Global Trends and Evidence Gaps in Medical Errors Research: A Mixed-Methods Scientometrics Study.

BACKGROUND

Medical errors represent a critical challenge to global healthcare systems, ranking among the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to explore the evolution, characteristics, and correlation of research on medical errors and global health and research indicators.

METHODS

A mixed-methods scientometrics study was conducted to analyse publications from 1865 to 2024 on medical errors from five databases. Correlational analyses were performed, focusing on publication trends, geographic and economic disparities, journal metrics, and thematic evolution. Multiple regression assessed relationships between bibliometric metrics and global indicators.

RESULTS

Five thousand seven hundred thirty-two publications related to medical errors were analysed. An annual growth rate of 1.49% was documented, with high-income countries contributing 83.32% of publications. The Americas accounted for the highest regional output, while Africa and Southeast Asia showed marginal contributions. Most studies were published in high-impact journals (46% in Q1), but only 22.98% were open access. Thematic analysis revealed a transition from error reporting to mitigation strategies. Correlations showed strong associations between intellectual property fees and publication volume (r²=0.75; p<0.001), while official development assistance negatively correlated with publication output (r²=-0.33; p<0.01). Disability-adjusted life years showed weak correlations with publication volume (r²=0.32; p<0.01) and journal impact (r²=0.14; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study highlights significant inequities in global research on medical errors, with high-income countries dominating production. While thematic shifts suggest advancements in the field, the lack of representation from low- and middle-income countries and limited access to open-access publications pose barriers to global applicability.