Collaboration Network and Trends of Global Coronavirus Disease Research: A Scientometric Analysis

As a global pandemic threatens health and livelihoods, finding effective treatments has become a vital issue that requires worldwide collaboration. This study examines research collaboration and network profiles through a case study of coronavirus diseases, including both the extinct severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the emerging species (SARS-CoV-2). A scientometric process was designed to apply quantitative tools and a qualitative approach employing technological expertise to accomplish a three-level collaboration analysis. The text mining software, VantagePoint, was used to analyze research articles from the Web of Science database to identify the key national, organizational, and individual players in the coronavirus research field combined with indicators, namely, the breadth and depth of collaboration. The results show that China and the United States are at the center of coronavirus research networks at all three levels, including many endeavors involving single or joint entities. This study demonstrates how governments, public sectors, and private sectors, such as the pharmaceutical industry, can use scientometric analysis to gain insight into the holistic research trends and networks of players in this field, leading to the formulation of strategies to strengthen research and development programs. Furthermore, this approach can be utilized as a visualization and decision support tool for further policy planning, identification and execution of collaboration, and research exchange opportunities. This scientometric process should be directly applicable to other fields.