Scientific Evolution of Research Trends on Psychological Distress, Anxiety, and Burnout Among Women Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract This study aimed to examine global research trends, thematic evolution, and collaboration patterns in the literature on psychological distress,anxiety and burn out among women healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 1,210 publications published between 2020 and 2025, retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, and OpenAlex databases. Biblioshiny was employed to analyze publication trends, influential journals, authors, institutions, country-level collaborations, and thematic structures. A substantial increase in publications was observed between 2021 and 2022, reflecting heightened research attention during the peak of the pandemic. The United States and the United Kingdom emerged as leading contributors and central hubs of international collaboration. The literature primarily focused on workplace challenges and mental health outcomes, particularly anxiety and depression, with specific attention to vulnerable groups such as women and pregnant healthcare workers. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified three major thematic clusters: pandemic impact, clinical research, and psychological outcomes. Thematic evolution analysis revealed a transition from general COVID-19-related studies to more specialized research emphasizing mental health outcomes, vulnerable population, and methodological advancements. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving research landscape on psychological outcomes among women healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights key research trends, collaboration patterns, and thematic shifts, while identifying critical gaps that indicates the need for targeted, gender-sensitive mental health interventions. The findings offer valuable insights for guiding future research, policy formulation, and intervention strategies in occupational mental health.