{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T14:50:59Z","timestamp":1774363859285,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,16]],"date-time":"2020-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1579132800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["71771077"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["71771077"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["71771075"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["71771075"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Entropy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In order to explore the knowledge base, research hotspot, development status, and future research direction of healthcare research based on information theory and complex science, a total of 3031 literature data samples from the core collection of Web of Science from 2003 to 2019 were selected for bibliometric analysis. HistCite, CiteSpace, Excel, and other analytical tools were used to deeply analyze and visualize the temporal distribution, spatial distribution, knowledge evolution, literature co-citation, and research hotspots of this field. This paper reveals the current development of healthcare research field based on information theory and science of complexity, analyzes and discusses the research hotspots and future development that trends in this field, and provides important knowledge support for researchers in this field for further relevant research.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/e22010109","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,17]],"date-time":"2020-01-17T04:14:41Z","timestamp":1579234481000},"page":"109","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Visual Analysis on Information Theory and Science of Complexity Approaches in Healthcare Research"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"given":"Xiaoyu","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"The Department of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7453-9226","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wang","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yongzhong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Department of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Qin","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The School of Foreign Studies, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xuejie","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kaixiang","family":"Su","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3557-009X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dongxiao","family":"Gu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2016.01.001","article-title":"Health literacy: Applying current concepts to improve health services and reduce health inequalities","volume":"132","author":"Batterham","year":"2016","journal-title":"Public Health"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rogers, E.M., and Valente, T.W. (2017). A history of information theory in communication research. Between Communication and Information, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781351294720-2"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1297","DOI":"10.1080\/00207543.2016.1201604","article-title":"An event-driven manufacturing information system architecture for Industry 4.0","volume":"55","author":"Theorin","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Prod. Res."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"483","DOI":"10.1016\/j.im.2004.02.004","article-title":"Planning for IS applications: A practical, information theoretical method and case study in mobile financial services","volume":"42","author":"Peffers","year":"2005","journal-title":"Inf. Manag."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1540-6520.2008.00288.x","article-title":"Advancing strategic entrepreneurship research: The role of complexity science in shifting the paradigm","volume":"33","author":"Schindehutte","year":"2009","journal-title":"Entrep. Theory Pract."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"307","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-publhealth-031912-114421","article-title":"Lessons from complex interventions to improve health","volume":"36","author":"Hawe","year":"2015","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"407","DOI":"10.1037\/hea0000242","article-title":"Understanding associations among race, socioeconomic status, and health: Patterns and prospects","volume":"35","author":"Williams","year":"2016","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jval.2014.12.001","article-title":"Applying dynamic simulation modeling methods in health care delivery research\u2014The SIMULATE checklist: Report of the ISPOR simulation modeling emerging good practices task force","volume":"18","author":"Marshall","year":"2015","journal-title":"Value Health"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.physrep.2016.07.002","article-title":"Dynamics of information diffusion and its applications on complex networks","volume":"651","author":"Zhang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Phys. Rep."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e232","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.7126","article-title":"Developing and evaluating digital interventions to promote behavior change in health and health care: Recommendations resulting from an international workshop","volume":"19","author":"Michie","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Med. Internet Res."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e015413","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2016-015413","article-title":"Talking about human papillomavirus and cancer: Development of consultation guides through lay and professional stakeholder coproduction using qualitative, quantitative and secondary data","volume":"7","author":"Hendry","year":"2017","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"587","DOI":"10.1007\/s11673-015-9670-4","article-title":"What should we eat? Biopolitics, ethics, and nutritional scientism","volume":"12","author":"Mayes","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Bioeth. Inq."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/nyas.12945","article-title":"Nutrition and the science of disease prevention: A systems approach to support metabolic health","volume":"1352","author":"Bennett","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann. New York Acad. Sci."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pluye, P., El Sherif, R., Granikov, V., Hong, Q.N., Vedel, I., Barbosa Galvao, M.C., Frati, F.E.Y., Desroches, S., Repchinsky, C., and Rihoux, B. (2019). Health outcomes of online consumer health information: A systematic mixed studies review with framework synthesis. J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol., 70.","DOI":"10.1002\/asi.24178"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1045","DOI":"10.1002\/rra.3328","article-title":"Complexity in hydroecological modelling: A comparison of stepwise selection and information theory","volume":"34","author":"Visser","year":"2018","journal-title":"River Res. Appl."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"338","DOI":"10.1096\/fj.07-9492LSF","article-title":"Comparison of PubMed, Scopus, web of science, and Google scholar: Strengths and weaknesses","volume":"22","author":"Falagas","year":"2008","journal-title":"FASEB J."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"265","DOI":"10.1002\/asi.4630240406","article-title":"Co-citation in the scientific literature: A new measure of the relationship between two documents","volume":"24","author":"Small","year":"1973","journal-title":"J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"578","article-title":"The history of comparative anatomy: Part I.\u2014A statistical analysis of the literature","volume":"11","author":"Cole","year":"1917","journal-title":"Sci. Prog. (1916\u20131919)"},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"233","article-title":"Statistical bibliography in relation to the growth of modern civilization","volume":"20","author":"Hulme","year":"1923","journal-title":"J. Franklin Inst."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"348","article-title":"Statistical bibliography or bibliometrics","volume":"25","author":"Pritchard","year":"1969","journal-title":"J. Doc."},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"68","article-title":"Measuring and mapping of international scientometrics and its sister disciplines","volume":"30","author":"Liu","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sci. Technol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5303","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0307513100","article-title":"Searching for intellectual turning points: Progressive knowledge domain visualization","volume":"101","author":"Chen","year":"2004","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"896","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ibusrev.2017.02.007","article-title":"Bibliometric analysis of absorptive capacity","volume":"26","author":"Apriliyanti","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. Bus. Rev."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72994","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2019.2916630","article-title":"Discovering and visualizing knowledge evolution of chronic disease research driven by emerging technologies","volume":"7","author":"Gu","year":"2019","journal-title":"IEEE Access"},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"84","article-title":"Mapping diabetes research in Middle Eastern countries during 2007\u20132013: A scientometric analysis","volume":"32","author":"Emami","year":"2018","journal-title":"Med. J. Islamic Repub. Iran"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72538","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2019.2919549","article-title":"Visualizing knowledge evolution and hotspots of rural environment and health: A systematic review and research direction","volume":"7","author":"Zhang","year":"2019","journal-title":"IEEE Access"},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"498","article-title":"Analysis of topic evolution based on co-citation of documents on the main citation path","volume":"33","author":"Zhu","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. China Soc. Sci. Tech. Inf."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"296","DOI":"10.4103\/1008-682X.171582","article-title":"Bibliometrics: Tracking research impact by selecting the appropriate metrics","volume":"18","author":"Agarwal","year":"2016","journal-title":"Asian J. Androl."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gu, D., Li, K., Wang, X., and Liang, C. (2018, January 1\u20133). Visualizing knowledge evolution of emerging information technologies in chronic diseases research. Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart Health, Wuhan, China.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-03649-2_26"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103947","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmedinf.2019.08.007","article-title":"Visualizing the intellectual structure and evolution of electronic health and telemedicine research","volume":"130","author":"Gu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Med. Inf."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2010.07.003","article-title":"The intellectual development of the technology acceptance model: A co-citation analysis","volume":"31","author":"Hsiao","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. J. Inf. Manag."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"487","DOI":"10.1093\/bjps\/43.4.487","article-title":"The interrelations between the philosophy, history and sociology of science in Thomas Kuhn\u2019s theory of scientific development","volume":"43","year":"1992","journal-title":"Br. J. Philos. Sci."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmedinf.2016.11.006","article-title":"Visualizing the knowledge structure and evolution of big data research in healthcare informatics","volume":"98","author":"Gu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Med. Inf."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhm.2017.06.012","article-title":"Bibliometrics of social media research: A co-citation and co-word analysis","volume":"66","author":"Leung","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Hosp. Manag."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kuhn, T.S. (2012). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, University of Chicago Press.","DOI":"10.7208\/chicago\/9780226458144.001.0001"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2643","DOI":"10.7150\/jca.32739","article-title":"Tracking knowledge evolution, hotspots and future directions of emerging technologies in cancers research: A bibliometrics review","volume":"10","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Cancer"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1177\/053901883022002003","article-title":"From translations to problematic networks: An introduction to co-word analysis","volume":"22","author":"Callon","year":"1983","journal-title":"Information (Int. Soc. Sci. Counc.)"},{"key":"ref_38","first-page":"30","article-title":"On discovering the structure map of knowledge management research abroad\u2014Integration of a bibliometric analysis and visualization analysis","volume":"22","author":"Zhang","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Ind. Eng. Eng. Manag."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"418","article-title":"Why words and co-words cannot map the development of the sciences","volume":"48","author":"Leydesdorff","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol."}],"container-title":["Entropy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1099-4300\/22\/1\/109\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,13]],"date-time":"2025-10-13T14:26:33Z","timestamp":1760365593000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1099-4300\/22\/1\/109"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,16]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,1]]}},"alternative-id":["e22010109"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/e22010109","relation":{},"ISSN":["1099-4300"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1099-4300","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,1,16]]}}}