Mapping research trends in shared decision-making for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a bibliometric study

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) requires continuous and complex decision-making, including treatment initiation, therapy intensification, and lifestyle considerations. Shared Decision-Making (SDM) is recommended to align clinical evidence with patients' values and contexts. However, scientific production on SDM in T2DM is fragmented across disciplines, making it challenging to identify conceptual evolution, intellectual influences, and implementation gaps.

We conducted a bibliometric analysis of publications on SDM in T2DM, indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, up to December 31, 2024. Records were deduplicated and screened; studies mentioning SDM only superficially or focusing on adjacent constructs (e.g., general patient education without explicit SDM analysis) were excluded. Data were analyzed using Bibliometrix (R) to explore productivity, collaboration, and thematic structures. Social networks (countries, institutions, authors) and intellectual networks (co-citation) were constructed, and a thematic map was generated using Callon's centrality and density.

A total of 272 documents (2000-2024) authored by 1,307 researchers from 412 institutions in 31 countries were included in this analysis. Publications increased at an annual rate of 14.5% and peaked in 2023. The United States led in output and collaborations, followed by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Mayo Clinic was the most productive institution (82 articles), while Montori VM was the most influential author. Core journals included Patient Education and Counseling and BMC Health Services Research. Core themes included patient decision aids and adherence, while emerging topics involved minimally disruptive medicine. Collaboration is concentrated in the Global North, with biases toward Anglo-European settings.

Research on SDM in T2DM is expanding but remains focused on Anglo-European contexts, with limited participation from the Global South. Strengthening global collaboration and addressing underrepresented perspectives are crucial to developing more inclusive, patient-centered SDM models for diabetes care.