Mapping the knowledge structure and trends in Australian Indigenous health and wellbeing research from 2003 to 2022: a scientometric analysis

Abstract

The health and wellbeing of Australian Indigenous peoples is a nationally sanctioned priority, but despite this, few studies have comprehensively analyzed the features and characteristics of the research in the field. In this regard, a comprehensive scientometric analysis and knowledge mapping to systematically summarize and discuss the current state of research, research trends, and emerging areas of research were conducted. Original articles and reviews published between 2003 and 2022 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to perform scientometric analysis and knowledge mapping. An examination of document and citation trends, authors, institutions, countries/regions, journals, and keywords was untaken, while co-citation, co-occurrence, and burst analysis provide insights and future development in this area. A total of 2,468 documents in this field were retrieved. A gradual increase in the number of documents over the past two decades is observed, with the number of documents doubling every ~7.5 years. Author Thompson SC and Charles Darwin University published the most documents, and 85.6% were affiliated with only Australian-based researchers. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health is the most prominent journal publishing in the field. The most commonly co-occurring keyword was “health,” and the keyword “risk” had the longest citation burst. Five keyword clusters were identified; “cultural safety” was the largest. This study articulates the knowledge structure of the research, revealing a shift from population-level and data-driven studies to more applied research that informs Indigenous peoples health and wellbeing. Based on this review, we anticipate emergent research areas to (1) reflect a more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional factors that shape Indigenous health and wellbeing; (2) move beyond a deficit-based perspective; (3) respect cultural protocols and protect the rights and privacy of Indigenous participants; (4) address racism and discrimination within the healthcare system; (5) foster respectful, equitable, and collaborative research practices with Indigenous peoples; (6) provide culturally appropriate and effective interventions for prevention, early intervention, and treatment; and (7) ensure equitable change in systems to enhance access, quality, and outcomes in health and wellbeing.