Global cervical cancer research: A scientometric density equalizing mapping and socioeconomic analysis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Bibliometrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Cervical cancer remains a significant global health burden, particularly in low-income nations, despite advances in its diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
• Existing studies lack a comprehensive analysis of the worldwide research landscape concerning cervical cancer.
• This study aims to map the global scientific output and research productivity related to cervical cancer.

Observation:

• A systematic review of the Web of Science database identified 22,185 articles on cervical cancer published since 1900.
• The United States leads in absolute research output, followed by China and Japan.
• When normalized by population, Sweden, Austria, and Norway show the highest research activity. Per annual case, Scandinavian and Alpine countries, along with the Netherlands, lead.
• Geographic visualization reveals significant underrepresentation of research from Africa and South America.

Findings:

• Global cervical cancer research output shows a continuous upward trend.
• Research productivity is notably imbalanced across different countries and regions.
• High-income nations dominate both absolute and relative research contributions.

Implications:

• The findings highlight disparities in global cervical cancer research participation.
• There is a need to enhance global and public health aspects within cervical carcinoma research.
• Empowering more countries to participate in international research collaborations is essential to address global health inequities in cervical cancer research.