







































 

 

 Gholizadeh H , Ale Ebrahim N, Eshraghi A, Lemaire E.D. RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY TRENDS IN PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS IN CANADA. CANADIAN PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS 
JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018. 
https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32027                                                                           

 

1 

 
OPEN  ACCESS 

 

AOPA’S 101 ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ABSTRACTS, SEPTEMBER 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018 
 

ABSTRACT (POSTER PRESENTATION) 

RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY TRENDS IN PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS IN 

CANADA 

Hossein Gholizadeh 1* , Nader Ale Ebrahim 2, Arezoo Eshraghi3, Edward D Lemaire 1 ,4 

 

1Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Development, Ottawa, Canada. 
2 Research Support Unit, Centre of Research Services, University of Malaya, Malaysia. 
3 Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada. 
4 University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. 

* Email: gholizadeh87@yahoo.com 

 

 

INTRODUCTION 

The Canadian Survey on Disability reported about 3.8 

million Canadians between 15 and 64 years lived with a 

disability in 20121, and more than 80% used an assistive 

device. Innovation, research, and unrestricted access to 

knowledge in prosthetics and orthotics is vital to improve 

a person’s quality of life, removing barriers, and 

integrating people with functional and mobility 

limitations into their society. Therefore, this study 

examined trends in prosthetics and orthotics research in 

Canada. 

METHODS 

Scopus database was searched for prosthetics and 

orthotics articles with Canadian origin in the last 30 years 

(1988-1997, 1998-2007, 2008-2017). Publications from 

Canada and the top ten countries were compared with the 

highest number of publication in this field, to find 

publication trends and forecast future trends (2018 to 

2027). 

RESULTS 

The number of prosthetics and orthotics research 

publications showed a positive trend in the world and 

Canada (Figure 1). Research productivity was more 

pronounced in orthotics versus prosthetics. Table 1 

compares the top ten countries with the most published 

articles. The United States ranked first followed by 

United Kingdom. Canada was third in orthotics and 

fourth in prosthetics, after Germany. Journals that 

published the most prosthetics and orthotics research 

were not open access. 

 

CONCLUSION 

Research publication trends in orthotics and prosthetics 

is promising in Canada. While statistics show a positive 

global trend in the number of published articles, the 

number of journals that specifically publish prosthetics 

and orthotics research did not change, and few articles in 

these journals choose the optional open access publishing 

format. People with disabilities, including amputation, 

are a main consumer of research and innovations in this 

field. More publications in unrestricted access (open 

access) journals may enhance access to new knowledge 

and research in prosthetics and orthotics. 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Figure 1: Publication trends in prosthetics and orthotics in 

the world (top) and Canada (bottom). 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32027 

https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32027
https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32027


 

 

 Gholizadeh H , Ale Ebrahim N, Eshraghi A, Lemaire E.D. RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY TRENDS IN PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS IN CANADA. CANADIAN PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS 
JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018. 
https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32027                                                                           

 

2 

 
OPEN  ACCESS 

 

AOPA’S 101 ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ABSTRACTS, SEPTEMBER 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018 
 

ABSTRACT (POSTER PRESENTATION) 

Table 1: Top ten countries with the most publications. 

Percentages are change from the previous 10 years. 

Prosthetic 

research 
1988-1997 1998-2007 2008-2017  

World 1424 2123 (49 %) 5110 (141%) 

US 465 589 (27%) 1644 (180%) 

UK 181 253 (40%) 510 (99%) 

Germany 74 148 (100%) 344 (132%) 

Canada 118 114 (-3%) 248 (118%) 

Italy 25 82 (228%) 269 (228%) 

Netherland 57 87 (53%) 226 (160%) 

China 8 73 (812%) 288 (259%) 

France 35 98 (180%) 167 (70%) 

Australia 30 43 (43%) 186 (333%) 

Sweden 27 51 (89%) 126 (147%) 

Orthotic 

research 
1988-1997 1998-2007 2008-2017 

World 2760 5584 (102%) 10361 (86%) 

US 1287 2000 (55%) 3258 (63%) 

UK 273 656 (140%) 1005 (53%) 

Canada 107 294 (175%) 558 (90%) 

Japan 125 319 (155%) 469 (47%) 

Australia 50 265 (430%) 503 (90%) 

China 14 81 (479%) 687 (748%) 

Italy 41 143 (248%) 501 (250%) 

Germany 69 202 (193%) 406 (101%) 

Netherland 45 196 (336%) 287 (45%) 

Iran 5 22 (340%) 412 (1773%) 

 

DISCLOSURE 

There is no conflict of interest in this study.  

REFERENCES 

1) Disability in Canada: Initial findings from the Canadian 

Survey on Disability. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-654-

x/89-654-x2013002-eng.pdf (accessed 31October 2018). 

 

 

https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32027
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-654-x/89-654-x2013002-eng.pdf
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-654-x/89-654-x2013002-eng.pdf

