Bibliometric analysis of global health data breaches over two decades

This bibliometric analysis reveals significant trends in medical data breach research, highlighting publication growth, subject-area distribution, leading authors and institutions, geographical contributions, and thematic evolution. From 2002 to 2024, research activity surged notably after 2013, peaking in 2015, coinciding with major healthcare data breaches that heightened academic and professional interest. While publication rates stabilized post-2016, a modest increase in 2024 suggests continued relevance due to evolving cybersecurity threats and emerging technologies like Blockchain. The research focus has shifted towards technological solutions such as Blockchain, as demonstrated by studies like Khezr et al., which explored distributed ledger technologies for healthcare applications. The interdisciplinary nature of this field is evident, with Medicine (49.1%) leading, followed by Computer Science (14%) and Health Professions (9.6%). High-profile breaches, such as the 2024 Cencora cyberattack and the 2020 Dr. Reddy's Laboratories breach, underscore the need for robust security frameworks. Business Management and Engineering perspectives offer valuable insights into risk mitigation and system vulnerabilities. A core group of prolific authors and institutions, such as the Regenstrief Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine, dominate research output. The United States leads global contributions (n = 1206), with significant engagement from India, the United Kingdom, and China. Keyword and co-citation analyses reveal a shift from foundational themes like electronic health records to emerging topics such as cybersecurity and digital health. The need for a multidisciplinary approach, integrating healthcare, engineering, and policy perspectives to enhance data security, is underscored by this study. Future research should explore emerging technologies, strengthen international collaborations, and address regulatory challenges to mitigate the impact of medical data breaches effectively.