Application of artificial intelligence in the health management of chronic disease: bibliometric analysis.

Background: With the rising global burden of chronic diseases, traditional health management models are encountering significant challenges. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into chronic disease management has enhanced patient care efficiency, optimized treatment strategies, and reduced healthcare costs, providing innovative solutions in this field. However, current research remains fragmented and lacks systematic, comprehensive analysis.

Objective: This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of AI applications in chronic disease health management, aiming to identify research trends, highlight key areas, and provide valuable insights into the current state of the field. Hoping our findings will serve as a useful reference for guiding further research and fostering the effective application of AI in healthcare.

Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection database was utilized as the source. All relevant publications from inception to August 2024 were retrieved. The external characteristics of the publications were summarized using HistCite. Keyword co-occurrences among countries, authors, and institutions were analyzed with Vosviewer, while CiteSpace was employed to assess keyword frequencies and trends.

Results: A total of 341 publications were retrieved, originating from 775 institutions across 55 countries, and published in 175 journals by 2,128 authors. A notable surge in publications occurred between 2013 and 2024, accounting for 95.31% (325/341) of the total output. The United States and the Journal of Medical Internet Research were the leading contributors in this field. Our analysis of the 341 publications revealed four primary research clusters: diagnosis, care, telemedicine, and technology. Recent trends indicate that mobile health technologies and machine learning have emerged as key focal points in the application of artificial intelligence in the field of chronic disease management.

Conclusion: Despite significant advancements in the application of AI in chronic disease management, several critical challenges persist. These include improving research quality, fostering greater international and inter-institutional collaboration, standardizing data-sharing practices, and addressing ethical and legal concerns. Future research should prioritize strengthening global partnerships to facilitate cross-disciplinary and cross-regional knowledge exchange, optimizing AI technologies for more precise and effective chronic disease management, and ensuring their seamless integration into clinical practice.