Exploring Cutting-Edge Research at SUMEJ
Medical research from Indonesia's Sumatra region is tackling everything from stroke outcomes to lung cancer in non-smoking women, and this research is now becoming accessible to all.
Imagine a medical researcher in Medan, North Sumatra, investigating why non-smoking women in the region are developing lung cancer at alarming rates. For decades, sharing such crucial findings with the world required navigating the complex, often expensive ecosystem of international scientific publishing. This is where the Sumatera Medical Journal (SUMEJ) steps in, providing a vital platform for local medical research while adhering to rigorous international standards. If you've ever wondered how medical discoveries from Indonesia's diverse regions reach the global scientific community, you're about to discover the inner workings of this crucial scientific endeavor.
The Sumatera Medical Journal (SUMEJ) is an open-access, peer-reviewed medical journal published by Universitas Sumatera Utara. Unlike many Western medical journals, SUMEJ recognizes that many pressing medical issues affecting populations in the developing world remain under-represented in international publications.
The journal serves as a crucial platform for health and medical researchers to publish high-quality evidence from both developed and developing countries, with special encouragement for authors from regions whose medical issues might otherwise go unheard in the global scientific conversation 1 .
SUMEJ's scope is comprehensive, covering various medical specialties through different types of publications.
Detailed reports of original research findings with comprehensive methodology and analysis.
Documentation of rare conditions, unusual presentations, or novel treatment approaches.
Synthesis of existing knowledge on specific medical topics, identifying gaps and future directions.
Research focused on population health, prevention strategies, and public health interventions.
Recent publications have explored diverse topics from the effect of mean platelet volume on stroke outcomes in elderly patients to risk factors for lung cancer in non-smoking women in North Sumatra 2 . This breadth of coverage ensures that both clinical and public health research find a home in the journal.
Every research article in SUMEJ begins with a clear introduction that establishes the study's significance. Here, authors must provide an adequate background and very short literature review, showing which solutions already exist, what limitations previous research has contained, and what scientific novelty their work offers 8 . This section ends with a clear statement of the research objectives.
The methods section then describes in detail how the research was conducted. SUMEJ requires authors to provide enough information to allow other researchers to reproduce the work 8 . This includes details on:
of studies involving human subjects in SUMEJ require ethical approval
For studies involving human subjects, SUMEJ follows international ethical standards, requiring approval from an institutional review board and informed consent from participants 8 . This ethical foundation ensures the research meets global scientific standards.
In the results section, authors present representative findings from their research without interpretation or discussion. SUMEJ encourages using tables and figures to present data efficiently, with the understanding that "a figure is worth a thousand words" 6 . The journal requires that all illustrations include clear legends and be self-explanatory, allowing readers to understand them without referring back to the text repeatedly.
The discussion section is where researchers interpret their findings, exploring the significance of their results. Authors are expected to:
How results relate to original questions
Scientific interpretation for each finding
Compare results with previous publications
Discuss study limitations and inconsistencies
Answer research hypothesis and suggest future studies
This section typically ends with conclusions that answer the research hypothesis and suggest directions for future studies.
Recent SUMEJ research on lung cancer risk factors in non-smoking women in North Sumatra provides an excellent case study of how rigorous medical investigation addresses regional health concerns 2 .
Researchers employed a case-control study design, comparing women diagnosed with lung cancer to similar women without the disease. Participants were recruited from multiple medical centers across North Sumatra to ensure representative sampling.
The team collected comprehensive data through:
Assessing lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors through structured questionnaires.
Documenting clinical characteristics, diagnosis details, and treatment history.
Measuring air quality and potential carcinogens in homes and workplaces.
Calculating odds ratios for various risk factors using multivariate regression models.
This multifaceted approach allowed researchers to examine the problem from multiple angles, increasing the likelihood of identifying meaningful patterns in the data.
The analysis revealed several significant risk factors beyond the usual suspects. While secondhand smoke exposure was confirmed as important, the researchers discovered other substantial contributors specific to the Sumatran context.
| Risk Factor | Strength of Association | Population Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Secondhand smoke exposure | High | Moderate |
| Indoor air pollution from cooking fuels | Moderate | High |
| Occupational exposures | Variable | Limited |
| Genetic predispositions | Under investigation | Not yet determined |
The researchers paid particular attention to indoor air quality, investigating how traditional cooking methods might contribute to lung damage over time. Their systematic approach to measuring and quantifying these exposures provided valuable data that could inform public health interventions.
| Primary Cooking Fuel | Relative Risk | Statistical Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) | 1.0 (Reference) | - |
| Kerosene | 1.8 | p < 0.05 |
| Biomass (wood, agricultural waste) | 2.3 | p < 0.01 |
| Charcoal | 1.9 | p < 0.05 |
The discussion section of this study connected these findings to global research on indoor air pollution while highlighting the unique aspects of the Sumatran context. The authors proposed specific public health recommendations tailored to the region, including:
For kitchens using traditional cooking methods to reduce indoor air pollution exposure.
For cleaner cooking technologies to replace biomass and kerosene fuels.
For healthcare providers to improve early detection and prevention strategies.
For high-risk individuals to enable early diagnosis and intervention.
Conducting research suitable for publication in SUMEJ requires specific methodological tools and approaches. Here are key components of the "research toolkit" for aspiring authors:
| Research Component | Function | SUMEJ Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Ethics Approval | Ensures participant protection and research integrity | Mandatory for human and animal studies 8 |
| Statistical Analysis | Provides mathematical foundation for conclusions | Appropriate tests with specified parameters 6 |
| Literature Review | Contextualizes within existing knowledge | Minimum 10 references, 80% from primary sources 8 |
| Clear Illustrations | Presents data efficiently | Figures and tables with self-explanatory legends 6 |
SUMEJ represents more than just another academic publication—it embodies the growing capacity of Indonesian medical researchers to investigate and address health challenges specific to their population. The journal's commitment to open access ensures that this knowledge reaches not only the international scientific community but also local healthcare practitioners who can apply it directly to patient care.
Global Reach
Local Impact
Scientific Infrastructure
As SUMEJ continues to grow, it strengthens the scientific infrastructure of the region, encouraging more clinicians to conduct research and contribute to the global body of medical knowledge. The journal's presence demonstrates that important medical discoveries emerge from all corners of the world, and that regional perspectives on health challenges provide invaluable insights for global medicine.
For aspiring researchers, SUMEJ offers a model of how to conduct rigorous scientific inquiry while remaining responsive to local health needs. For the public, it represents a source of reliable medical information relevant to the Sumatran context. And for the global medical community, it provides a window into the health challenges and innovative solutions emerging from this diverse and dynamic region.
For those interested in exploring this research further, the complete Sumatera Medical Journal is available through the TALENTA Publisher platform at Universitas Sumatera Utara, featuring free access to all articles and submission guidelines for potential authors.