学術集会における一般演題応募資格要件を緩和したことによる演題応募数と入会者数への影響

Impact of Attenuating Requirements for Abstract Submission to a Scientific Meeting on the Number of Submissions and New Association Membership

要旨

　看護系学会が学術集会で演題を募集する際，共同演者を会員のみとすることが多い．本研究の目的は，この会員要件を緩和することによる演題数，入会者数，収入への影響を定量化することである．実際に要件を緩和した一学術集会の筆頭演者を対象にWeb調査を行い，もし要件緩和が無かった場合の演題応募状況と，各演者の入会状況を尋ねた．64の有効回答があり（有効回答率86％），うち19演題（30％）の演者は要件緩和が無ければ応募していなかった．共同演者164名中20名は，要件緩和が無ければ入会していた．要件緩和により，入会者数は11名減少し，学術集会参加者数は40名増加し，学会の単年度収入は358,900円増加した．共同演者を非会員可とすることは，学術集会を盛会にすることと会計的な意味とで有用と考えられた．本論文は一学会の貴重な経験の記録であるとともに，根拠に基づく学会運営に向けた一方法を提案する．

　Many scientific associations hold annual meetings to which they invite the submission of abstracts. Most nursing associations require all co-presenters of an abstract to be association members. This study aimed to quantify the impact of waiving this requirement on the number of submissions, the number of new members, and the association's revenue. We conducted a web-based questionnaire survey of first presenters of a meeting with the attenuation concerning their likely intention to submit if attenuation had not been implemented. The questionnaire was answered by 64 (86%) first presenters, who had 164 co-presenters. Nineteen abstracts (30%) would not have been submitted if not under attenuation. In contrast, 20 non-member co-presenters would have become members if not under attenuation. The estimated impact of attenuation was a decrease in the number of newly joining association members of 11 and an increase in meeting attendance of 40 attendees. Accordingly, the association's revenue was estimated to have increased by 358,900 yen on a single-year basis. Attenuation was considered effective with regard to both the association's finances and the meeting's success. This paper describes this important experience and suggests the merit of evidence-based association administration.