Interdisciplinarity of Spanish cardiovascular research teams

Objectives. The incidence of interdisciplinarity (ID) in Spanish cardiovascular research teams was analyzed and scientists' opinions about interdisciplinary relationships were examined. Methods. The data analyzed were obtained in a survey sent in 1999 to a sample of 310 researchers. They were selected using bibliometric techniques and/or for being research project leaders in recent years. Results. The response rate was 61%. Data were obtained from 130 research teams located mainly in Madrid and Catalonia. Teams doing clinical research (81%) and those working in hospitals (64%) predominated. Different facets of the interdisciplinary nature of the teams were analyzed: scientist training, team composition, behavior patterns, collaboration, and publication and reading habits. A high ID was observed in the area: more than 70% of the teams are interdisciplinary according to the training of scientists, around 80% make use of knowledge or techniques from other disciplines, and around 90% read and publish in journals outside their own disciplines. Basic research teams had a higher ID than clinical ones. A total of 37 highly interdisciplinary teams were identified. These teams had a greater tendency towards collaboration. Conclusions. Interdisciplinary reading and publishing habits were the norm among Spanish researchers, even in single-discipline groups. The scattered,, nature of teams, their high rate of external collaborations, and the multidisciplinary context of centers enhance interdisciplinary relationships. Administrative barriers do not seem to be a major obstacle to establishing interdisciplinary contacts.