A descriptive and bibliometric trend analysis of biological nursing research in the Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science (2011-2025).

Abstract

This study provides an updated analysis of research trends in the Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science (JKBNS) by examining changes in publication volume, methodological approaches, and thematic evolution among articles published between 2011 and 2025. Retrospective descriptive and bibliometric analyses were conducted on 537 articles published in JKBNS. Publication characteristics and statistical methods were summarized, and annual trends were examined. Keyword co-occurrence networks were generated using VOSviewer, and changes in research topics over time were explored using burst keyword analysis based on abstract-derived keywords. Annual publication volume fluctuated but increased markedly in recent years, rising from 35 articles in 2024 to 58 articles in 2025. A language crossover occurred in 2024, when English-language articles (n = 19, 54.3%) exceeded Korean-language articles (n = 16, 45.7%); this predominance of English-language articles became more evident in 2025 (n = 36, 62.1%). Adult patients were the most common study population (n = 127, 23.7%). Analysis of variance was the most frequently used statistical method (n = 236, 43.9%), followed by linear regression (n = 84, 15.6%) and logistic regression (n = 59, 11.0%). Burst keyword analysis highlighted recent increases in aging- and health behavior-related terms. Co-occurrence mapping identified interconnected thematic areas spanning health behavior and risk, nursing knowledge and practice, and biologically oriented research. Between 2011 and 2025, JKBNS demonstrated growth in publication volume, a shift toward English-language articles, and evolving research topics, while maintaining thematic continuity with its biological orientation.