Abstract
Background: Critical thinking skills are essential in health education and practice, supporting evidence-based decision-making and health literacy. Although critical thinking research has increased globally, methodological analyses of Indonesian health journals remain limited.
Objective: This study aimed to analyze publication trends and methodological characteristics of critical thinking skills research in Indonesian health journals.
Methods: A methodological review using content analysis examined articles published between 2000 and 2025 in Indonesian health journals indexed in the Science and Technology Index (SINTA). Twenty-four eligible articles were analyzed based on seven aspects: publication year, research type and design, research subjects, health topics, interventions, data collection instruments, and data analysis methods.
Results: Publications increased after 2019, with peaks in 2020 and 2024. Quantitative studies predominated (n=17; 70.8%), comprising quasi-experimental (n=9; 52.9%), cross-sectional (n=7; 41.2%), and cohort comparative (n=1; 5.9%) designs. Nursing students were the most frequently studied population. Only a limited number of studies addressed specific health issues, including reproductive health and urogenital disorders, while most focused on academic and psychological factors related to critical thinking. Questionnaires were the most commonly used instruments, and data analysis primarily relied on bivariate techniques, with limited use of multivariate analysis.
Conclusion: This review provides a methodological overview of critical thinking skills research in Indonesian health journals, identifying dominant approaches and key methodological gaps. The findings may inform future research, particularly efforts to strengthen evidence-based health education research in Indonesia.