Electronic cigarettes: Emerging trends and research hotspots.

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics
• Public Health
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Electronic cigarette research has grown exponentially.
• Bibliometric analysis, specifically co-word analysis, is used to identify trends.
• This study analyzes publication data from 2010 to 2018.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze emerging trends and research hotspots in electronic cigarette studies.
• To identify continuously developing core topics.
• To suggest future research directions based on identified gaps.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis using co-word analysis.
• Biclustering analysis, strategic diagram analysis, and social network analysis.
• Extraction and comparison of research hotspots across three time periods (2010-2018).

Main Results:

• Core topics include tobacco use cessation devices, adverse effects, smoking prevention, e-cigarette economics, and public health.
• Emerging areas for future research include tobacco use disorder, adolescent psychology and behavior, nicotine toxicity, and e-cigarette legislation.
• Analysis identified immature topics and emerging hotspots for future investigation.

Conclusions:

• Immature topics and emerging hotspots identified through bibliometric analysis can guide future research.
• The study highlights the dynamic nature of electronic cigarette research.
• Recommendations are provided for future research directions in the field.