SCIENTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH ON TUBERCULOSIS IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN SOUTH AMERICA, 2013 - 2023

Objective: To describe the scientometric profile of scientific production related to tuberculosis in the homeless population in South America, offering a new perspective on the impact of this disease on this vulnerable population. Methods: This is a bibliographic research based on publications about tuberculosis (TB) in South America, indexed in PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS/Scielo, Web of Science, and embase databases, according to specific criteria, from 2013 to 2023. Data regarding authorship, publication source, collaboration networks, socioeconomic analysis, and term frequency were extracted and analyzed, with a focus on the conceptual structure of the studies. Bibliographic networks were built using the scientometric visualization software VOSviewer® 1.6.16, and data science tools were applied to the generated spreadsheets for the consolidation of the final dataset. Results: A total of 82 publications were included in the study and analyzed according to the established inclusion criteria. Among these, an annual average of 48.6 citations per publication on tuberculosis in the homeless population in South America was observed. Conclusion: The study highlights the still limited number of studies focused on tuberculosis in this specific population. Despite advancements in scientific production, there is a concentration of publication origins in geographical areas with lower disease endemicity. These results point to the need for greater investment aimed at understanding, monitoring, and controlling tuberculosis. The analysis of bibliographic production plays a strategic role in strengthening scientific development and planning disease control programs in vulnerable populations.