Social Science and Medicine

Top Research Topics at Social Science & Medicine?

Social Science & Medicine was organized to reinforce research efforts on Public health, Health care, Demography, Social psychology and Gerontology. It facilitates discussions on Public health that incorporate concepts from other fields like Economic growth, Developing country and Epidemiology. In the journal, Nursing, Context (language use), Public relations and Family medicine are investigated in conjunction with one another to address concerns in Health care research.

While the journal focused on Demography, it was also able to explore topics like Socioeconomic status and Ethnic group. Most of the Socioeconomic status studies addressed also intersect with Social class. Topics in Social psychology were tackled in line with various other fields like Developmental psychology and Clinical psychology.

The journal investigates Gerontology research which frequently intersects with Mental health. Social Science & Medicine dives deep in exploring the relationship between the study of Health policy and Health promotion.

• Public health (24.33%)
• Health care (14.78%)
• Demography (14.22%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

• The MOS social support survey. (4496 citations)
• The world health organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL) - position paper from the world health organization (3889 citations)
• From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. (3128 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Social Science & Medicine:

The published articles mainly tackle studies in Public health, Social psychology, Gerontology, Demography and Health care. Issues in Public health were discussed in the published articles, taking into consideration concepts from other disciplines like Mental health, Psychiatry, Socioeconomic status and Epidemiology. The Health care research presented in the most cited papers focuses mostly on Nursing and, on occasion, topics in MEDLINE.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

• Internal medicine
• Law
• World War II

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The journal mainly tackles studies in Mental health, Context (language use), Demography, Health care and Psychological intervention. The journal addresses concerns in Mental health which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Depression (differential diagnoses), Social support, Clinical psychology and Anxiety. Research on Demography addressed in the journal frequently intersections with the field of Socioeconomic status.

Qualitative research and Public relations are some topics wherein Health care research discussed in the journal have an impact.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

• Non-compliance with COVID-19-related public health measures among young adults in Switzerland: Insights from a longitudinal cohort study. (114 citations)
• How and why patients made Long Covid. (70 citations)
• Correlates and disparities of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19. (61 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

Top authors and change over time

The top authors publishing in Social Science & Medicine (based on the number of publications) are:

• Ichiro Kawachi (108 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition, 5 less than at the previous edition,
• S. V. Subramanian (44 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 less than at the previous edition,
• Johan P. Mackenbach (38 papers) absent at the last edition,
• Pekka Martikainen (36 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
• Michael Marmot (36 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Top affiliations and change over time

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Social Science & Medicine (based on the number of publications) are:

• Harvard University (622 papers) published 29 papers at the last edition, 5 less than at the previous edition,
• University of London (488 papers) published 28 papers at the last edition, 8 more than at the previous edition,
• Johns Hopkins University (341 papers) published 19 papers at the last edition, 9 more than at the previous edition,
• University of Michigan (320 papers) published 19 papers at the last edition, 5 more than at the previous edition,
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (309 papers) published 11 papers at the last edition, 3 less than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 3.84% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 20.10% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 8.49% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 17.85% of all publications and 53.56% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

• Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
• Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
• Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
• Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
• Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Potential Careers in Social Science & Medicine

Beyond research and academia, practical applications of subjects covered in Social Science & Medicine can also be seen in various professional fields. For instance, the insights gathered from studying Public health, Health care, Demography, Social psychology, and Gerontology are directly beneficial to professionals such as counselors working in substance abuse rehabilitation. An essential role in the health care field, substance abuse counselors specialize in providing treatment and support for individuals struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. They employ social and clinical psychology, public health knowledge, and underpinning theories of demographic factors to form effective treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of their clientele. Pursuing a profession as a substance abuse counselor often requires specific state-level licensing and qualifications. For those interested, we have prepared a detailed guide on How to become a licensed substance abuse counselor in Kentucky. This educational pathway combines elements of Social Science & Medicine, consistently promoting the aim of improved public health and wellbeing. In summary, Social Science & Medicine is not just confined to academic exploration but also paves the way for rewarding professional careers that contribute significantly towards societal welfare.