A bibliometric analysis of primary health care publication trends in the Asia-Pacific region from 2011 to 2023

Background: Emphasis on primary health care (PHC) is the most efficient and economical approach to achieving universal health coverage, and should serve as its foundation. The aim of the study is to examine academic publications from 2011 to 2023 in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) using the Web of Science (WoS) subject category of PHC. Methods: Academic papers in the WoS PHC category published in the APR from 2011 to 2023 were retrieved and analyzed, including papers published in the Science Citation Index-Expanded and the Social Science Citation Index. Results: A total of 5172 papers were published in the WoS PHC category from APR onwards. The annual number of publications and their citations increased from 2011 to 2023. Australia led PHC publications in the APR with 3918 publications (75.75% of APR regional output). New Zealand had the highest number of citations per paper (14.54) and the highest mean impact factor (3.25 ± 1.70). Publications in the WoS PHC category also covered a wide range of topics, including Medicine General Internal (70.86%), Health Care Sciences Services (18.10%), Health Policy Services (17.67%), and Public Environmental Occupational Health (17.67%), demonstrating the breadth of PHC research. Conclusion: The annual number of publications and their citations in the WoS PHC category from the APR increased from 2011 to 2023. Australia and New Zealand have a significant presence in the PHC publications in the APR.