Research trends and key contributors in studies on influenza vaccines for children: A 20-year bibliometric analysis

Globally, there are over 3 million severe cases of influenza each year, leading to up to half a million deaths. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the current status of children's influenza vaccine research over the past 20 years and explores potential future research trends, including improvements in vaccine coverage and strategies to address vaccine hesitancy. We extracted all research data on children's influenza vaccines from 2004 to 2024 using the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The contributions of various countries/regions, institutions, authors, and journals in this field were assessed, and research hotspots as well as promising future trends were predicted through keyword analysis using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. A total of 2,598 related publications from 2004 to 2024 were identified and collected for analysis. The United States (USA) and England emerged as the leading contributors with the highest number of published papers. AstraZeneca was identified as a key leader among research institutions, and Ambrose Christopher S was recognized as the most productive author in this field. The journals Vaccine and Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics stood out as the most prominent publications in this area. The keyword analysis highlighted that international research collaboration maybe a promising strategy for bridging global gaps; Addressing vaccine hesitancy could potentially increase vaccination coverage; Live attenuated vaccines, intranasal administration and universal vaccines are promising directions for future development. These insights highlight potential avenues for improving influenza vaccine coverage and inform strategies to mitigate vaccine hesitancy, crucial for protecting children and enhancing public health.