Open access vs. subscription: comparing the impact of journals in physical therapy and rehabilitation
Irish Journal of Medical Science, cilt.194, sa.5, ss.1893-1901, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 194 Sayı: 5
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11845-025-04038-8
- Dergi Adı: Irish Journal of Medical Science
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1893-1901
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Academic publishing, Journal metrics, Open access journal, Physical therapy, Rehabilitation, Subscription-based journal
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background: Open access (OA) and subscription-based (SB) journals are key models in academic publishing. OA journals focus on accessibility, while SB journals often emphasize subscription revenue, leading to variations in metrics such as impact factor and citation performance. Aim: To compare metrics of OA and SB physical therapy and rehabilitation journals using Scimago Journal & Country Rank (SJCR). Methods: The study analyzed 266 journals, including 92 OA and 174 SB journals. Metrics such as impact factor, H-index, Scimago Journal Rank (SJR), total citations, citations-to-documents ratio, quartile rankings, and article processing charges (APCs) were examined. Results: SB journals showed significantly higher H-index values (p < 0.001). Higher APCs in OA journals were strongly correlated with higher impact factors (r = 0.703, p < 0.001), SJR (r = 0.727, p < 0.001), total citations (r = 0.586, p < 0.001), and H-index (r = 0.520, p < 0.001). Quartile rankings indicated better performance for OA journals (p < 0.05). Conclusion: While SB journals exhibited higher H-index values, OA journals performed similarly in other metrics. The correlation between higher APCs and improved performance in OA journals underscores the role of financial investment. Both models are crucial for disseminating research in physical therapy and rehabilitation, highlighting the importance of editorial standards and rigorous peer review.