TITLE:
A Bibliometric Analysis of Private vs Public Systems and Policy Implementation Regarding Universal Healthcare
AUTHORS:
Fatima Khan Lookmanji, Dhruva Bhat, Neha Darimadugu, Avigail Remias, Inaya Gill, Gianna Anguiano, Hermione Cordeiro Larkin, Michael Yan
KEYWORDS:
Bibliometrics, Top Papers, Public Healthcare, Private Healthcare, Policy, Affordability, Healthcare, Universal Healthcare, Insurance, Analysis, Socioeconomic, Comprehensive, Population
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.17 No.10,
October
21,
2025
ABSTRACT: Focusing on inclusivity and equity, universal healthcare investigates diverse dynamics influencing global health outcomes. This review analyzes the research on healthcare systems and the frequency of success of public and private policies around universal healthcare. Insights gained shed light on the impact of both public and private policies on global health coverage. Articles were obtained from the online database Web of Science, focusing on “public health systems” and “private health systems.” Articles were refined with keywords that are relevant to public, private, or hybrid healthcare models. From there, the top 100 most-cited articles published between 1998 and 2023 were selected. Using the Bibliometrix package to perform a bibliometric analysis, eligible studies were categorized by frequency of topic and distribution of articles related to universal healthcare across various countries. Of the top 100 most-cited papers, 16 were published in 2018 and 14 in 2019. Healthcare researchers published 9 papers in both 2017 and 2023. Countries like the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia were responsible for significant published research, with the USA leading in the top 100 most-cited healthcare studies with 30.6%. The data showcase similarities in the commitment to research regarding equitable healthcare services and practices across these higher-income countries. Common research elements include both public and private sector involvement, emphasizing preventive care, and efforts to achieve universal health coverage. However, specific approaches, funding mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks vary, reflecting each country’s unique healthcare systems and political contexts. With an overall increase in publications, higher-income countries contribute more top-cited papers than lower-income countries. More emphasis should be placed on healthcare research in lower-income countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia, India, Iran, and Brazil.