A Co-word Analysis of ISC-Indexed Research in Occupational Health and Safety

Abstract

Introduction: The conceptual structure of vocabulary refers to a network of semantic associations between words, illustrating how concepts and terms are interconnected within a text or dataset. A conceptual structure is a framework that reveals how words construct meaning together and determines which concepts are most significant. Examining the conceptual structure of occupational health and safety (OHS) is of considerable importance. Consequently, this study aims to understand trends in OHS within the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) database from 1998 to 2023 and to identify key sub- domains and dimensions of the OHS concept.

Material and Methods: This research was conducted using bibliometric techniques and co-word analysis. 1,148 documents were retrieved from the ISC database to identify the conceptual structure and dominant thematic clusters related to occupational health and Safety. Cluster analysis and strategic diagrams were employed to map the conceptual structure of the research and to identify sub-domains and their relationships within this field.

Results: The findings revealed twelve distinct clusters: (1) Organizational ethics and spirituality, (2) Work environment and safety, (3) Work-family conflict and quality of life, (4) Job satisfaction and employee retention, (5) Occupational stress and psychological capital, (6) Job burnout and ergonomics, (7) Job satisfaction in academic environments, (8) Work-life balance, (9) Occupational health, (10) Productivity and organizational culture, (11) Workplace challenges and career futures, and (12) Women’s employment.

Conclusion: The findings revealed that work-family conflict and career-related challenges constitute the mature and central core (first quadrant) of this field in Iran, indicating a paradigm shift in studies from physical safety toward psychosocial hazards. The domain of women’s employment emerged as a specialized yet isolated area (second quadrant). Classic subjects, such as the workplace and occupational safety, alongside stress and occupational health (third quadrant), remain highly fragmented and require theoretical cohesion. Furthermore, organizational ethics and spirituality (fourth quadrant) represent a high-potential area that necessitates further theoretical development. Ultimately, the primary research gap and priority for future studies lie in integrating physical safety with mental health, as well as incorporating novel digital safety technologies to address the current void within the conceptual network.