Dubai, United Arab Emirates, October 12, 2023: Dubai Health Authority has announced that its peer-reviewed journal, the Dubai Medical Journal, has achieved the 2022 Impact Factor (IF), reflecting the journal's commitment, quality, and continuous exceptional performance in publishing peer-reviewed scientific content. This accomplishment solidifies its position as a strong platform for researchers, scientists, and healthcare professionals in the country to share and disseminate their research in the journal, contributing to the advancement and innovation in this vital field.

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of Health Regulation Sector at DHA, emphasised the importance of this achievement, stating that it will effectively enhance the journal's competitiveness as a reliable scientific reference among global journals. 

The global impact factor is a significant indicator that measures the influence, reputation, and dissemination of scientific journals and their research within the scientific community. It is calculated annually by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) under Clarivate Analytics, based on the number of citations received by articles published in the journal during a specified timeframe.

Dr. Al Mulla added that these  factors are important indicators of the journal's influence, reputation, and visibility in the scientific field. Particularly, the impact factor reflects the extent to which new research cites and refers to the research published in the Dubai Medical Journal. Consequently, a journal with a high impact factor becomes an important publication that is more frequently referenced and cited. He highlighted that the impact factor for the Dubai Medical Journal for 2022 has reached 1.4, and this notable achievement is a testament to the journal's consistent dedication to promoting cutting-edge research and innovation within the medical community.

He added that these metrics are considered important indicators of the influence, reputation, and dissemination of the Dubai Medical Journal within its scientific field. This is particularly significant as the impact factor reflects the extent to which new research references and cites studies are published in the journal. As a result, a journal with a high impact factor becomes a valuable publication that is frequently referenced and cited. He highlighted that the Dubai Medical Journal achieved an impact factor of 1.4 in 2022, which is a remarkable accomplishment and demonstrates the journal's unwavering commitment to advancing cutting-edge research and innovation in the medical community.

Dr. Wadeia Sharief, Director of Medical Education and Research at the DHA and the Editor-in-Chief of the Dubai Medical Journal, clarified that impact factors for journals are not calculated until at least two years have passed since their initial publication and registration in one of the electronic indexes. She also mentioned that the Dubai Medical Journal is registered in several international indexes, including Web of Science, EMBASE, DOAJ, Google Scholar, and PubMed Central. These registrations have greatly contributed to the journal's attainment of an impact factor.

Statistics for the Dubai Medical Journal for the years 2018-2022:

1. Number of authors from different countries: 839
2. Number of authors from the Dubai Health Authority: 498
3. Number of Emirati authors: 108
4. Number of received articles: 733
5. Number of accepted and published articles from different countries: 203
6. Number of accepted and published articles from the UAE: 124
7. Top 4 countries in terms of publication (UAE, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia): 161
8. Number of editorial decisions made: 902