Comparative bibliometric study of mental health research trends during COVID-19, Mpox, dengue, and Ebola outbreaks infectious diseases

As the prevalence of mental health issues continues to rise, the impact of widespread diseases on mental health has garnered increasing attention. This study employs bibliometric analysis to evaluate the state of research on mental health concerns associated with four infectious diseases: COVID-19, mpox, dengue fever, and Ebola. Utilizing Citespace, we conducted an in-depth analysis encompassing publication trends, author networks, institutional affiliations, and international collaborations, alongside themes in references and keywords. Our findings reveal that each of these diseases has significantly affected mental health over the last two decades. Notably, the volume of mental health literature related to COVID-19 far surpasses that of the other diseases, with 34 833 documents compared to 36 for mpox, 62 for dengue, and 279 for Ebola. The United States emerges as the most influential country in this field. International cooperation during infectious diseases was not strong, and the contribution of low-middle income countries was lower than that of high income countries. Our research underscores the growing societal relevance of mental health, influenced by factors including social distancing and mortality due to these diseases. Looking ahead, there is a crucial need for enhanced international cooperation and a focused attention on the mental health of vulnerable populations during pandemics.