Global research trends of virtual simulation technology in public health education and training: A visual analysis based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer

Background: In response to global health challenges, implementing innovative educational strategies is crucial for preparing public health professionals with the required skills. This study employed CiteSpace and VOSviewer to visually analyze 3 decades of research on virtual simulation technology in public health education and training. The visual knowledge map created aimed to uncover the research trends, key areas of interest, and emerging frontiers in this domain.

Methods: Leveraging the Web of Science core collection database and employing bibliometric methods, the CiteSpace and VOSviewer softwares were used to analyze the annual publication, literature distribution, country/institution distribution, author distribution, co-cited literature, and keywords related to the virtual simulation technology in public health education and training over the past 30 years. A visual map was then created.

Results: A total of 1241 research articles were involved in the analysis. The yearly publication count and citations had an overall upward trend, with a significant increase in the number of publications since 2019. The studies in this domain are mainly concentrated in developed countries, particularly in Europe and the United States. The United States emerged as the frontrunner in terms of the number of publications, while both the United Kingdom and the United States exhibited the highest mediation centrality and exerted the greatest international influence. Harvard University made the most substantial contribution with 50 articles and exhibited an institutional cooperation centrality of 0.12. The paper entitled "Using thematic analysis in psychology" had the highest number of citations (28). The primary research hotspots included disaster medicine, telehealth, and virtual reality, while aspects such as digital health, augmented reality, and serious games had consistent continuity. An emerging research frontier, Post-2020, included several topics such as medicine, COVID-19, quality, virtual learning, rehabilitation, depression, and strategy.

Conclusion: This study presents the inaugural comprehensive analysis of global trends, hotspots, frontiers, and advancements in the implementation of virtual simulation technology in public health education and training, utilizing CiteSpace and VOSviewer software. The research findings reveal a significant surge in publications since 2019, with a particular emphasis on disaster medicine, telehealth, and virtual reality, indicating the versatility and promise of virtual simulation in the changing educational environments. These findings emphasize the significance of virtual simulation as a dynamic and progressive tool in public health education, proposing a promising direction for future research and practical applications.