First Systematic Review on Health Communication Using the CiteSpace Software in China: Exploring Its Research Hotspots and Frontiers

Qiong Dang, Zhongming Luo, Chuhao Ouyang and Lin Wang
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Qiong Dang: Climate and Health Communication Research Center, School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Zhongming Luo: Climate and Health Communication Research Center, School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Chuhao Ouyang: Climate and Health Communication Research Center, School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Lin Wang: Climate and Health Communication Research Center, School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-25

Abstract: Since the 1970s, health communication (HC) has attracted widespread attention from practitioners and researchers in various fields in China, leading to the production of a vast array of literature. In order to reveal the current state, popular themes, and research frontiers of HC research, this study employed the CiteSpace software to conduct a comprehensive review based on 1505 HC publications from 1992 to 2021 retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. The results demonstrated that (1) the number of HC publications has experienced an annual increase over the past 20 years, albeit with certain inverted S-shaped fluctuations and (2) the most prolific authors mainly included Wang L.Y., Zhang Z.L., and Wang Y.L., while well-known universities played a leading role in HC research in China. A significant finding was that a stable core group of authors or institutional has been not formed in the HC field. Furthermore, (3) research hotspots included health education, new media, health literacy, health information, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine (AHVM), the doctor–patient relationship, and public health emergencies. Additionally, the development of the field could be divided into four stages, indicating a significant shift in HC research from focusing on medicine and public health issues towards communication issues. Finally, (4) new research frontiers have mainly included the WeChat official account and Health China.

Keywords: health communication; CiteSpace; research hotspots; development process; research frontier; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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