Japanese encephalitis immunization in South Korea: past, present, and future

Japanese encephalitis (JE), once a major public health problem in South Korea, has declined since the 1980s, as a result of improved living conditions, a mosquito eradication program, and a national JE vaccination program, which includes annual booster vaccine for all children less than or equal to 15 years of age. Increased immunity has greatly reduced illness and death; however, vaccine adverse effects are increasing, and a National Compensation Program for Vaccine Injury was begun in 1995. This article reviews past successes, current problems, and future direction of the JE vaccination program in South Korea.     

Achievements in and Challenges of Tuberculosis Control in South Korea

After the Korean War (1950–1953), nearly 6.5% of South Korea’s population had active tuberculosis (TB). In response, South Korea implemented the National Tuberculosis Program in 1962. From 1965 to 1995, the prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB in South Korea decreased from 940 to 219 cases per 100,000 population. Astounding economic growth might have contributed to this result; however, TB incidence in South Korea remains the highest among high-income countries. The rate of decrease in TB incidence seems to have slowed over the past 15 years. A demographic shift toward an older population, many of whom have latent TB and various concurrent conditions, is challenging TB control efforts in South Korea. The increasing number of immigrants also plays a part in the prolonged battle against TB. A historical review of TB in South Korea provides an opportunity to understand national TB control efforts that are applicable to other parts of the world.     

药物经济学评价在韩国医保报销决策中的应用

目的 :介绍韩国药物经济学评价应用于医保报销决策的经验,从而为我国开展类似探索提供借鉴。方法:文献综述。结果:韩国是亚洲第一个将规范的药物经济学证据应用于医保报销决策的国家,也是目前亚洲唯一一个强制执行药物经济学评价的国家。韩国医保报销政策改革对于缓解医疗费用过快上涨发挥了重要作用。结论:药物经济学评价应用于医保报销决策是合理配置稀缺医疗卫生资源的重要手段,韩国在这方面进行了积极的探索,但研究和实践都有待进一步深入,总结其经验和问题对我国今后开展类似工作有重要借鉴意义。     

Growing concerns and controversies to Taiwan's National Health Insurance—what are the lessons from mainland China,South Korea and Singapore?

It has been over 20 years since Taiwan's implementation of its National Health Insurance (NHI) program. Under this program, the health insurance coverage rate has reached approximately 99% of the population. Despite guaranteeing the residents of Taiwan equal access regardless of socioeconomic status and background, critical problems and controversies persist, and they continue to challenge the NHI. We analyze the primary issues facing the NHI program with emphasis on financial and consumer behavioral aspects. Furthermore, we apply models from mainland China, South Korea and Singapore to discuss what Taiwan could learn from the systems employed by these countries to modify the NHI. Targeting the needs of the NHI, we have three policy recommendations: separating the NHI scheme into different target populations, strengthening the NHI referral system and regulating the access of overseas citizens to health services while in Taiwan. After two decades in existence, problems persist and there is a continuing need to improve Taiwan's NHI. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Under pressure, out of control, or home alone? Reviewing research and policy debates on the occupational health and safety effects of outsourcing and home-based work

The practice of outsourcing or subcontracting of work has grown rapidly in most countries over the past two decades. Outsourcing, de-institutionalization, and a range of other practices have also resulted in a growth of home-based work. Home-based workers, even when not part of a subcontracting process, operate in an isolated situation remote from their employer and other workers. Do such work arrangements expose workers to greater risk of injury, illness, or assault? The authors reviewed international studies of the occupational health and safety (OHS) effects of subcontracting and home-based work undertaken over the past 20 years. Of the 25 studies analyzed, 92 percent found poorer OHS outcomes. The studies were examined for clues about the reasons for these negative outcomes. The authors also identified similarities and differences between subcontracting and home-based work. Despite the evidence of poor OHS outcomes, research into outsourcing has stalled in recent years. With notable exceptions, governments have taken little account of findings on these work arrangements in their laws and policies, in part because neoliberal ideas dominate national and global policy agendas. The authors examine policy challenges and regulatory responses and make suggestions for future research and policy interventions.     

Cost-effectiveness analysis of the implementation of a National Immunization Program for rotavirus vaccination in a country with a low rotavirus gastroenteritis-related mortality: A South Korean study

Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis among children younger than 5 years in South Korea. Two rotavirus vaccines (RVs), pentavalent human-bovine reassortant vaccine (Rotateq®; RV5) and attenuated human strain originated monovalent vaccine (Rotarix®; RV1), have been available for voluntary vaccination using out-of-pocket payment since 2007 and 2008, respectively. Yet, RVs are not included in the National Immunization Program (NIP), partly because of the low associated mortality rate. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of RVs to assist the evidence-based decision-making process for NIP implementation in South Korea. Using a transparent age-structured static cohort model, we simulated the experience of ten annual birth cohorts of South Korean children from 2018 to 2027. Model inputs included rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) incidence and mortality rates, RVGE treatment costs, vaccine coverage and timeliness, and vaccine effectiveness and price. The incremental costs of including RVs in the NIP compared to no vaccination were 59,662,738 USD and 152,444,379 USD for RV1 and RV5, respectively. The introduction of RV1 and RV5 can prevent 4799 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and 5068 DALYs. From the societal perspective, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for adopting RV into the NIP versus no vaccination were 12,432 USD per DALY averted for RV1 and 30,081 USD per DALY averted for RV 5. The weighted average for the ICERs of the two vaccines computed using the market share of each vaccine in the current voluntary use as a weight, was 21,698 USD per DALY averted. The estimated ICER was below 1 × gross domestic product per capita (30,000 USD), which has been a commonly used willingness-to-pay threshold for health care technology assessment in South Korea, suggesting that introducing RVs into the NIP would be cost-effective.     

Occupational safety and health in Europe: lessons from the past, challenges and opportunities for the future

Europe has always played a key role in the field of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and can be considered the cradle of Occupational Health. The European policy framework has been set since the establishment of the European Union, but its strength lies in the enactment of the Framework Directive on Occupational Health and Safety (89/391/EC), which has had a strong positive impact on the assessment and management of occupational risk factors and has promoted the quick diffusion of common standards across Europe. Yet, some implementation issues still remain to be addressed, due to changes in the world of work, fragmentation, economic crisis and, more generally, to the impact of globalization. Therefore, actions need to be reviewed with respect to research plans and policy implementation so as to support the OHS social dimension fostering a broader concept of wellbeing at work.     

Long-term variations of dust storms and associated dustfall and related climate factors in Korea during 1997~2016

The large-scale transport of dust storms originating from Mongolia and northern China has been observed for dustfall days by meteorological observers in South Korea since 1960. Furthermore, the Korea Centre for Atmospheric Environment Research (KCAER) has been observing dustfall days by using standards of ground-based mass concentrations in central South Korea since 1997. In the spatial distribution, annual dustfall days gradually decreased southeastward in South Korea due to wind speed reduction for the long-range transport of dust storms. During the last 20 years, 19 dustfall days in 1997 were reduced to 3 days in 2016 with a decreasing rate of ? 0.8 ± 0.1 day year^?1. The warming in northern Mongolia reduced the meridional temperature gradient between Mongolia and northern China. Decreases in the air temperature gradient affect wind speed reduction in the origins of dust storms. A noticeable decrease in PM₁₀ mass concentrations is related to decreases in higher mass concentration days from dustfall in central South Korea during winter and spring. During summer and fall, the decreasing trend of TSP is related to the high level of moisture of the Northwest Pacific air masses.     

Trends in influenza vaccination coverage rates in South Korea from 2005 to 2014: Effect of public health policies on vaccination behavior

BackgroundInfluenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Annual vaccination is effective in its prevention and is recommended especially in susceptible populations such as the elderly over 65 years, children younger than 5, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases. Overall, South Korea has a high vaccination rate owing to its National Immunization Program, although the method and extent of its coverage varies among the target subgroups. The aim of this study is to assess the trend of influenza vaccination coverage between 2005 and 2014 in South Korea to address the influence of sociodemographic and disease factors on vaccination behavior. Also, we aim to compare the vaccination coverage of target subgroups and evaluate the effect of relevant policies to provide suggestions for their improvement.MethodsA total of 61,036 respondents from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys III to VI were included.ResultsThe total influenza vaccination coverage increased from 38.0% in 2005 to 44.1% in 2014. Vaccination coverage was higher among the elderly aged ≥65 years (range, 70.0–79.8%; p-for-trend <0.001) and children under 5 (range, 64.6–78.9%; p-for-trend < 0.001) than among pregnant women (range, 9.4–37.8%; p-for-trend = 0.122) and people with chronic diseases (range, 29.6–42.6%; p-for-trend = 0.068) from 2005 to 2014. High vaccination coverage was associated with female gender, rural residence, low education level, high income, and increasing number of chronic diseases. But the effect of high income on high vaccination coverage was absent in the elderly aged ≥65 years and children under 5.ConclusionInfluenza vaccination rates have steadily increased from 2005 to 2014 in South Korea. Disparities between target groups correspond to their financial coverage under the National Immunization Program, and financial aids remove the influence of high income on higher vaccination rates. Future vaccination policies should focus on pregnant women and people with chronic diseases.     

北京市某区涉苯企业劳动者职业卫生服务享受情况调查

目的了解北京市某区涉苯企业劳动者职业卫生服务(occupational health service,OHS)享受情况,探讨OHS过程中存在的问题,为促进辖区OHS发展提供建议。方法采用问卷调查方法,对涉苯企业劳动者OHS调查数据进行χ2检验。结果劳动者劳动合同签订率为96.3%;劳动者合同告知率为66.1%,随年龄、工龄增加而下降(P0.01);劳动者工伤保险缴纳率为81.3%,外地户籍工低于本地户籍工,并随文化程度、工龄降低而下降(P0.01);劳动者上岗前职业卫生培训率为87.5%,随文化程度增高而升高(P0.01);劳动者在岗定期职业卫生培训率为79.1%,随文化程度增高而升高,随工龄增加而下降(P0.01);上岗前职业健康检查率为28.5%。结论劳动者OHS享受情况整体水平不高,受年龄、工龄、文化程度影响;OHS过程中存在不公平性;应督促用人单位落实职业病防治的主体责任,提高劳动者OHS水平。     

韩国老年长期护理政策新动向

面临人口老龄化等一系列问题的影响,韩国老年护理政策出现新的动向,将于2008年实施长期护理保险制度。根据韩国长期护理保险的模式,通过分析,发现该制度存在着覆盖面、服务及费用、筹资及归属层次、护理管理体制等既有理念上的又有制度设计上的一些问题。这些对中国应对人口老龄化下的老年生活服务问题具有借鉴价值。     

Status of occupational health and safety in Iran

In recent decades, Iran has had a steadily growing economy with an annual rate of 6% on average. The country's economy is dominantly influenced by oil and natural gas production and related industries like petrochemicals and fertilizers. There are two million job units and sixteen million employees. The occupational health and safety (OHS) system is mainly regulated by two bodies: the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, responsible for occupational health services and legislations; and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which undertakes the enactment and enforcement of occupational safety legal issues. Inspectorates in each ministry carry out regular health and safety monitoring according to the OHS legislations. The most common occupational health disorders are musculoskeletal problems, respiratory diseases, noise induced hearing loss, and occupational injuries. Because the OHS is a complex system with overlapping responsibilities among the co-responders, its improvement needs well-organized collaboration among Iranian universities, industries, and governmental agencies, and reliable basic data. The present study takes a glance at the situation and activities of the Iranian OHS system.     

Historical advances in health inequality research]

The socioeconomic inequalities in health have recently become an important public health concern in South Korea, and the issue has gained increasing attention from many South Korean researchers due to the increasing income inequality and widening social polarization following its economic crisis in the late 1990s. However, despite the mounting literature on health inequalities published in recent years, the history of research on health inequality in South Korea is premature in comparison to the long histories in several Western countries. Understanding the historical background underlying the issue of health inequality research may aid in establishing and accumulating scientifically solid evidence in South Korea. It may also direct the South Korean research community to develop research agendas that are more politically and academically appropriate for South Korean society. This paper describes the historical development of health inequality research in the West and introduces several important issues contributing to the advancement of health inequality research. Specifically, the major studies conducted before and after the UK Black Report are presented. In addition, the history and current status of health inequality research in South Korea are documented and evaluated. Finally, several research agendas for the quantitative and qualitative improvement of health inequality research in South Korea are proposed.     

A Commentary on the Unique Developmental Considerations of Youth: Integrating the Teenage Cortex into the Occupational Health and Safety Context

Abstract

This commentary responds to Sudhinaraset and Blum's article in this issue, and seeks to integrate a growing body of development research into existing occupational health and safety (OHS) research, policy and practice. We suggest that it is useful to distinguish between research questions regarding minimum age restrictions for hazardous tasks and jobs from research questions about the degree to which developmental factors contribute to elevated work injury risk for youth compared to adults. Epidemiological evidence indicates that known OHS risk factors adversely affect workers of all ages to a similar extent; a balanced approach is needed to integrate emerging developmental research with existing epidemiological research so that the abilities of young workers are not prejudged solely on the basis of age and brain maturation. Further, the heterogeneity of cognitive and self-regulatory functioning at any age suggests that architectural principles of Universal Design be employed in OHS training and hazard reduction.     

The current status and the future of occupational safety and health in Korea

From the 1970s to 2000, the occupational accident rate in Korea showed a continuous decline. However, the rate has remained stagnant since 2000 even when the fatal injury rate has decreased 40% from that year. Injuries caused by being caught in objects have decreased while those caused by slips and falls on same level and falls from the height have increased. In 2010, the non-fatal injury rate per 100 employees was 0.63 while the fatal injury rate per 100,000 employees was 9.74. The construction industry accounted for 40.2% of all fatal injuries, and falls from the height caused 54.3% of the fatality. Musculoskeletal diseases accounted for 78.8% of the non-fatal occupational diseases while cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and pneumoconiosis are the two major fatal occupational diseases. Occupational diseases caused by chemical agents have decreased to 0.6% of all cases. However, there were several social disputes related to occupational diseases caused by low level of chemicals such as leukemia in a semiconductor company. Korea planned to reduce the fatal injury rate and total workday loss by 30% by 2015. In order to achieve this goal, the government will focus on vulnerable groups in collaboration with allies such as professional associations or organizations.     

The global expansion of precarious employment, work disorganization, and consequences for occupational health: a review of recent research.

In this review of a range of studies on the health and safety effects of precarious employment in industrialized societies published since 1984, the authors examine the overall findings and methodological issues and identify areas in need of further research. Of the 93 published journal articles and monographs/book chapters reviewed, 76 studies found precarious employment was associated with a deterioration in occupational health and safety (OHS) in terms of injury rates, disease risk, hazard exposures, or worker (and manager) knowledge of OHS and regulatory responsibilities. Of the more than 25 studies each on outsourcing and organizational restructuring/downsizing, well over 90 percent find a negative association with OHS. The evidence is fairly persuasive for temporary workers, with 14 of 24 studies finding a negative association with OHS. The evidence is less strong for small business, and a handful of studies on part-time workers found no clear association with negative OHS outcomes (in some cases the reverse). Further research is needed to more clearly link health effects to particular business practices and neoliberal policies and to explore the regulatory implications of the growth of precarious employment. The authors suggest some ways to conceptualize the association between precarious employment and occupational health.     

Role changes of hospital social workers in South Korea

The roles of social workers in hospitals have changed in accordance with the environmental changes in the healthcare system. Since 1958, hospital social workers have performed important roles in providing care services in South Korea. Providing psychosocial services was considered to be the most important for more than 30 years from the 1970s to the 1990s. The healthcare system has since undergone major environmental changes, yet there has been little study on the role of hospital social workers in South Korea. In order to address this research gap, this study aims to explore how the roles of hospital social workers have changed since the 2000s. We recruited 198 hospital social workers who were active members of the Korean Association of Medical Social Workers as study participants. The average age of participants was 35.36 years old (SD = 8.27), and they had an average of 8.24 years in hospital social work experience (SD = 6.35). The results indicated that the roles of financial support and community resource linkage, which were regarded to be relatively less important until the 1990s, were recognized as the most important. Given the role changes of hospital social workers in South Korea, implications are discussed.     

Manganese--a public health concern: its relevance for occupational health and safety policy and regulation in South Africa

Concerns about the effects of low-level manganese exposures on human health arise at a time when South Africa finds itself in competition with newcomers to the market economy, China and the CIS. This case study illustrates how decisions about occupational health and safety and the environment are influenced by incompleteness of scientific knowledge, competing interests, differences over what is fair or just, and the compartmentalization of public policy. In addition, an assessment is made of the ability of the occupational health and safety system in South Africa in its current form to address the challenges posed by manganese-related issues. The importance of tracking developments abroad, strengthening participatory processes, developing national policy, linking economic policy and OHS policy, and establishing appropriate trade agreements is stressed.     

Estimating contact-adjusted immunity levels against measles in South Korea and prospects for maintaining elimination status

Measles has been reemerging in South Korea since December 2018 resulting in 185 cases by September 2019.We calculated contact-adjusted immunity levels against measles in South Korea using national seroprevalence data in 2014, vaccination uptake rates, and an age-specific contact matrix. We further explored options to achieve a contact-adjusted immunity level of 93% for herd immunity.The assessed contact-adjusted immunity level has increased from 86% in 2014 to 92% in 2018. Herd immunity could be achieved with immunizing 50% of susceptibles among birth cohorts 1999–2003 in 2018.Contact-adjusted immunity levels against measles have increased recently in South Korea, although they might not yet be high enough to guarantee herd immunity.