ETHICAL ASPECT OF PAPER PUBLICATION: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY AMONG POSTGRADUATE RESIDENTS AT INDUS HOSPITAL, KARACHI

Abstract

Background: Ethical standards in medical research are essential to uphold transparency, credibility, and patient trust. Increasing academic pressure to publish has contributed to a rise in unethical practices such as plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship disputes, and undeclared conflicts of interest. While global initiatives aim to strengthen ethical guidelines, awareness and adherence to these principles vary across regions. In Pakistan, structured education on research ethics during postgraduate training remains limited and underexplored.

Objective: To assess the level of knowledge among postgraduate medical residents regarding ethical principles related to research publications, including specific areas such as plagiarism, authorship, conflict of interest, salami slicing, duplicate and simultaneous publication.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Indus Hospital, Karachi, over a six-month period from June 24 to December 24, 2024. A total of 120 postgraduate residents were recruited using non-probability convenience sampling. Participants completed a structured online questionnaire consisting of demographic data and six binary-response questions evaluating ethical knowledge. Knowledge scores were categorized as adequate or inadequate based on a >50% threshold. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies, percentages, medians, and interquartile ranges. Chi-square and Shapiro-Wilk tests were applied, with a p-value of <0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: Out of 120 participants, 101 (84%) demonstrated adequate knowledge, while 19 (16%) had inadequate knowledge. Gender was not significantly associated with knowledge level (p=0.864). Median age was significantly higher in those with inadequate knowledge (30 years, IQR 29–32) compared to those with adequate knowledge (29 years, IQR 28–30; p=0.046). Research workshop attendance was significantly associated with adequate knowledge (p=0.002), while qualification, institute type, and research course enrolment showed no significant relationship. The lowest awareness was observed in salami slicing (26%) and conflict of interest (61%).

Conclusion: Most postgraduate residents demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of research publication ethics. However, targeted interventions such as structured workshops are crucial to address persistent knowledge gaps, particularly in lesser-known areas like salami slicing and conflict of interest, thereby promoting integrity in medical research.