WORLDWIDE TRENDS IN THE SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC GOVERNANCE AND HEALTH SYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OF POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Abstract: The research conducted within this paper is set to identify worldwide scientific trends and assess the overall production of the relationship between public governance and health systems. The methodological credentials are based on scientometric analysis, implying the “R-bibliometrix” package, using the bibliometrix R-Tool to visualise the existing knowledge networks and to measure the quality and quantity of the selected and included documents. Moreover, we applied the main features of R-biliometrix, namely annual scientific production, specific research themes and documents trends, sources, and authors, with a keen focus on the clustering technique. The bibliographic data were selected and retrieved through the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoS), resulting in a final sample of 313 relevant articles published during the lapse of time between 2018-2022. Results indicate two major areas of countries’ networks, respectively collaboration and production networks, with a significant level of interaction between countries worldwide and close groups of knowledge at the European Union level, along with the highest level of scientific author production between different countries around the world. Moreover, the results suggest that the governance of health systems is a solid field of research and the most important themes identified are related to the specific subject of financing the health system, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, implying the need for adequate regulations and effective public policies to further sustain public health. Moreover, the results reveal that many authors and international institutions express a greater interest in the public governance of health systems. Ultimately, the all-embracing impact of research trends regarding the relationship between public governance and health systems is beneficial, our results leading to an upsizing of future research assistance by providing a worldwide framework related to the governance of health systems within the EU.