A Scientometric Analysis of the Global Epidemiology of Childhood Vaccine Hesitancy Among Turkish Parents.

Objective: Vaccine hesitancy among parents is a significant threat to global health, contributing to the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Understanding the global epidemiology of childhood vaccine hesitancy is crucial for developing effective strategies to address the sustainable development of immunity systems. In this study, our scientometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of childhood vaccine hesitancy research in Turkey from 2014 to 2024.

Methods: The PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were used to retrieve all related publications. The bibliometrix R-package, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer were applied to collect information on annual citations and publications, notable journals and authors, the most productive countries and organizations, popular topics, and keywords.

Results: A total of 1850 publications were retrieved. The publication output showed a gradual upward trend from 2014 to 202. The most-cited paper was a review article that was published in 2021. According to the analysis results, Turkey was the most prolific contributor to this research area. The closest collaboration was observed between Turkish institutions and international organizations. The journal "Journal of Pediatric Vaccines and Immunization" published the most papers. The most frequently used keywords were "vaccine hesitancy," "childhood vaccines," "immunization," "parental attitudes," and so on.

Conclusion: Childhood vaccine hesitancy significantly impacts public health efforts in Turkey. However, many studies focus on theoretical aspects, with fewer empirical studies addressing practical interventions. The scientometric analysis offers researchers a clear picture of the current state of research and emerging trends in this field. From our study, researchers may identify key areas that merit further investigation and development.