Exploring the Global Landscape of Open-Access Publication Models and Their Correlation With the Impact Factor in the Field of Hematology/Oncology

PURPOSE To explore the landscape of hematology/oncology publishing globally, we examined whether journal impact factors (IFs) and article processing charges (APCs) vary by geographic region and country income level. METHODS In this observational, cross-sectional descriptive analysis, we searched the Scopus database for journals indexed under Medicine in Hematology and Oncology subject areas. We determined IFs using Clarivate Journal Citation Reports. We used International Standard Serial Numbers to determine a journal's country and World Bank classifications to define geographic regions and country income levels. APCs were obtained from journals' corresponding websites and reported irrespective of waivers. Descriptive statistics were reported using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test with false discovery rate correction for multiple testing. RESULTS A total of 534 journals were identified. North America had the highest median APC at $3,519 US dollars (USD), followed by Europe and Central Asia at $2,874 USD and East Asia and the Pacific at $1,680 USD, while Latin America and the Caribbean had the lowest at $0 USD ( P < .001). North America had the highest median IF at 2.9, followed by East Asia and the Pacific at 2.7 and Europe and Central Asia at 2.5, while the Middle East and North Africa had the lowest median IF at 0.6 ( P < .001). The median APC was $3,190 USD for high-income, $98 USD for upper middle-income, and $90 USD for lower middle-income countries ( P < .001). The median IF was 2.7 for high-income, 1.3 for upper middle-income, and 0.8 for lower middle-income countries ( P < .001). CONCLUSION The most frequently cited journals have high APCs and originate in high-income countries in Europe and Central Asia, North America, and East Asia and the Pacific. Strategies are needed to reduce geographic disparities in hematology/oncology publishing.