Community-Based Interventions (CBIs) for improving quality of life in rural settings in North America

Community-based interventions (CBIs) play a vital role in improving quality of life in rural areas of North America by addressing localized challenges such as healthcare access, economic opportunity, and social inclusion. Despite the growing significance of this field, existing research remains fragmented across disciplines, highlighting the need for a systematic and comprehensive analysis of current trends, gaps, and future directions. This study employs a bibliometric approach to quantitatively map the research landscape of CBIs related to quality of life. Publications were retrieved from the Scopus database, covering the period from 2000 to 2024. A total of 512 records were analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. Co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, timeline, and burst detection analyses were conducted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the field's intellectual structure and evolution. The findings indicate a steadily expanding body of research, with the United States accounting for over half of the total number of publications and playing a significant role in this area. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health emerged as the most influential publication source. Keyword analysis reveals a strong focus on health-related outcomes, particularly health promotion, adult populations, and gender-specific health issues, underscoring the central role of individual-level health interventions within rural contexts. Over time, research has evolved from predominantly descriptive and observational studies toward more applied, community-engaged, and impact-driven approaches. This shift reflects an increasing emphasis on translating research into practice and addressing real-world challenges in rural communities. Despite this progress, the field would benefit from greater integration, cross-sector collaboration, and systematic synthesis to enhance its overall impact and policy relevance. • First bibliometric study on CBIs improving rural quality of life in North America. • Analyzed 512 publications (2000–2024) using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. • United States leads in publications and global collaboration on rural health CBIs. • Research focus shifting from theory to applied, community-driven approaches. • Emphasizes cross-sector collaboration and integration for greater policy impact.