Diabetes and Self-Management: A Bibliometric Investigation and Future Research Directions

Diabetes mellitus poses a significant global health challenge, affecting over 422million individuals worldwide and is projected to become the seventh leading cause of death if current trends persist. Managing diabetes effectively is crucial to mitigate its complications, including kidney disease, strokes, heart failure, and visual impairment. Effective self-management plays a crucial role in managing diabetes and also helps reduce the burden on healthcare systems. With technological advancements, self-management has evolved, incorporating tools such as continuous glucose monitoring devices and mobile applications. However, individual and social factors can pose barriers to effective self-management. The Scopus database was used to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of diabetes and self-management research between 2013 and 2023. The analysis examines publication trends, author contributions, geographic distribution, citation impact, and keyword occurrences. While the study provides valuable insights, it acknowledges limitations such as database selection and time frame restriction. Future research could explore additional databases and include a broader time span for a more comprehensive analysis. Overall, this study contributes to understanding the landscape of diabetes self-management research and provides direction for future studies and policy initiatives to improve diabetes care globally.