Detection and Characterization of E-Health Research: A Bibliometrics (2001–2016) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88610

### Figure 2. The number of articles published each year.

annual growth rate of 29.93% from 2001 to 2016. In detail, we saw two inflection points in 2005 and 2010. Considering the quantity and proportion trend of the literature, we divided the whole research time into three parts which are listed as 2001–2005, 2006–2010, and 2011–2016.

Reasons for the above trend have two aspects. First, they are associated with some pivotal view point. Eysenbach, G and WEBB, TL published their important literature in 2005 and 2010. They are both authorities in E-health research [7, 34]. Therefore, the quantity of published literature began to rise in these years. Second, developing technology and government attaching importance to medical research contributed a lot. The development of E-health depended on science and technology progress. Many governments have different preferential policies for health science research and Internet communication techniques which promoted E-health research.
