Analysis of co-authorship patterns in global e-health literacy research

Abstract

Rationale of the Study - This study investigated the co-authorship patterns in global research on e-health literacy, focusing on authors, countries, and organisations to reflect the participation of African researchers and their institutions in collaborative research on e-health literacy.
Methodology - The study period covered 2006 to 2024 and was based on publications retrieved from Scopus. VOSviewer was used to identify and map co-authored documents, uncovering valuable information about authorship.
Findings - From 2006 to 2024, a total of 7,887 authors wrote 2,027 documents on the subject, amounting to 415 authorships per annum. Leading countries in co-authorship include the US, Germany, Australia, and Canada. There were only 12 connected organisations, indicating room for growth in interinstitutional research partnerships. The University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, was the only African institution to have published four documents and established four collaborative links.
Implications - Expanding institutional partnerships, particularly with countries that have high research volumes, such as China, could help address the disparity between research quantity and citation impact. Promoting structured collaborations can facilitate resource sharing, diversify perspectives, and improve the overall quality and influence of research, driving innovation and advancing the field globally.
Originality - Many studies in this field focused on quantitative research, but this study deploys bibliometrics to reveal important insights. A unique finding of the study is a comparatively high volume of Chinese research. Conversely, previous studies have shown that China has a low research impact, highlighting disparities in global research influence.