MAPPING SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON HEALTH INEQUALITY AND BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE LITERATURE

This study examines the current landscape of sociological research on health inequality and behavioral interventions within the social science literature. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted using established analytical tools, including VOSviewer, Biblioshiny (R-package), and Publish or Perish, based on data retrieved from the Scopus database. A total of over 533 peer-reviewed journal articles, published between 1978 and 2026, were systematically analyzed. The results indicate a consistent growth in scholarly output, with a marked increase in publications over the past decade, reflecting the rising academic and policy relevance of health inequality research. The findings reveal that health inequality has emerged as a central research domain in sociology and public health, with dominant themes such as health disparities, social determinants of health, socioeconomic inequality, access to health care, and behavioral risk factors frequently appearing in the literature. The most productive countries contributing to this field are the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, supported by leading academic institutions that shape the global research agenda. High-impact journals in sociology and health studies play a crucial role in disseminating influential research, indicating that this topic is well established within top-tier academic outlets. Moreover, the analysis highlights that while behavioral interventions are widely discussed, they are predominantly framed within broader structural and policy contexts, emphasizing that individual behavior change alone is insufficient to address persistent health inequalities. Despite the expanding body of literature, notable gaps remain, particularly in integrating intersectional perspectives and expanding empirical research in low- and middle-income countries. Overall, this study provides a systematic overview of research trends, thematic structures, and intellectual influences in sociological health inequality research, offering valuable insights for future studies and evidencebased policy development aimed at reducing health disparities.