Community-Based Palliative Care: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of Scientific Publications (2015-2025)

Community-based palliative care has been widely studied worldwide, yet the developmental trajectory of this field remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate current research focuses, emerging hotspots, and trends in community-based palliative care through bibliometric and visual analyses.

This study involved bibliometric analysis, combined with visual knowledge mapping of the retrieved literature. Data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection for publica1tions from 2015 to 2025. Bibliometric networks were visualized using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. The reporting framework for this study complies with the Preferred Reporting Items for Bibliometric Analysis guidelines.

Overall, 1,180 publications on community-based palliative care were examined. Annual publication output showed a continuous upward trend, with the United States contributing the largest number of publications (330 articles). The institution with the highest research output was the University of Edinburgh. BMC Palliative Care was the most productive journal. Four core research topics were identified: (a) community-based palliative care services and practice; (b) palliative care and health outcomes among older adults with chronic diseases in the community; (c) advance care planning and decision-making; and (d) barriers to and training in palliative care among community health workers.

Publications on community-based palliative care have increased steadily since 2015, indicating growing academic interest in the field. The United States and Western Europe lead this domain, supported by strong presence of prominent researchers and leading research institutions. Several cohesive, high-output author groups have emerged, reflecting the development of well-connected research collaborations. Although existing research primarily centers on four core topics, "interviews," "framework," "family physicians," "lung," and "dementia" may represent emerging research frontiers.