Trends in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder research: A bibliometric review of original articles published between 2000 and 2023

Cheryl McQuire*, Nessie Felicia Frennesson, James T I Parsonage, Molly van der Heiden, David Troy, Luisa Zuccolo

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview article (Academic Journal)peer-review

Abstract

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a leading cause of neurodevelopmental disability globally. International organizations have highlighted an urgent need for improved prevention, diagnosis, and support. However, the evidence base needed to inform this is thought to be limited. We conducted two complementary reviews to (i) describe trends in the volume and characteristics of original FASD research articles (Review 1) and (ii) compare the volume of published research on FASD to that of other neurodevelopmental disorders (Review 2). In Review 1, we systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsycInfo for original studies with FASD terms in the title, published between 2000 and 2023. We summarised study characteristics including the article topic(s), sample population, country of origin, and publication year using quantitative content analysis and time-series plots. A total of 854 studies were eligible. Studies showed a relative focus on diagnosis and screening, compared to prevention and intervention. FASD research originated from 31 countries, however most countries (68%) had fewer than 10 articles published over the 23-year review period. In Review 2, we searched PubMed for records published between 2000 and 2023 with FASD, autism, or attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) terms in the title. We compared the volume of records for these conditions using descriptive statistics and time-series plots. Of the 64,069 records retrieved, 2% were for FASD, compared to 60% for autism and 38% for ADHD. FASD remains considerably under-researched. While there has been an increase in the number of original FASD research articles published annually over time, this is much lower than expected compared to publication trends for other neurodevelopmental conditions, and the wider scientific literature. Further research is needed to understand the impact of FASD across the lifespan, to inform evidence-based policy and support, and to advance progress in strength-based, stigma-reducing approaches to FASD research and practice.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages15
JournalAlcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research
Early online date8 Aug 2024
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 8 Aug 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Research Society on Alcohol.

Keywords

  • FASD
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
  • review
  • Bibliometric analysis
  • neurodevelopmental disorder

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