• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2012

Purpose : As the number of children who attend child care centers has increased, concerns has increased about the effect of child day care on childhood illness. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between experience in child care and common infectious diseases in children under 5 years of age. Methods : Data were collected by surveying 1,000 respondents with children under age 5 through online interviews using a structured questionnaire. The contents of the survey were composed of demographic characteristics, child care facilities usage, experience in infectious diseases, and immunization status Results : Among the 1,000 children <5 years of age, 78.5% attended a child care facility. Rates of common communicable illnesses were higher in children in child care than for children reared exclusively at home. The predominant communicable diseases which the respondents' children experienced, in order of decreasing frequency, were gastroenteritis (47.1%), otitis media (41.8%) and pneumonia (19.1%). The immunization rate of vaccines that are not included the national immunization program (NIP) (Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine - 76.6%, hepatitis A vaccine - 63.3%, pneumococcal vaccine - 59.4%, rotavirus vaccine - 43.1%) was lower than that of the NIP vaccines (90.4%) Conclusion : Children in child care experience more bouts of common infectious disease, so nationwide policies to prevent or to control the spread of infectious agents in a child-care should be available and appropriate immunization should be emphasized as the most effective method for the control of infectious disease for children.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2008

Purpose : The seasonality of influenza virus and rotavirus are well recognized in winter and so viral surveillance and laboratory-based diagnostics are important to guide the timing of prophylaxis and other interventions. Yet the seasonality of these two viruses are changing in Korea. We evaluated the prevalence and clinical features of influenza virus and rotavirus. Methods : From September 2001 to August 2005, nasopharyngeal aspirates were cultured from the hospitalized patients with lower respiratory infections and the stools from hospitalized patients with gastroenteritis were tested for rotavirus. We retrospectively analysed the medical records. Results : During the study period, respiratory virus was isolated in 578 (18.5%) out of 3,121 patients. Influenza virus was isolated in 143 cases. The seasonal distribution of influenza infection was from December to June of the next year. The ratio of males to females was 1.3:1 and the median age was 17 months. The most common diagnosis of influenza infection was bronchiolitis. Fever and cough were present in 94.4% and 83.9% of the patients, respectively. During the same period, 3,850 patients were admitted for gastroenteritis and 1,047 (27%) patients were positive for rotavirus. Rotavirus was prevailed from December to June of the next year and it presented in year-round. The ratio of males to females was 1.1:1 and the median age was 16 months. Diarrhea and vomiting were the most common symptoms. Conclusion : The recent peak prevalence of influenza virus and rotavirus in Korea was in winter and the late spring, respectively. So we need to expand surveillance and carefully consider the correct period to vaccinate people.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2000

Objectives : Routine vaccination against influenza is recommended for all people aged 65 years or more. Without active encouragement to receive the vaccine, the rate of compliance is generally low. A study was undertaken to assess and compare the effectiveness of two reminder systems in improving the influenza vaccination rate. Methods : A total of 2,017 patients aged 65 or over in a tertiary care hospital family practice center were randomly assigned to a control, a telephone reminder, or a postcard reminder group before the influenza season in 1998. The outcome measure, receipt of vaccination, was determined by telephone interview. Demographic and clinical characteristics were checked through the medical chart review. Results : Among the 1,312 patients who actually received reminders and interviewed, the vaccination rate was 46.7% in the control group, 56.3% in the postcard reminder group, and 63.3% in the telephone reminder group. Vaccination compliance was significantly higher in people reminded by telephone (Odds ratio [OR], 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-2.64) and postcard (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.18-2.02) compared to that in the control group. Of the characteristics investigated, number of high risk co-morbidity was positively associated with vaccination compliance while current smoking was negatively associated. Conclusions : This result suggests that telephone and postcard reminders can significantly improve compliance with influenza vaccination in this group of Korean elderly. However, additional strategies need to be developed to encourage vaccination among noncompliant.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the estimated proportion for influenza vaccination and to identify factors associated with influenza vaccination in Korean diabetic patients. Methods: Data from the fourth, fifth, and sixth (except for 2013) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=3,726) was used. A chi-square test was performed to investigate the estimated proportion for influenza vaccination, and a multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with self-reported influenza vaccination. Results: In men, 28.8% of diabetes patients 30-64 years of age, and 76.1% of elderly (over 65 years of age) diabetes patients received influenza vaccination. In women, 37.7% of diabetes patients 30-64 years of age, and 78.4% of elderly diabetes patients received influenza vaccination (p<0.0001). The determinants of influenza vaccination were marriage, hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-2.24), residence within a mega city, unemployment (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.24-12.54), and exercise via (weekly) walking for diabetic men; and hypertension (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.16-2.52), chronic disease (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.08-3.02), and exercise via walking (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.49-4.73) for diabetic women. Conclusion: Influenza vaccination remains relatively low in young diabetic patients. It is necessary to recommend vaccination to young diabetic patients, and to devise other strategies to improve vaccination.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.15-27
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the estimated proportion for influenza vaccination and to identify factors associated with influenza vaccination in Korean adults aged 50 and older with asthma. Methods: Data from 2010-2015 Community Health Survey(n=23,662) was used. A chi-square test was performed to investigate the estimated proportion for influenza vaccination, and a multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with self-reported influenza vaccination. Results: In men, 42.3-49.5% of asthma patients 50-64 years of age, and 78.5-90.2% of elderly (over 65 years of age) asthma patients received influenza vaccination. In women, 49.7-61.9% of asthma patients 50-64 years of age, and 82.7-89.7% of elderly asthma patients received influenza vaccination(p<0.0001). Low education level, non-smoking, non-drinking, hypertension, diabetes and use of public center were related to high influenza vaccination in 50-64 years old men with asthma. Low education level, non-smoking, bad health status, hypertension, diabetes and use of public center were related to high influenza vaccination in 50-64 years old women with asthma. Non-smoking and use of public center were related to high influenza vaccination in over 65 years old men with asthma. White-collar jobs, smoking, absence of hypertension and use of public center were related to low influenza vaccination in over 65 years old women with asthma. Conclusions: Influenza vaccination remains relatively low in asthma patients 50-64 years of age. It is necessary to recommend vaccination to asthma patients, provide them with information, and devise other strategies to improve vaccination.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.12
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• pp.190-204
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• 2010

This study firstly examined the socioeconomic and health factors associated with infiltration of private health insurance. Secondly, we compared health behavior, outpatient and inpatient use of private health insured with uninsured. The method of this study is that secondary analysis of the 2008 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey was conducted for 7178 respondents aged 19 over. We use the logistic regression and t-test for data analysis. The first dependent variable was dichotomy which is divided to private health insured or uninsured and the second dependent variable was the presence and frequency of outpatient and inpatient use. The descriptive variables was gender, age, marital status, income, education, occupation, type of national health insurance, residential area, self confidence of health, prevalence rate of common disease, activity limitation, drinking and smoking status. The result of the major findings are as follows. First, 59 under aged person, married person, people in the higher brackets of income, national employee insured were more likely to infiltrate private health insurance. The poor self confidence of health, activity limitation, person with hypertension or allergic rhinitis and smoker were negatively related in infiltrating private health insurance. Second, private health insured did more preventive behavior such as self-paid health examination, cancer screening, regular exercise than uninsured. Third, private health insured was positively related with the presence of outpatient use and frequency of inpatient use

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2010

Purpose : Recurrent otitis media (ROM) is usually defined as ${\geq}$3 distinct and well-documented episodes within 6 months or ${\geq}$4 episodes within 12 months. ROM is sufficiently important to warrant consideration of chemoprophylaxis, tympanostomy tube placement. There also is evidence that children with ROM are at risk for both hearing loss and speech delay. However, studies of ROM have been notably insufficient. In addition, even though environmental, racial, and sociocultural differences can affect risk factors, few studies have been conducted with regard to recurrent otitis media in Korea. Methods : This study was conducted from July 2009 to January 2010 with infants and children who were younger than 60 months old, who visited the out-patient clinics at Han-Il General Hospital and Kyunghee University Hospital. Data were collected by interview using a pre-formed sheet. Among a total of 892 infants and children, 457 were excluded, and the remaining 435 were allocated to 104 with ROM and 331 as a control group. Results : Attendance at daycare centers (P<0.001, OR=2.85), allergic rhinitis (P=0.026, OR=2.32), past history of bronchiolitis (P=0.003, OR=2.33), and low socioeconomic status (P=0.005, OR=2.00) were found to have a close significant correlation with ROM. Risk factors such as sex, having a sibling, breast-feeding, use of pacifiers, atopy, pneumococcal vaccination, influenza vaccination, smoking of parents, and indoor smoking are not relevant. Conclusion : Attendance at daycare centers, allergic rhinitis, past history of bronchiolitis, and low socioeconomic status have been identified as risk factors for ROM.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.125-133
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• 2017

Purpose: After the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine in 1995 in Korea, it was included in the national immunization program in 2013. In the post-Hib vaccine era, some studies in other countries reported that invasive Hib disease affects adults, especially the elderly and immunocompromised persons, more often than it affects children. To evaluate disease susceptibility, quantitative and qualitative analysis of anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP) antibodies were carried out in Korean adults aged 20 to 85 years. Methods: Sera were collected from 39 healthy adults (20 to 50 years of age) and from 30 elderly adults (75 to 85 years of age) who did not have immune-compromising conditions. The concentration of anti-PRP immunoglobulin G (IgG) and serum bactericidal indices (SBIs) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and serum bactericidal assay. Results: Geometric mean concentrations of anti-PRP IgG and geometric mean SBIs were $0.88{\mu}g/mL$ (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17 to 3.85) and 354 (95% CI, 50 to 2,499) in young adults and $1.67{\mu}g/mL$ (95% CI, 0.53 to 5.24) and 449 (95% CI, 146 to 1,376) in elderly adults, respectively. When the threshold of seropositivity for anti-PRP IgG was applied as 0.15 or $1.0{\mu}g/mL$, which is the protective antibody level in children, seropositive rates were 87.2% or 53.8% in young adults and 100% or 60% in elderly adults. The seropositivity rates of the SBI ($SBI{\geq}4$) were 82.1% and 100% in the groups, respectively. Conclusions: Most subjects in the adult and elderly adult groups display immunity to Hib based on quantitative and qualitative antibody levels, but not all. Because high immunization and low Hib circulation rates may reduce the natural Hib immunity in the population, monitoring Hib immunity as well as disease are needed continuously.