We assessed the publication characteristics of the members of four Vietnamese radiological societies: Vietnamese Society of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (VSRNM, n = 67); Radiological Society of Ho Chi Minh City (RSHCM, n = 25); Vietnamese Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (VSUM, n = 29); and Vietnamese Society of Interventional Radiology (VSIR, n = 18), following the enactment of 37/2018/QĐ-TTg. RESULTS: Following the enactment of 37/2018/QĐ-TTg, we observed that total publications, number of first authors, number of last authors, number of articles indexed in Web of Science, and number of articles indexed in Scopus were significantly higher for the VSRNM and VSIR than for the RSHCM and VSUM. All publication parameters were significantly higher men, individuals who secured professorship, PhD and Master’s degree holders, public hospital employees, those in the radiological field, and those in the north and south regions, compared with the values for women, individuals without professorships, Specialist II and I degree holders, private hospital employees, those in the nuclear medicine field, and those in the middle region, respectively. CONCLUSION: The enactment of 37/2018/QĐ-TTg triggered a new trend in international publication among the members of four Vietnamese radiological societies. However, strong discrepancies remain in total publications, number of first authors, number of last authors, number of articles indexed in Web of Science, and number of articles indexed in Scopus among the members of the four main Vietnamese radiological societies.