Global research trends on preoperative anxiety: A bibliometric analysis of the literature (2014–2024)
Merve B. Yediyıldız, Kübra K. MeralABSTRACT
Introduction:
Preoperative anxiety is a common psychological condition associated with adverse perioperative outcomes and reduced patient well-being. As the body of literature in this area grows, it is necessary to update our understanding of publication trends, key contributors, and emerging themes in order to guide research efforts and perioperative practice. The present study sought to establish the trends in publications, intellectual structure, and recent themes in preoperative anxiety studies on a global scale from 2014 to 2024.
Methods:
A bibliometric analysis was conducted on September 9, 2025, using the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database. The search query TS = (“preoperative anxiety” OR “pre-surgery anxiety”) was applied, yielding 3,063 records. After applying exclusion criteria (non-English, non-article/review, duplicates), 889 publications were included and visualized using VOSviewer (version 1.6.18; Centre for Science and Technology Studies [CWTS], Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands).
Results:
There has been a significant increase in research on preoperative anxiety, especially after 2020. The United States, China, and the Netherlands were leading contributors. Co-citation analysis identified Kain and Fortier as foundational researchers in the field. Keyword analysis reveals a transition from clinical psychological approaches to technology-assisted perioperative interventions, particularly virtual reality, music therapy, and patient education.
Conclusion:
Although research into preoperative anxiety has become a multifaceted and increasingly global field, the scientific impact remains largely limited to a few authors and countries. Future efforts should strengthen international collaboration, broaden bibliometric coverage, and further evaluate emerging perioperative interventions supported by the evolving literature.