Tracing Economic Shocks: A Bibliometric Analysis of Historical Pandemics and Their Impact

Abstract

The economic impact of historical pandemics encompasses significant disruptions to productivity, trade, labor markets, and wealth distribution, resulting in long-term transformations in economic structures and societal resilience. This bibliometric analysis, conducted using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer software with data from the Scopus database, examines research from 1991 to 2023. The analysis highlights an increasing trend in annual scientific production, with a notable surge following the COVID-19 pandemic. Prominent authors and sources, such as PLOS ONE, play a central role in disseminating key findings. Countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and China dominate scientific output and collaborations, emphasizing their leadership in pandemic research. Keyword trends reveal a shift towards contemporary issues like "COVID-19," "health economics," and "pandemics," reflecting the field's responsiveness to global challenges. The thematic map categorizes research into motor, basic, niche, and emerging themes, showcasing the interdisciplinary scope of this field. Co-occurrence analysis identifies clusters of socio-economic, health, and historical themes, highlighting their interconnected nature. Citation analysis underscores the influence of recent works addressing the COVID-19 pandemic's global impact. Furthermore, international collaborations have intensified, signifying the global commitment to understanding and mitigating pandemics' economic consequences. This analysis offers critical insights into the evolving landscape of pandemic research and its implications for future policy and interdisciplinary studies.