en |
Mapping the dengue scientific landscape worldwide: a bibliometric and network analysis
Mota, Fabio Batista; Fonseca, Bruna de Paula Fonseca e; Galina, Andréia Cristina & Silva, Roseli Monteiro da
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the current global trend of reduction in the morbidity and mortality of neglected diseases, dengue’s
incidence has increased and occurrence areas have expanded. Dengue also persists as a scientific and technological challenge
since there is no effective treatment, vaccine, vector control or public health intervention. Combining bibliometrics and social
network analysis methods can support the mapping of dengue research and development (R&D) activities worldwide.
OBJECTIVES The aim of this paper is to map the scientific scenario related to dengue research worldwide.
METHODS We use scientific publication data from Web of Science Core Collection - articles indexed in Science Citation Index
Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) - and combine bibliometrics and social network analysis techniques to identify the most relevant
journals, scientific references, research areas, countries and research organisations in the dengue scientific landscape.
FINDINGS Our results show a significant increase of dengue publications over time; tropical medicine and virology as the most
frequent research areas and biochemistry and molecular biology as the most central area in the network; USA and Brazil as the
most productive countries; and Mahidol University and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz as the main research organisations and the
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention as the most central organisation in the collaboration network.
MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our findings can be used to strengthen a global knowledge platform guiding policy, planning and funding
decisions as well as to providing directions to researchers and institutions. So that, by offering to the scientific community,
policy makers and public health practitioners a mapping of the dengue scientific landscape, this paper has aimed to contribute to
upcoming debates, decision-making and planning on dengue R&D and public health strategies worldwide.
Keywords
dengue; scientific publications; scientific landscape; bibliometrics; social network analysis
|