Iran Diabetes Research Roadmap (IDRR): the study protocol

BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder which is increasing worldwide. This study aimed to undertake a survey of the diabetes research in Iran to identify gaps and highlight strengths in order to develop a roadmap for diabetes research in Iran for the next years. METHODS To develop a roadmap and to identify major areas of diabetes research, we carried out a systematic assessment of Iranian diabetes research publications. All obtained studies were categorized to 11 groups and each group was classified according to the "study design", "subject area", "World Health Organization (WHO) classification", and "Australian Standard Research Classifications". The number of publications per each year was calculated. Research trends in publications in each area were assessed and compared. CONCLUSION By this study, we will provide the highlighted priorities, the gaps of research and strategic mapping of each area of diabetes research that could serve as a precious guideline for national research initiatives in the field of diabetes. By a strategic map, we can achieve many advances in the all aspects of diabetes research that finally impact on the health, quality of life and well-being of diabetic patients.