Mapping the Research Growth and Citation Impact of Scholarly Works on Sickle Cell Disease in Tanzania: A Scientometric Study.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a major public health concern in Tanzania, where research efforts associated with the Muhimbili Sickle Cell (MSC) Program have contributed to increased scientific output. However, there is limited consolidated evidence on bibliometric trends and research influence in this field. This study examined publication trends, authorship patterns, institutional contributions, and citation-based research influence of SCD research in Tanzania. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using publications retrieved from Dimensions, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for SCD research involving Tanzanian scholars, covering 2003-2024. Records were included if they were peer-reviewed (articles/reviews) and/or scholarly publications indexed in the selected databases, included at least one author affiliated with a Tanzanian institution, and focused on SCD/hemoglobinopathies or related anemia conditions in Tanzania. English-language, full-text, accessible records were included, whereas studies unrelated to Tanzania-focused SCD or hemoglobinopathies, editorials, opinion pieces, letters, duplicates, records lacking full texts or bibliographic information, or those outside the timeframe were excluded. Google Scholar was used to capture additional records and citation signals that may not be uniformly indexed in other databases. Data were extracted, cleaned, and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, whereas VOSviewer and OriginPro were used for network mapping and visualization. Findings show a progressive/steady increase in SCD research output, with a peak in 2022 and the highest citation accumulation in 2023, indicating growing visibility of recent work. The most productive institutions were MUHAS, NIMR, and CUHAS, and key contributors included Makani J., Nkya S. W., and Sangeda R. Z. High-impact journals included PLOS One, Malaria Journal, and Blood. The thematic distribution of research output was mainly concentrated in clinical medicine, immunology, and biochemistry. The study demonstrates sustained growth in research visibility and impact in Tanzania, while showing that productivity remains concentrated among a limited number of institutions and authors, highlighting the need for broader participation and thematic diversification.