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Insight into global research on health literacy and heart diseases: A bibliometric analysis
Le Duc Huy1, Nguyen L T Truong2,3, Nhi Y Hoang4
1Health Personnel Training Institute, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue, Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam.
Insights
This study reveals that most research on health literacy and heart disease is concentrated in developed nations, with a need for more studies in developing countries and on less common heart conditions. The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) is emerging as a key tool.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Bibliometrics
Background:
- Health literacy (HL) is crucial for managing heart disease burden.
- A comprehensive global overview of HL and heart disease research is lacking.
- This study analyzes the intellectual structure, trends, and gaps in this research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the intellectual landscape of health literacy and heart disease research.
- To identify research trends and emerging patterns.
- To pinpoint research gaps and explore commonly used health literacy assessment tools.
Main Methods:
- Bibliometric analysis of publications from Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed (2000-2021).
- Keyword searches included general and specific heart diseases and health literacy.
- Data analysis utilized the Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer.
Main Results:
- 388 articles were analyzed, primarily from the United States and developed countries.
- Heart failure and ischemic heart diseases dominated the research landscape.
- Interventional studies were limited; common HL tools included TOFHLA, STOFHLA, BHLS, with a growing trend in eHEALS.
Conclusions:
- Research on health literacy and heart disease is concentrated in developed nations.
- There is a need for more studies in developing countries and on diverse heart conditions.
- Development of heart disease-specific HL scales is recommended for practice and research.
Background:
Health literacy (HL) has shown its important role on reducing the burden of heart diseases. However, no study has provided a comprehensive worldwide view of the data regarding HL and heart diseases. The study aimed to provide insight into: (1) the intellectual structure, (2) research trends, and (3) research gaps on HL and heart diseases; and (4) to explore HL scales commonly utilized in heart studies.
Materials And Methods:
Studies related to HL and heart diseases were retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. All publications published between 2000 and 2021 were included after conducting keyword searches on "heart diseases" in general or on specific types of heart diseases (e.g., "heart failure") and "health literacy". Bibliometric analyses were carried out using the Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer 1.6.14.
Findings:
A total of 388 original research articles and reviews on HL and heart diseases were included in our study. The studies were primarily conducted in the United States and developed countries. A total of 337 studies (86.9%) focused on heart failure (200 studies, 51.5%) and ischemic heart diseases (137 studies, 35.3%). Sixty-two studies (16.0%) focused on other heart diseases (e.g., valvular diseases and rheumatic heart diseases). The number of interventional studies was limited (52 studies, 13.4%) and fluctuated from 2000 to 2021. The most common questionnaires measuring health literacy among patients with heart diseases were the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA), Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA), and Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS). Use of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) has become the latest trend among patients with heart diseases.
Conclusion:
Health literacy and heart diseases were most often studied in the United States and developed countries. Several HL tools were used; eHEALS has been lately used in this field. These findings suggest the need to conduct more empirical studies on HL and heart diseases in different settings (e.g., developing or poor countries) and with different types of heart diseases (e.g., valvular and rheumatic disorders). Additionally, it is necessary to develop heart disease-specified HL scales for research and practice.
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