Reconstruction of the Discourse on Influenza During Pandemics Between 1889 and 1980 in the Predecessor Journal of Swiss Medical Weekly - A Narrative Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Objectives: Understanding how discourse surrounding influenza pandemics evolves over time can reveal shifts in scientific and public health priorities. This study reconstructs such discourse between 1889 and 1981 by identifying and comparing key research themes and trends in articles in predecessor journals of Swiss Medical Weekly (SMW). Methods: A corpus of articles containing the terms “influenza,” “flu,” and “epidemic” from five pandemic periods was compiled. We conducted a keyword-based content analysis, categorizing articles into 31 sub-keywords within five broad categories, and comparing their frequencies. Co-occurrence maps were generated using VOSviewer, and relevant articles were closely read. Results: A total of 352 articles were identified, with the highest number published between 1918 and 1924. Most prevalent themes across all periods were “Epidemiology and disease dynamics,” “Complications,” and “Acute clinical manifestations and management.” A key shift in focus occurred with the introduction of influenza vaccination after the 1940s, as attention increasingly turned towards immunity and the role of vaccinations. Conclusion: Despite major medical developments, similar themes were seen across the observed pandemic periods in SMW. This study provides an important first step towards constructing such discourses.