The Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) in eligible American countries: Benefits, challenges and relationship to Internet use

Abstract

The Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) aims to reduce financial and legal barriers to scholarship by providing Internet access to full text biomedical and health research articles for scholars in economically developing countries. In this study citation data was used to evaluate if HINARI journals have had greater use since the initiation of the program in eligible American countries. Also considered was if a relationship exists between the use of HINARI journals and Internet user statistics. While an increase of journal use is apparent in two of three sub-regions (Caribbean America and Central America), only one of three sub-regions (South America) suggests a correlation between Internet use and HINARI citation frequency. The benefits, challenges and future considerations for HINARI are discussed, as they pertain to scholars and program administrators.