Bibliometric Analysis of Social Network of Older Adults

This study attempted to comprehensively analyze the research trends on the social network of older adults using the bibliometric analysis. Literature was collected using Web of Science database and the number of published papers by year was analyzed. Citation analysis by country and research institution, keyword, and cluster analysis was conducted through VOSviewer. The results were displayed through a visualization map. A total of 3,660 papers were published from 1982 to August 2022, and the number of papers published by year showed an increasing trend. Research on social networks of older adults was most active in the field of Gerontology and Geriatrics. The Journal of Gerontology series B Psychological Science and Social Sciences published the most papers. As a result of citation analysis by country and institution, it was found that research on social networks of older adults was most actively conducted in the United States and had the biggest influence. Top five keywords included health(1,114 times), support(707 times), loneliness(459 times), social support(359 times), and adults(281 times). The top 100 keywords were classified into a total of four clusters. Through the results of this study, it is hoped that the importance of social networks for older adults will be recalled for preventive reasons. Also, this study will help to prepare systems and interventions to maintain the network of older adults which shrinks as one ages.