Abstract
BackgroundDuring uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively improving people’s health literacy is more important than ever. Drawing knowledge maps of health literacy research through data mining and visualized measurement technology helps systematically present the research status and development trends in global academic circles.MethodsThis paper uses CiteSpace to carry out a metric analysis of 9,492 health literacy papers included in Web of Science through mapping knowledge domains. First, based on the production theory of scientific knowledge and the data mining of citations, the main bodies (country, institution and author) that produce health literacy knowledge as well as their mutual cooperation (collaboration network) are both clarified. Additionally, based on the quantitative framework of cocitation analysis, this paper introduces the interdisciplinary features, development trends and hot topics of the field. Finally, by using burst detection technology in the literature, it further reveals the research frontiers of health literacy.ResultsThe results of the BC measures of the global health literacy research collaboration network show that the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are the major forces in the current international collaboration network on health literacy. There are still relatively very few transnational collaborations between Eastern and Western research institutions. Collaborations in public environmental occupational health, health care science services, nursing and health policy services have been active in the past five years. Research topics in health literacy research evolve over time, mental health has been the most active research field in recent years.ConclusionsA systematic approach is needed to address the challenges of health literacy, and the network framework of cooperation on health literacy at regional, national and global levels should be strengthened to further promote the application of health literacy research. In the future, we anticipate that this research field will expand in two directions, namely, mental health literacy and eHealth literacy, both of which are closely linked to social development and issues. The results of this study provide references for future applied research in health literacy.
Highlights
Health literacy is a concept that is constantly being developed
The results of the betweenness centrality (BC) measures of the global health literacy research collaboration network show that the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are the major forces in the current international collaboration network on health literacy
We anticipate that this research field will expand in two directions, namely, mental health literacy and electronic health (eHealth) literacy, both of which are closely linked to social development and issues
Summary
Health literacy is a concept that is constantly being developed. In recent years, governments, health professionals and researchers have paid increasing attention to it, and at the 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion in 2005, it was listed as the core topic [1]. Evidence supports that increasing age, low educational attainment, disadvantaged socioeconomic status and poor reading level are the main barriers to health literacy. In addition to other socioeconomic issues, the literature shows that people with low levels of health literacy around the world have a misunderstanding of health information in English [4]. In contrast to developed areas that are actively exploring interventions to improve people’s health literacy, the relevant research in some developing countries is still in its infancy. These countries are faced with great challenges in terms of providing health services to disadvantaged groups with low literacy rates and low socioeconomic status [6]. Improving health literacy is an urgent need to facilitate and achieve the health-related United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Drawing knowledge maps of health literacy research through data mining and visualized measurement technology helps systematically present the research status and development trends in global academic circles
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