Dynamics and structure of research in swine health in Mexico: A methodological approach

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the socio-structural dynamics in the field of swine health research in Mexico. Design/methodology/approach: The data used were obtained from proceedings of IPVS international conferences from 2010-2018. The study unit was the result of co-authorships. The Social Networks Analysis (SNA) was used to understand the working dynamics of the research groups through the UCINET 6 software for Windows. Results: In the area of swine health and veterinary science, 63% of the research has depended on higher education institutions and research centers and the rest on the private sector. The most active universities with research are Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (34%), Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias (9%), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, and Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. The main research areas in swine diseases were PRRS, Circovirus, Influenza, Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea, among others. Limitations on study/implications: This study was done considering only scientific information about swine health contained in proceedings of IPVS Conferences from 2010-2018. To visualize these working networks allows detecting spaces for possibility in terms of creation of research policies. Findings/conclusions: The research about swine health in Mexico is concentrated in five working groups, which is why understanding these key stakeholders will allow greater dissemination of the information.