A bibliometric analysis of digital literacy in healthcare
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/p1kfmx02Keywords:
Digital literacy, Health, Digital health, Bibliometric analysisAbstract
This study aims to elucidate the structure and development of the existing literature on digital literacy in healthcare through bibliometric analysis, with a particular emphasis on studies involving service users and patients. Although the search strategy incorporated terms related to service users and patients, the resulting dataset also encompassed studies involving other population groups, including healthcare professionals and students. A staged search of the Web of Science database, conducted on August 27, 2025, identified 720 publications from 2007 to 2025. Data were analyzed using the bibliometrix package and the biblioshiny web interface in RStudio. The analysis examined publication trends by year, influential journals, sources, and authors, frequently used keywords, and patterns of international collaboration. Findings revealed that the Journal of Medical Internet Research was the most influential journal, while Kayser L. and Mosch L. shared the highest h-index (h-index = 5). The three most frequently used keywords were telemedicine, digital health, and digital literacy. The results highlighted a gap in the literature regarding patients digital literacy and identified telemedicine, telehealth, COVID-19, and digital health as current research themes. Future studies are recommended to focus on the intersection of digital literacy, digital health, and patient-related topics.
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