DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/jekk.v11i4.32256

Evolution of Social Determinants of Health in Global Epidemiology A Bibliometric Study, 2016–2026

*Jumriyanti Nasaru scopus  -  Medical Informatics Study Program, University of Muhammadiyah Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia, Indonesia
Muhajir Yunus  -  Medical Informatics Study Program, University of Muhammadiyah Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia, Indonesia
Ratri Yasmin  -  Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia, Indonesia
Received: 19 May 2026; Revised: 7 Aug 2026; Accepted: 21 Aug 2026; Available online: 7 Nov 2026; Published: 7 Nov 2026.

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Abstract

Background: The health degree gap at the global level is heavily influenced by the structural social conditions in which a person lives and thrives. The social determinant of health (SDH), which includes the economic and educational dimensions, has been shown to be a fundamental predictor of the distribution of population health. Although scientific production in this field continues to grow, bibliometric mapping that specifically analyzes the evolution of SDH research in the period 2016–2026 is still very limited.

Methods: This mixed-methods study combines bibliometric analysis and a qualitative Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to examine Social Determinants of Health (SDH) in global epidemiology (2016–2026). Phase 1 analyzes metadata from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny. Phase 2 employs the PRISMA 2020 framework, filtering 309 journals down to a final corpus of 10 journals. process.

Result: Fourthematic clusters were identified, including measures of inequality by socioeconomic status, urban-rural health decomposition, racial and gender moderation, and liberal versus structural paradigm debates. The temporal map shows a shift in research orientation from quantifying inequality in 2016–2018 to an integrative-conceptual approach in 2022–2026.

Conclusion: Economic and educational factors are consistently confirmed as the main determinants of health disparities between countries. The future research agenda requires more systematic international collaboration and structural approaches in public health policy design.

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Keywords: Social determinants of health ; Bibliometrics ; Social epidemiology ; Health inequalities ; Socioeconomic status

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