To explore the research hotspots and evolution of Common Sense Model (CSM) , in order to provide a clearer research direction for nursing workers to improve health-related outcomes of patients from the perspective of health psychology.

English literature related to CSM was searched in Web of Science Core Collection database from January 1, 1985 to December 31, 2020. VOSviewer 1.6.15 software was used to draw a visual map of keyword density, clustering and time distribution and CiteSpace 5.6.R5 software was used to detect emerging words.

Finally, 364 papers were included, and the annual publication volume and citation frequency of CSM research showed an overall upward trend. CSM research hotspots mainly focused on interpreting or intervening patients' perception of disease, in order to improve self-management of patients, compliance, quality of life, anxiety, depression and psychological distress. The research objects were mainly cancer patients. Social support and psychological distress were explored based on the CSM framework and using Meta-analysis methods to summarize may be an important part of future CSM research work. CSM research was currently in the stage of summarizing and deepening after theoretical perfection and extensive application.

The annual publication volume and citation frequency of CSM research have generally shown an upward trend, which has attracted the attention of domestic scholars, but there is still a big gap compared with foreign countries. Future research can explore the role of social support in the process of individual self-regulation after illness and explore effective methods to intervene in patients' negative disease perception through Meta-analysis, in order to improve patients' health outcomes.

Nursing care; Common Sense Model; Research hotspots; Visual analysis; VOSviewer; CiteSpace