Systematic Mapping of Research on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Decennial Scientometric Analysis

Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) remain a significant public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The high burden of VPDs in this region necessitates the need for continued investigation and intervention. This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of research on VPDs in children...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chidozie Declan Iwu, Chinwe Iwu-Jaja, Anelisa Jaca, Charles Shey Wiysonge
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-09-01
Series:Vaccines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/9/1507
Description
Summary:Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) remain a significant public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The high burden of VPDs in this region necessitates the need for continued investigation and intervention. This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of research on VPDs in children in sub-Saharan Africa in the last 10 years to capture the current state of research in the field. This study used a systematic search for articles published between 2013 and 2022 in the Web of Science Core Collection database and, subsequently, scientometric techniques for data analyses and interpretation. Annual scientific production of publications on the research of VPDs in children in sub-Saharan Africa increased from 2013 to 2019 and then gradually declined. South Africa had the most VPD studies (<i>n</i> = 148; 16.2%), followed by Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, The Gambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, and the Republic of Congo. The <i>Vaccine</i> journal published the most. The <i>Pan African Medical Journal</i> was the most frequent destination journal based in Africa. The commonly studied pathogens were <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> and <i>Haemophilus influenzae</i>. Research productivity increased exponentially in the pre-COVID era and declined in the past two years, so more VPD research in this region is needed.
ISSN:2076-393X