Table 1 Proportion of original research reports from the leading medical journals who cited members of the editorial board as authors in 2006.
Subject and editorial boardNumber (%) of published reports, classified by editorial board membership of authors
SurgeryBr J Surg(n = 207)Ann Surg(n = 212)J Am Coll Surg (n = 165)Arch Surg(n = 139)OR (p)
    Br J Surg25 (12)4 (2)2 (1.2)4 (2.8)11.68 (4.56 to 35.23) p<0.0001
    Ann Surg11 (5)16 (7.5)24 (14)5 (3.6)0.96 (0.49 to 1.8) p>0.9999
    J Am Coll Surg2 (1)3 (1.4)22 (13)4 (2.9)9.38 (4.03 to 23.58) p<0.0001
    Arch Surg13 (6)3 (1.4)8 (5)13 (9.4)2.41 (1.09 to 5.07) p = 0.0175
PaediatricsJ Paediatr Child Health (n = 94)Pediatr Res(n = 392)Pediatrics(n = 750)Pediatr Infect Dis (n = 223)
    J Paediatr Child Health4 (4)*0 (0)4 (0.5)1 (0.5)12.09 (2.35 to 56.99) p = 0.0016
    Pediatr Res0 (0)30 (7.6)8 (1)1 (0.5)9.74 ( 4.45 to 23.51) p<0.0001
    Pediatrics0 (0)5 (1.3)37 (5)3 (1.3)4.54 (2.06 to 11.36) p<0.0001
    Pediatr Infect Dis0 (0)0 (0)15 (2)19 (8.5)7.58 (3.58 to 16.28) p<0.0001
General practiceBr J Gen Pract(n = 99)Fam Pract(n = 92)Am Fam Physican (n = 103)J Fam Pract(n = 69)
    Br J Gen Pract8 (8)8 (9)3 (3)1 (1)1.85 (0.63 to 5.09) p = 0.2011
    Fam Pract5 (5)11 (12)1 (1)0 (0)6.62 (2.2 to 22.08) p = 0.0002
    Am Fam Physican0(0)7 (6%)8 (8)1 (2)2.65 (0.84 to 8.34) p = 0.0836
    J Fam Pract1 (1)0(0)1 (1)2 (3)4.36 (.31 to 60.7) p = 0.1649
PsychiatryAm J Psychiatry (n = 217)Arch Gen Psychiatry (n = 114)Br J Psychiatry (n = 135)Psychol Med (n = 157)
    Am J Psychiatry15 (7)4 (3.5)1 (0.7)2 (1.3)14.81 (3.38 to 134.23) p<0.0001
    Arch Gen Psychiatry18 (8.2)15 (13)3 (2.2)16 (10)1.93 (0.95 to 3.77) p = 0.0586
    Br J Psychiatry12 (5)7 (6)34 (25)25 (16)3.4 (1.99 to 5.73) p<0.0001
    Psychol Med28 (13)13 (11)21 (15)36 (23)1.94 (1.19 to 3.13) p = 0.0053
Obstetrics and gynaecologyAm J Obstet Gynecol (n = 459)Br J Obstet Gynaecol (n = 188)Fertil Steril(n = 392)Obstet Gynecol (n = 253)
    Am J Obstet Gynecol1 (0.2)1(0.5)2 (0.5)4 (1.6)0.26 (0.005 to 2.02) p = 0.2722
    Br J Obstet Gynaecol21(4.5)15 (8)4 (1)15 (6)2.31(1.16 to 4.37) p = 0.0104
    Fertil Steril3 (0.6)1 (0.5)14 (3.6)1 (0.4)6.63 (2.23 to 23.65) p = 0.0001
    Obstet Gynecol23 (5)1 (0.5)6 (1.5)20 (8)2.89 ( 1.52 to 5.36) p = 0.0007
  • Journal titles are abbreviated as in Index Medicus.

  • *Bold type indicates the values for research reports by members of the journal’s own editorial board.

  • n, number of research reports; OR, calculated as odds of research report published from journal’s own editorial board/odds of research report published from rival journal’s editorial board; p, statistical significance (Fisher exact test, 95% confidence interval with two sided test).