360-Degree Videos in Healthcare: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends and Emerging Topics

Abstract

This bibliometric analysis aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the use of 360-degree video in healthcare, identifying key research trends and emerging topics in this field. Data was sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PubMed, and analyses were performed using the Biblioshiny package. Network visualization was conducted using VOSviewer. A total of 272 studies on 360-degree video were included in the analysis. The number of publications has shown a consistent upward trend from 2009 to 2024. Most publications (n = 234) were articles, indicating a maturing field. Institutions in North America and Germany lead the list of top affiliations. Research areas reflect interdisciplinary use of 360-video in healthcare, led by computer science (20.2%), followed by education (14.3%), healthcare sciences (10.7%), psychology (10.3%), and nursing (8.1%), demonstrating broad applicability across sectors. Recent emerging topics, such as empathy, stress, and well-being, indicate a growing research interest in the holistic aspects of healthcare interventions, particularly the psychological and emotional dimensions. Additionally, the concept of “presence” has gained increasing attention, reflecting its psychological and emotional impact. The findings suggest that further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of interactive learning and user engagement in 360-degree video experiences.

1. Introduction

360-degree videos (hereinafter 360-vids), often referred to as panoramic or spherical videos, represent an innovative form of multimedia that deliver a highly immersive experience. Unlike traditional video formats, the content of 360-vids is mapped onto a virtual sphere, encompassing a full 360 × 180° viewing range. A key distinction between immersive 360-vids and virtual reality (VR) lies in their focus: while 360-vids emphasize capturing “real” environments, VR primarily involves creating “simulated” or virtual ones [1]. When paired with head-mounted displays (HMDs), 360-vids allow viewers to attain full immersion in user-controlled simulations or environments, fostering a sense of presence within the scene [2]. Users can actively explore the simulated environment by changing the viewing angle through head movements (when using an HMD) or by interacting via touch or mouse controls on a standard screen.

The use of gaze-based navigation, where users control the interface simply by looking at specific points or objects, contributed significantly to users’ sense of involvement and facilitated active learning. To effectively increase student engagement in virtual environments, it is critical to incorporate interactive features that promote active learning. Lee et al. [3] demonstrated the effective use of on-screen questions and communication-related tasks following 360-vids scenarios in a virtual simulation for mental health training. These tasks assessed decision-making skills and promoted therapeutic communication, highlighting how interactivity can support clinical education in immersive settings. This observation is supported by findings from a recent systematic review [4] which examined 360-vids applications in nursing education and concluded that the integration of interactive components plays a critical role in enhancing both learner motivation and cognitive engagement.

Research demonstrates that 360-vid can be a valuable tool in advancing healthcare practices [4,5,6], with studies have highlighting its significance in enhancing skill acquisition [7] and its role in medical training for residents through immersive and interactive experiences [8]. Chao et al. [7] evaluated the effectiveness of 360-vid in nursing education, and found it to be a complementary teaching strategy that supports traditional methods while improving knowledge retention. Similarly, Bruening et al. [8] reported that neurosurgical residents widely accepted the use of 360-vid, noting its immersive quality and practical value in conceptual learning.

Beyond education, 360-vid technology has proven to be effective in managing and reducing anxiety across a wide range of medical treatments [9,10,11]. For example, Alabduljabbar et al. [9] demonstrated its efficacy as a method for reducing anxiety in patients undergoing medical procedures. Baytar and Bollucuoğlu [10] further suggested that 360-vid serves as a coping mechanism by helping patients manage emotions and thoughts through distraction techniques, whereas Tesfaye et al. [11] found it beneficial in alleviating pain during dental treatments for stroke patients. These findings underscore the potential of 360-vid as a useful and impactful tool in both medical education and patient care.

Research on 360-vid in healthcare has been reviewed at various times using different databases [4,5,6]. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has employed bibliometric methods to analyze this rapidly emerging field. With the growing body of research on 360-vid, gaining a comprehensive understanding of related issues has become increasingly difficult. This highlights the need to identify emerging trends, research gaps, and the overall structure of this evolving area. To address this need, this study uses bibliometric analysis, to uncovering trends, research gaps, and key structural features of a field [12]. Unlike systematic reviews, which often use smaller datasets and in-depth full-text screening, bibliometric methods rely on titles, keywords, and abstract-based relevance screening to skim and summarize large volumes of data.

This approach provides healthcare professionals and researchers with critical insights into contemporary topics, emerging trends, and enables detailed analyses of authors, institutions, countries, citations, and keywords [12]. By reflecting on existing evidence, bibliographic analysis helps researchers understand developments in their field, and contributes to advancing it by identifying gaps and opportunities for future studies [13,14]. Bibliometric studies thus offer a comprehensive, wide-ranging overview of scientific disciplines, shedding light on their trends and development [15].

This bibliometric analysis aims to examine the research influence and impact of 360-vid technology in healthcare by assessing metrics such as annual scientific production and average citations per year. Additionally, it seeks to identify key application areas and research trends, providing a comprehensive evaluation of the evolution and current state of the field. By synthesizing findings on thematic trends, application areas, and research gaps, this study offers valuable insights to guide future research directions. These insights also serve to inform healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers, about the transformative potential of 360-vid technology. Specifically, this technology holds significant promise for enhancing patient care, advancing medical training, supporting therapeutic interventions, and enriching educational experiences.

2. Materials and Methods

Bibliometric analysis was selected as the study method due to its objective and quantitative nature, which minimizes the potential for subjectivity often associated with interpretive methodologies [12]. This method is widely used to evaluate research trends, map recent developments, and conduct citation analyses, often visualized through social network analysis. By relying on systematic and replicable techniques, bibliometric analysis complements qualitative approaches, which provide deeper contextual insights through interpretive methods.

The bibliometric analysis in this study follows guidelines emphasizing methodological transparency and robust quantitative approaches, as outlined in the recently developed BIBLIO framework [16], complemented by detailed guidance on scientific mapping [12]. The use of these frameworks ensured a clear and systematic presentation of the data, enabling reproducibility and offering a comprehensive understanding of the study’s scope. Additionally, they supported a rigorous and balanced analysis that effectively represented the multifaceted aspects of this field of study.

2.1. Search Engines

The primary literature search was conducted using Web of Science (WoS), supplemented by additional searches in Scopus and PubMed. These databases were chosen for their extensive coverage of academic literature. Research suggests that while Scopus offers broader journal inclusion, WoS is recognized for its superior keyword sensitivity and its historically extensive citation records [17]. Due to differences in how articles are indexed across these databases, variations in citation patterns are common. To address these discrepancies, manual searches were performed in WoS to locate the specific titles identified in Scopus and PubMed [18]. Data extraction was conducted from WoS, using the “Save as text” format to ensure compatibility.

2.2. Search Strategy

Database searches were performed between October 2024 and November 2024. Boolean operators such as “AND” and “OR” were utilized to combine search terms effectively during the dataset search. No specific timeframe was applied, and keywords were searched within the title, abstract, and keywords sections of the articles. The search terms were organized into two clusters to differentiate the application areas of 360-vid. The first cluster focused on terms related to 360-vid, including: “360-degree* video*” OR “360 degree* video*” OR “360° video*” OR “360 video*” OR “panoramic video*” OR “spherical video*” OR “VR storytelling.” The second cluster targeted the healthcare context, using terms such as: “medical” OR “health” OR “nurs*” OR “midwife*” OR “physiotherapy*” OR “pharmac*” OR “medicine.” The detailed search strategies, including the use of truncation and keyword variations across databases, are provided in Table S1.

2.3. Eligibility Criteria

The screening process for titles and abstracts was guided by a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure the selection of relevant studies. Studies were included if they focused on 360-vid, either describing the development of interventions or presenting empirical findings. Eligible documents included articles, proceeding papers, and early access publications, with no restrictions on study population or design. Papers were excluded if they were review articles, meta-analyses, protocols, or editorials. Additionally, studies unrelated to healthcare or those describing benefits without detailing the development or providing empirical evidence were excluded.

No language restrictions were applied during the selection process. If the abstract did not clearly specify whether the intervention involved 360-vid, the full text was reviewed to confirm its relevance. By including studies on both the development and application of 360-vid in healthcare, the dataset offers a comprehensive perspective on this emerging field.

2.4. Data Selection Procedure

The database search identified a total of 1367 documents in WoS, 13 in Scopus, and 1125 in PubMed, covering publications from 2009 to 2024. All identified citations were uploaded into the EndNote X9.3.3 reference manager for duplicate removal. After duplicates were removed and irrelevant studies excluded, the remaining documents were screened for relevance based on their titles, keywords, and abstracts.

During the initial screening, 1591 studies were excluded as they did not focus on 360-vid or healthcare. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 6 eligible documents were identified from Scopus, 119 from PubMed, and 147 from WoS Core Collection. To ensure the dataset was comprehensive, manual searches were subsequently performed in WoS to include documents identified in Scopus and PubMed. This process revealed 14 documents from PubMed that were not indexed in WoS Core Collection, but which were available in other WoS databases. Ultimately, a total of 272 studies were included from WoS for the bibliometric analysis (Figure 1). This approach ensured consistency in metadata for the bibliometric analysis. A complete list of the titles, abstracts, keywords and subject categories of the included studies in this bibliometric review is provided in Table S2.

2.5. Data Analysis

Bibliometric analysis was conducted using Biblioshiny 4.1, a tool within the Bibliometrix package in RStudio (version 2024.09.1+394), along with VOSviewer (version 1.6.20). Biblioshiny, an open-source program developed by Aria and Cuccurullo [20], supports both performance analysis and scientific mapping, enabling a comprehensive exploration of bibliometric data. Performance analysis examines the contributions of researchers, institutions, countries, or resources to the literature, providing a clear understanding of the landscape of research in the field. In contrast, scientific mapping examines interactions, citation networks, and collaborations among these research elements [15]. Additionally, network metrics were employed to enrich the bibliometric analysis [12].

The use of bibliometric analysis often involves visualization tools, ranging from graphical user interface-based software like VOSviewer to command-based tools such as the Bibliometrix package (version 4.3.0) [12]. VOSviewer, developed by Van Eck and Waltman [21], is a free program specifically designed for bibliometric analyses and visualizing results. This study utilized VOSviewer to visualize and examine the features of emerging themes. Guided by the study’s objectives, descriptive statistics and visualization maps were employed to illustrate the distribution of publications and citations by year, and to present the descriptive structure of the literature on 360-vid.

Prominent and emerging research topics were identified through co-occurrence analysis of keywords, which highlighted the areas receiving the most attention in the field. Popular keywords, extracted from the articles and clustered, were used to determine these emerging themes [22]. Additionally, thematic mapping was conducted by analyzing the co-occurrence trends of terms across the dataset, revealing significant clusters of related themes and providing deeper insights into the structure of the research landscape.

3. Results

The bibliometric analysis encompassed 272 studies on 360-vid in healthcare, including 234 articles and 38 proceedings papers, published between 2009 and 2024. The average age of the included documents was 2.32 years, with an average of 11.34 citations per document. The analysis revealed contributions from 1283 authors, including six single-authored publications. Collaboration metrics indicated a robust level of co-authorship, with an average of 5.51 co-authors per document. Furthermore, 18.01% of the studies involved international co-authorship, highlighting a significant degree of global collaboration in this research area.

3.1. Performance Analysis

3.1.1. Annual Scientific Production and Citation Analysis

The number of articles published on 360-vid in healthcare was negligible from 2009 to 2016 (n = 3), but from 2016 to 2023 it increased exponentially, with 60 and 59 articles published in 2023 and 2024 (respectively). Notably, publications from 2022 to 2024 represent 61% of the total output during this period (Figure 2). Despite the growth in publication numbers, citation rates have varied over time, with notable peaks in 2018 and 2020. However, as the annual publication output increases, the average number of citations per article has declined.

3.1.2. Document Type

The analysis indicates that most of the publications (n = 234) are articles, followed by 38 conference proceedings papers. This suggests that the field of 360-vid research in healthcare is becoming more established. The higher number of published articles may signify that researchers are prioritizing the production of well-developed, peer-reviewed studies, which are generally more comprehensive and rigorous than conference proceedings. This trend could also reflect that the field is becoming firmly established, with a growing emphasis on conducting empirical investigations of effectiveness and disseminating validated findings relevant to healthcare practice and research.

3.1.3. Most Relevant Affiliations and Countries

The top 10 affiliations contributing to research on 360-vid in healthcare are based on their contribution to the dataset. The data reveals that North America produced the greatest number of publications, particularly the University of Toronto (n = 24) and Ohio University (n = 22). Berlin is as a significant hub for research in this field, with contributions from four major institutions: Humboldt University of Berlin (n = 18), the Berlin Institute of Health (n = 14), the Free University of Berlin (n = 14), and Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin (n = 13). Other notable contributors include Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano in Italy, and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, each contributing between 14–18 publications. Additionally, Hiroshima University in Japan appears in the top ten, with 12 publications.

Figure 3 shows countries’ scientific production, indicating the geographic distribution of research output on 360-vid in healthcare. This metric reflects the number of publications affiliated with institutions in each country, based on author affiliation metadata [20]. As a result, the total value of the production indicator exceeds the actual number of articles analyzed in this study. The data highlight strong representation from institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia. The contributions are largely driven by academic and research centers, reflecting the increasing interest and growth of this field internationally.

3.2. Science Mapping and Network Analysis

3.2.1. Subject Categories of Research Productivity

According to the WoS subject category classification, research output related to 360-vid in healthcare spans 55 distinct subject categories.

Table 1. Subject categories according to research areas in the WoS.

Ranking	Subject Category	No. 1	% of 272
1	Computer Science	55	20.2
2	Education & Educational Research	39	14.3
3	Health Care Sciences & Services	29	10.7
4	Psychology	28	10.3
5	Nursing	22	8.1
6	Public Environmental & Occupational Health	17	6.3
7	General Internal Medicine	16	5.9
8	Medical Informatics	14	5.1
9	Imaging Science & Photographic Technology	13	4.8
10	Psychiatry	13	4.8
11	Surgery	13	4.8
12	Neurosciences & Neurology	12	4.4
13	Behavioral Sciences	7	2.6
14	Geriatrics & Gerontology	7	2.6
15	Radiology Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging	6	2.2
16	Dentistry Oral Surgery & Medicine	4	1.5
17	Pediatrics	4	1.5
18	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	4	1.5
19	Oncology	3	1.1
20	Sport Sciences	3	1.1

¹ Number of publications.

highlights the top twenty subject categories with the highest number of publications, detailing both the number and percentage of total articles. The analysis of research areas contributing to publications on 360-vid highlights its interdisciplinary applications, spanning a wide range of fields. “Computer Science” emerged as the leading research area, with 55 records (20.2% of the total 272 publications).

This was followed by “Education” (n = 39, 14.3%), “Health Care Sciences” (n = 29, 10.7%), “Psychology” (n = 28, 10.3%), and “Nursing” (n = 22, 8.1%). Additional contributions to 360-vid research came from “Public and Environmental Health” (n = 17, 6.3%), “General Internal Medicine” (n = 16, 5.9%), and “Medical Informatics” (n = 14, 5.1%). “Imaging Science”, “Psychiatry”, “Surgery”, and “Neurosciences” (each with 12–13 records each) fields also played significant roles, alongside smaller contributions from “Behavioral Sciences”, “Geriatrics”, and “Radiology” (2.2–2.6%). Specialized fields such as “Dentistry”, “Pediatrics”, and “Oncology” (1.1–1.5%) demonstrate the broad applicability of 360-vid in diverse disciplines. Taken together, these numbers emphasize 360-vid’s significance as an emerging technology in fields related to healthcare and education.

3.2.2. Keywords Co-Occurrence

Keyword co-occurrence analysis was conducted to examine the frequency and relationships of keywords used in the dataset. Keywords’ position within the overall network and relationship with other words can be identified, providing insights into their significance and connections within research fields. Only keywords with a frequency of more than one occurrence were included in the co-occurrence network analysis. A total of 751 unique author keywords were identified, then synonyms and variations were consolidated under a single term, given that this is a relatively new field with variant terminology for the same concepts [23]. Consequently, 98 keywords were identified that met the inclusion criteria for analysis. As illustrated in Figure 4, the keywords were grouped into twelve clusters, with closely related keywords forming each cluster. These clusters reflect research hotspots and trends in the application of 360-vid in healthcare [24]. Conceptually or semantically related keywords that were frequently used together appeared within the same cluster, which is often represented by a specific color [23].

Colored lines show clusters of keywords that occur together, whereby larger words have a greater impact, and bolder lines between keywords indicate more occurrences of them. The cluster emerging from our analysis is characterized by keywords such as “anxiety”, “depression”, “stress”, “empathy”, and “caregiver burden”, suggesting a strong focus on the emotional and psychological aspects of healthcare. The inclusion of “presence” further emphasizes the role of immersive 360-vid in enhancing emotional engagement and providing therapeutic support. Similarly, another cluster is defined by keywords such as “technology acceptance”, “engagement”, and “eye tracking”, with a focus on the adoption and usability (i.e., technological aspects) of 360-vid in healthcare. The presence of physiological tools like “eye tracking” highlights research into how users interact with and respond to immersive technology, contributing to a deeper understanding of its effectiveness in healthcare applications.

Table 2. Thematic domains and key concepts derived from keyword co-occurrence clustering.

Thematic Domain	Key Concepts
Clinical and psychological applications	Mental health, depression, anxiety, panic disorder, dementia, epilepsy, schizophrenia, stress, pain, social anxiety, social anxiety disorder, executive functions, cognitive function, neuropsychological assessment, Parkinson’s disease, trauma, palliative care, oncology, caregiver burden, long-term care, informal caregiver, occupational health, patient-centered care.
Technology, usability and design	Technology acceptance, usability, eye tracking, EEG, skin conductance, smartphone, digital health, machine learning, psychometrics, design, digital therapeutics, personalized therapy, center of pressure, nonpharmacological interventions, surgical education, telemedicine.
Immersion, emotion and engagement	Presence, immersion, embodiment, perspective-taking, emotion, affect, empathy, mood, engagement, relaxation, restorative environment, green space, nature, music therapy.
Education and training	Nursing, nursing students, medical staff, psychology, communication, attention, surgical education, cognitive training, rehabilitation.
Participatory and human-centered approaches	Co-design, co-creation, memory, aging, older adults, social determinants of health.

presents thematic domains and key concepts derived from authors’ keyword co-occurrence clustering. Clusters were interpreted and grouped into broader conceptual categories to enhance clarity and highlight cross-disciplinary trends in 360-degree video research in healthcare.

Figure 5 highlights the trends in keyword usage over time, with colors representing the average publication years. Keyword nodes are sized according to their frequency of occurrence. The keywords in green shading represent research areas that have been consistently explored over the years, such as the well-established themes of “anxiety”, “empathy”, “mental health”, and “digital health”, reflecting a sustained interest in using immersive video technology for emotional, psychological, and caregiving applications in healthcare. In contrast, newly emerging topics, highlighted in yellow shading, focus on areas such as “cognitive function” and health-related themes like “palliative care” and “caregiver burden”, which have gained significant attention in recent years.

3.2.3. Trend Topics

The trending topics related to 360-vid by year of publication are presented in Figure 6. The lines in the graph illustrate how topics have evolved over time; the earlier a line appears, the earlier the topic emerged in the field. The size of the circles along the lines represents the frequency of the topic, with larger circles indicating higher occurrences. Topics such as “augmented reality” (studied since 2019) and “dementia” (studied since 2020) have been consistently researched over the years and remained relevant up to 2022.

Emerging topics in the most recent years (2023–2024), such as “empathy”, “stress”, and “well-being”, reflect a growing emphasis on the psychological and emotional aspects of healthcare interventions. Furthermore, the concept of “presence” (median: 2024), which explores the user’s immersive experience and sense of being in a virtual environment, has also gained prominence very recently. Such trends underscore the expanding scope of 360-vid research, evolving from a focus on technological and educational applications to addressing broader health, psychological, and emotional well-being domains.

3.2.4. Thematic Map

Strategic analysis using network mapping provides a comprehensive view of how research themes evolve over time (Figure 7). Each cluster in the two-dimensional representation signifies a unique theme or a group of interrelated topics, showcasing their different stages of development [25]. The positioning of these clusters is determined by two key metrics: centrality, which measures the connections between a theme and other themes, and density, which indicates the internal cohesion within a theme [26]. The X-axis of the graph represents centrality, highlighting the strength of a theme’s relationship with other themes, while the Y-axis represents density, showing how well-developed and internally consistent a theme is [27]. Based on these metrics, themes are categorized into four quadrants that reflect their progression and development [27]:

• Motor Themes (upper right): These represent foundational areas of study that are both well-developed and highly connected to the broader research field, making them essential to the structure of the domain.
• Niche Themes (upper left): These are specialized and well-developed but lack strong connections to the wider research network, indicating their isolated nature from mainstream research.
• Emerging or Declining Themes (lower left): These themes represent areas that are either newly emerging or losing relevance. Their path depends on the future direction of the field.
• Basic Themes (lower right): These represent areas of ongoing development, with strong connections to other themes but relatively low internal cohesion.

Figure 7. Thematic map for 360-vid research in healthcare.

Figure 7. Thematic map for 360-vid research in healthcare.

In the context of 360-vid research, motor themes are represented by four clusters that are critical to the field’s advancement. The most prominent motor themes include research on “anxiety”, “digital health”, “exposure therapy”, and “augmented reality”. Other well-developed clusters focus on topics such as “presence”, “well-being”, “COVID-19”, and “mindfulness”. Smaller clusters within motor themes include “affect” and “center of pressure”, which, while relevant, are less expansive in scope.

Basic themes in the network include a small cluster cantered on “design”, which is notable for its high centrality but low density. This indicates that while it is strongly connected to other clusters, it lacks substantial internal development. Another cluster on the center of the axes focuses on “empathy”, “caregiver burden”, and “nursing”. This cluster appears to be transitioning towards either a basic or emerging or declining theme, depending on how its relevance evolves.

Emerging or declining themes include “dementia”, “nature”, “long-term care”, and “co-creation”, which demonstrate low density within the network. Other key topics in this quadrant include “surgery” and “patient safety”. When evaluated alongside Figure 5 and Figure 6, it becomes evident that while many of these themes are declining in the literature, “co-creation” stands out as the most strongly emerging area of interest, followed by “patient safety”, “dementia”, and “nature”. In contrast, a notable cluster related to “omnidirectional video” appears to be decreasing in research attention, suggesting a declining trend in this area. This could indicate that the term is no longer widely used and has shifted to 360-vid.

Finally, two clusters represent niche themes within the research network. The first includes topics such as “professional training”, “interactive learning environments”, “problem-based learning”, and “spherical video-based virtual reality”. The second focuses on “medical staff” and “surgical education”. These two clusters are closely linked to one another but are increasingly isolated from the core literature on 360-vid in healthcare. This suggests that these topics are diverging from the main body of research and evolving into specialized subfields.

4. Discussion

4.1. Main Outcomes

This bibliometric analysis provides a detailed overview of 360-vid research from 2009 to 2024, highlighting significant trends, evolving research, and key contributions to the field. By analyzing publications, institutional contributions, and thematic clusters, the study underscores important milestones in the adoption and application of 360-vid technology, particularly in healthcare. The findings indicate that the development of research in this area initially progressed slowly. From 2009 to 2016 there were negligible annual publications, which possibly reflected fundamental technological limitations at that time, such as internet accessibility issues and the availability of compatible computing devices. However, from 2016 onwards research publications began to increase sharply, and since 2020 there has been a sharp surge, exceeding 30 articles in 2021, and totaling 60 and 59 articles in 2023 and 2024. This spike can be attributed to several factors, including the impact of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which hindered students’ ability to engage in traditional clinical practice and gave a fillip to innovative educational technology deployments.

The substantial number of publications originating from North America aligns with findings from other bibliometric studies that have analyzed global trends in 360-vid research within healthcare [28,29]. Document types play a critical role in shaping the foundational knowledge of a field. As this area of research continues to mature, more studies are being conducted to evaluate its effectiveness. Notably, Canada stands out as the leading contributor in terms of the number of productive authors and institutions, reflecting its substantial impact on advancing the field.

Keyword analysis offers a visual representation of existing knowledge in a specific field and how various elements are interconnected. The main themes identified through VOSviewer’s keyword co-occurrence analysis provide a clear overview of the knowledge framework surrounding 360-vid applications in healthcare. This shift from a focus on technology and simulation features (e.g., immersive graphics) to addressing emotional well-being and empathy reflects an essential evolution in the application of immersive technologies in healthcare education. However, a review of trends in 360-vid research revealed a gap in studies exploring the acceptability and effective implementation of this technology [4]. The growing interest in 360-vid, particularly its ability to enhance patient understanding, demonstrates its potential to significantly impact empathy in students’ learning experiences.

Research indicates that 360-vid fosters a sense of “simulating the patient experience”, thereby increasing empathy [30]. These benefits suggest that 360-vid may be especially well-suited for specific learning objectives, such as fostering empathy. The strategic analysis of keywords in 360-vid research highlights that niche themes in the literature focus on enhancing and supporting learning environments. However, further investigation is required to evaluate the effectiveness of interactive learning and professional training programs. Future studies should aim to identify the most suitable forms of intervention and develop practical, impactful strategies for implementation in healthcare [6].

Despite facing several challenges, the field of 360-degree technologies holds considerable potential for advancement. One critical issue yet to be resolved is the extent of interactivity and user engagement in 360-degree experiences. Currently, 360-vids offer limited interaction compared to fully immersive VR environments, emphasizing the need to develop innovative methods for actively engaging users within these settings [6].

A notable emerging trend in the field is the increasing emphasis on co-creation and participatory design as central components in the development of 360-vid content. Co-creation has gained support as a strategic approach for enhancing pedagogical value and contextual relevance of immersive content [31,32]. Involving key stakeholders such as educators, users, and clinical experts in the scenario development process helps ensure that the content is both contextually appropriate and aligned with instructional goals. In the community of practice theory, learning is viewed as a social process that occurs through active participation in shared practices and interactions within a community [33]. Individuals engage in community practice by interacting with others and the environment, building knowledge through collaboration and mutual engagement. In this context, co-creation becomes a powerful educational approach as it fosters participation, deepens learner engagement, and enables them to own their learning experiences [34]. Future research should continue to prioritize participatory development models to strengthen the relevance and impact of immersive instructional tools [35,36].

While 360-degree video holds promise for clinical education, its use raises important ethical and privacy concerns, particularly regarding user tracking data. Miller et al. [37] demonstrated that motion data, such as head movements and gaze patterns, collected during 360-vid observation in VR can be highly identifying, with accuracy rates exceeding 95% after only a few minutes of tracking. This shows that even basic movement data can reveal a person’s identity, which creates privacy risks. To reduce these risks, developers should use controlled environments, provide clear informed consent, and avoid collecting or sharing identifying data [38]. These steps are essential to protect users’ privacy and maintain ethical standards in the use of immersive video in healthcare.

The integration of human factors into both 360-vid and VR technologies signifies a growing acknowledgement of the importance of improving user interaction with these advanced systems. This user-centered approach has opened new avenues for research and innovation, ensuring that immersive technologies remain accessible, engaging, and enjoyable for a diverse range of users by accommodating their needs and limitations. This evolution aligns with the Technology Adoption Life Cycle (TALC), which categorizes technology users into five groups: Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards [39]. According to this conceptualization, innovators, who represent 2.5% of the market, began exploring 360-vid technology as early as 2009. By 2020, the early adopters, comprising approximately 13.5% of users, started integrating these technologies more widely. This progression highlights the gradual acceptance and growing impact of 360-degree technologies across different user groups.

Despite the growing interest in immersive technologies for healthcare education, there remains a clear underrepresentation of research originating from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A recent systematic review by Li et al. [40] highlighted that while virtual and augmented reality are increasingly explored in medical training across LMICs, the volume of published work remains limited, often constrained by resource availability, technical infrastructure, and lack of institutional support. Most existing studies are concentrated in a few countries and focus on narrowly defined applications such as surgical training. This imbalance underscores the need for broader inclusion of LMIC perspectives to ensure that immersive technologies, including 360-vid, are developed and evaluated in ways that reflect diverse global healthcare contexts and educational needs.

Looking ahead, the adoption of 360-degree technologies in education and training is expected to accelerate, creating the foundation for virtual classrooms, immersive training simulations, and enhanced learning environments utilizing 360-degree content. In industries such as healthcare and therapy, these technologies are anticipated to support virtual therapies, immersive patient interactions, and therapeutic interventions that use 360-vids for mental health and rehabilitation. This forward progress emphasizes the transformative potential of 360-degree technologies in shaping the future of education and healthcare.

4.2. Limitations

This study has several limitations. First, the full text of the articles was not screened, due to the intrinsic nature of the analysis method chosen, and the interpretation was based solely on keyword co-occurrence, which may lead to some misconceptions or oversimplifications, particularly in capturing the full thematic or contextual depth of each study. As a result, certain nuances such as methodological rigor, study objectives, or target populations may not be fully represented. While this limitation is common in bibliometric research and allows for scalable analysis across large datasets, it also means that thematic clustering reflects patterns in surface-level metadata rather than deeper content analysis. However, the BIBLIO framework was followed as a guiding structure to minimize potential bias and enhance the reliability of the bibliometric analysis process. Additionally, inconsistencies in the dataset, including incomplete information, differing spellings of authors’ names, or variations in how affiliations are recorded, may introduce variability into the outcomes of the performance analysis.

4.3. Implications for Future Research

Further exploration of the unfolding potential and impacts of emerging technologies would provide valuable insights for advancing the understanding and application of these innovations. Additionally, research on these solutions as applied in developing countries are needed, given that conventional educational resources can be more limited in such contexts. Future studies could also seek to foster international collaboration in pursuit of improving knowledge of appropriate pedagogical adoption of advanced technologies, in which regard cooperation between universities is vital. Team-based research can lead to more comprehensive studies. It is advisable for researchers and institutions from various countries to collaborate and communicate effectively to conduct impactful research in this field.

5. Conclusions

The increasing interest in 360-vid and VR technologies underscores the need for deeper exploration of these emerging technologies, particularly regarding their effectiveness in enhancing empathy, training, and therapeutic applications. The research demonstrates how 360-vid is transforming both education and healthcare by creating new opportunities for immersive training and therapeutic interventions, with the potential to significantly improve learning experiences and patient care. Furthermore, the analyzed studies emphasize the growing importance of measuring immersion through the concept of presence. This evolving technological aspect offers valuable insights into user interaction with immersive technologies, enhancing our understanding of their impact.