Mapping the Scientific Landscape of tribal health in India: A Bibliometric Analysis

Mapping the Scientific Landscape of tribal health in India: A Bibliometric Analysis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Systematic Review Mapping the Scientific Landscape of tribal health in India: A Bibliometric Analysis Sudip Bhattacharya, Alok Singh, Akanksha Singh This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7601643/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This bibliometric analysis maps the scientific landscape of tribal health research in India over a 40-year period (1984–2024), using data from the SCOPUS database. A total of 4035 peer-reviewed articles were included after applying rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study employs Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to analyze annual trends, contributing authors and institutions, keyword co-occurrences, thematic evolution, and collaboration networks. The results indicate a significant increase in publication volume post-2010, driven predominantly by Indian authors and institutions such as the Indian Council of Medical Research. The most researched themes include traditional medicine, ethnobotany, vector-borne diseases, and public health. However, there is a notable underrepresentation of mental health, gender-based research, and non-communicable diseases despite their rising prevalence in tribal populations. Social and institutional collaboration networks reveal predominantly national partnerships, with limited global engagement. The intellectual structure is heavily influenced by ethnopharmacological and biomedical research, while conceptual mapping shows that several core themes remain underdeveloped. The discussion critically evaluates these findings using theoretical frameworks such as the Health Belief Model, Social Ecological Model, and Diffusion of Innovations theory, identifying major gaps in participatory research, interdisciplinary approaches, and translational impact. This study underscores the urgent need to shift from descriptive to interventional research, expand international collaborations, and integrate social sciences for a more holistic understanding of tribal health. These insights are essential for aligning future research priorities with public health needs and achieving equitable healthcare delivery for India’s tribal communities. India Indigenous Peoples Public Health Ethnopharmacology Bibliometrics Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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