Connecting health research efforts and social attention: A dual analysis of local and international perspectives on Wikipedia and OpenAlex

Abstract

This research-in-progress paper examines the alignment between public interest, as evidenced by Wikipedia page views, and the distribution of academic resources across various health conditions. Utilising data from Wikipedia, Wikidata, and OpenAlex, the study reveals both relevant geographical correlations and notable gaps in how diseases are addressed in academic research compared to their visibility in social media. Moreover, discrepancies in content quality on Wikipedia pages indicate potential biases in the global research agenda. These findings underscore the importance of considering both social and academic metrics to address misalignments and advocate for a more equitable distribution of research resources in the biomedical sciences.