Investigating Iranian Information Gatekeepers in the Field of Medical Genetics Using Network Structure Analysis

In the flow of information and scientific communication, two formal and informal relationships are measured through co-authorship. The present study aims to discover the gate-keeper nodes in both types of scientific communication and seek to strengthen the health cycle of medical genetics information.

This research is applied in terms of purpose, and in terms of nature and method, it is a kind of mixed research, including survey method, scientometrics, and interview and social network anal-ysis. The research population was the researchers in the field of medical genetics in seven selected centers. First, using centrality indicators, gatekeepers were discovered in the formal communication structure. Then, interviewing formal gatekeepers, the gatekeeper’s agents were identified in informal communication. The effectiveness of each gatekeeping factors in the informal scientific communica-tion process was determined using the questionnaire.

The network size represents an average degree of 122. Opinion leaders were extracted based on centrality indicators. By interviewing with leaders, 15 units were identified as target nodes in the centers. Among them, the educational deputy had the most positive effect, and the ethics committee had the least positive effect on the research process. Six stages of informal com-munication and 24 gatekeeping factors were identified through interviews. Financial factors and time has played a more significant gatekeeping role. According to the degrees of betweenness and Eigenfactors, the most effective nodes on unofficial communications have been laboratories. Based on the closeness indicator and Eigenfactor, the Vice-Chancellor and the Ethics Committee have shown an inconsiderable impact on the research process.

The low amount of degree indicators revealed that the medical genetic communi-cation network is not efficient. Accordingly, most of the negative, informal communication is-sues are human communication factors such as professors’ characteristics. In the research process, some institutions, such as the Ethics Committee, are an inhibitor of communication