Epidemiology and Health最新文献

{"title":"Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a beverage type-specific analysis using Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.","authors":"Hong Jae Jeon, Woo Sun Rou, Seok Hyun Kim, Byung Seok Lee, Ha Neul Kim, Hei-Gwon Choi, Jaehee Seo, Hyuk Soo Eun, Sukyoung Jung","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025038","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most prevalent liver disease. Evidence indicates a relationship between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and MASLD development; however, the effects of specific SSB types on MASLD remain underexplored. This study investigated the association between consumption of 3 distinct types of SSBs and MASLD in Korean adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2012-2016, including 8,310 participants aged 40-64 years. SSB consumption (soft drinks, fruit drinks, and Korean traditional drinks) was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. MASLD was defined as a hepatic steatosis index ≥36 in the presence of any cardiometabolic risk factor. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for relevant covariates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared to non-drinkers, consumption of soft drinks (≥3 serving/wk) was associated with higher odds of MASLD (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.81; p for trend=0.03), while consumption of Korean traditional drinks (≥3 serving/wk) was associated with lower odds of MASLD (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.89; p for trend=0.01). No association was found between fruit drink consumption and MASLD. In sex-stratified analysis (p-interaction=0.38), an inverse association between Korean traditional drinks and MASLD was observed in male (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.95; p for trend=0.03), but not in female (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.45 to 1.14; p for trend=0.17).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Consuming soft drinks at least 3 times per week was positively associated with MASLD, whereas an equivalent intake of Korean traditional drinks was inversely associated with MASLD.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025038"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144709490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geospatial analysis of neonatal mortality in north-eastern India: a multilevel Bayesian approach.","authors":"Vidhi Jain, Kh Jitenkumar Singh, Deboshree Das, Shefali Gupta, Gunjan Singh","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025021","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Neonatal mortality remains a significant public health issue in India. This study investigates spatial patterns and contributing factors to neonatal mortality in the north-eastern states, identifying hotspot regions and spatial variations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A sample of 34,222 mothers from India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21) in the north-eastern states was analysed. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted alongside Bayesian multilevel logistic regression using integrated nested Laplace approximation to model neonatal mortality. Spatial hotspot analysis using Getis-Ord Gi* statistics identified clusters of high neonatal mortality, while geographically weighted regression (GWR) was used to examine spatial variations in the relationships between neonatal mortality and contributing factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The neonatal mortality rate in the north-eastern states declined from 45 to 21 per 1,000 live births (NFHS-1 to NFHS-5) but remains higher than the national average. Assam reported the highest mortality (42.16%), whereas Sikkim had the lowest (0.87%). Higher mortality was observed among male infants, mothers with advanced age, low maternal education, and mothers who attended less than 5 antenatal care (ANC) visits. Spatial analysis identified hotspots in Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura. GWR indicated that areas with less than 5 ANC visits had the strongest association with neonatal mortality. Bayesian multilevel analysis highlighted spatial variations of up to 51% across districts in northeast India.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study underscores spatial disparities in neonatal mortality across north-eastern India. Addressing childcare practices and healthcare access in hotspot regions is essential for improving new-born health outcomes. The findings provide critical insights for policymakers to develop targeted interventions aimed at reducing neonatal mortality in these underserved areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025021"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12425693/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144057468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of hypertension-related avoidable hospitalization on all-cause mortality in older patients with hypertension: a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Korea.","authors":"Yehrhee Son, Noorhee Son, Sungyoun Chun, Ki-Bong Yoo, Jung Hyun Chang, Woo-Ri Lee","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025019","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The prevalence of hypertension is increasing as a result of rapid population aging, which elevates the societal burden of the disease. In Korea, the hospitalization rate for hypertension-related admissions exceeds the average reported by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; however, the impact of these hospitalizations has not been evaluated. Therefore, this study investigates the association between hypertension-related avoidable hospitalizations and all-cause mortality.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We included patients aged ≥60 years diagnosed with hypertension, identified using data from the National Health Insurance Services Senior Cohort spanning 2008 to 2019. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality measured at 3 years and 5 years after the hypertension diagnosis. The key independent variable was the incidence of hypertension-related avoidable hospitalizations within the first year following the initial hypertension diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was employed to assess these associations. To ensure robust findings and minimize selection bias, several sensitivity analyses were conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 65,686 participants, 397 (0.6%) experienced hypertension-related avoidable hospitalizations within 1 year of their initial hypertension diagnosis. Individuals who experienced such hospitalizations had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to those who did not (3-year: hazard ratio [HR], 2.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53 to 2.94; 5-year: HR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.68 to 2.68).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Hypertension-related avoidable hospitalizations among older adults are associated with an increased risk of both short-term and long-term all-cause mortality. These findings underscore the importance of timely hypertension management to prevent such hospitalizations.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025019"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12178768/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144004960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of self-rated health, depression, and work ability with employee control over working time.","authors":"Heejoo Ko, Seong-Sik Cho, Jaesung Choi, Mo-Yeol Kang","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025036","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Work-time control (WTC), defined as employees' ability to influence their work schedules, is a crucial determinant of work-life balance and well-being. This study aims to evaluate the associations between WTC and health-related outcomes among Korean workers and examine potential effect modifications by working hours and shift work status.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study analyzed data from the 2024 wave of the Korean Work, Sleep, and Health Study, a nationwide panel study of workers aged 19 years to 70 years (n=5,195). WTC was measured using a 6-item scale, and participants were categorized into low (≤12) or high (>12) WTC groups. Outcomes included self-rated health (SRH), depression (measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and work ability (WA; measured by the Work Ability Index). Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for poor SRH, moderate-to-severe depression, and poor WA, adjusting for demographic and occupational variables. Subgroup analyses assessed effect modifications by working hours and shift work.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher WTC was associated with lower odds of poor SRH (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.86), moderate-to-severe depression (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.83), and poor WA (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.84). These associations were significant among daytime workers but not shift workers. The protective effects of WTC were attenuated among workers whose working hours exceeding 52 hr/wk.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Higher WTC is associated with better health and work outcomes, emphasizing its importance for employee well-being. However, its benefits may be limited among shift workers and employees working excessive hours.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025036"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144601966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Socioeconomic inequality in organized and opportunistic screening for breast cancer: results from the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, 2009-2021.","authors":"Yejin Ha, Xuan Quy Luu, Woorim Kim, Jae Kwan Jun, Mina Suh, Kui Son Choi","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025031","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Breast cancer screening rates have increased since the introduction of the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) in Korea. However, it remains unclear whether socioeconomic inequalities have improved, particularly according to screening type. This study investigated inequalities in organized (government-led) and opportunistic (individually initiated) screening, stratified by education and income levels.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were obtained from the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, conducted annually from 2009 to 2021, involving approximately 1,700 women each year except in 2009. Trends were analyzed using joinpoint regression to calculate average annual percent changes (AAPCs). Socioeconomic inequalities were assessed using the slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Organized screening rates increased from 42.0% in 2009 to 60.2% in 2021 (AAPC, 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7 to 3.4), whereas opportunistic screening rates declined from 13.3% to 11.2% (AAPC, -5.4; 95% CI, -8.7 to -2.3). For organized screening, individuals with lower education levels exhibited higher participation, resulting in negative inequality indices (SII, -5.37%; RII, 0.80). No significant income-based inequality was found (SII, 1.60%; RII, 1.07). However, opportunistic screening demonstrated significant inequalities by both education (SII, 5.37%; RII, 1.92) and income (SII, 5.90%; RII, 1.96), with higher participation rates among more advantaged groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The NCSP has improved breast cancer screening rates and reduced income-related inequality in organized screening. However, educational and income-based inequalities persist in opportunistic screening. To reduce screening inequities, policy efforts are needed to further promote the NCSP, including improving program quality and providing financial support for follow-up examinations.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025031"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12425860/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144227218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination in Korea using data from active surveillance: a text mining approach.","authors":"Hye Ah Lee, Bomi Park, Chung Ho Kim, Yeonjae Kim, Hyunjin Park, Seunghee Jun, Hyelim Lee, Seunghyun Lewis Kwon, Yesul Heo, Hyungmin Lee, Hyesook Park","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025034","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Unstructured text data collected through vaccine safety surveillance systems can identify previously unreported adverse reactions and provide critical information to enhance these systems. This study explored adverse reactions using text data collected through an active surveillance system following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed text mining on 2,608 and 2,054 records from 2 survey seasons (2023-2024 and 2024-2025), in which participants reported health conditions experienced within 7 days of vaccination using free-text responses. Frequency analysis was conducted to identify key terms, followed by subgroup analyses by sex, age, and concomitant influenza vaccination. In addition, semantic network analysis was used to examine terms reported together.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis identified several common (≥1%) adverse events, such as respiratory symptoms, sleep disturbances, lumbago, and indigestion, which had not been frequently noted in prior literature. Moreover, less frequent (≥0.1 to <1.0%) adverse reactions affecting the eyes, ears, and oral cavity were also detected. These adverse reactions did not differ significantly in frequency based on the presence or absence of simultaneous influenza vaccination. Co-occurrence analysis and estimation of correlation coefficients further revealed associations between frequently co-reported symptoms.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study utilized text mining to uncover previously unrecognized adverse reactions associated with COVID-19 vaccination, thereby broadening our understanding of the vaccine's safety profile. The insights obtained may inform future investigations into vaccine-related adverse reactions and improve the processing of text data in surveillance systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025034"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12425858/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144601968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Authors' Reply: Safety of combination therapy of azilsartan medoxomil and amlodipine: a population-based cohort study.","authors":"Hyesung Lee, Bin Hong, Chris Tzu-Ting Su, Sungho Bea, Han Eol Jeong, Kyungyeon Jung, Michael Chun-Yuan Cheng, Zoe Chi-Jui Chang, Edward Chia-Cheng Lai, Jongyoung Lee","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2025054","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"e2025054"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145207924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in sustainable dietary patterns in United States adults, 2007-2018.","authors":"Sukyoung Jung, Heather A Young, Barbara H Braffett, Samuel J Simmens, Eunice Hong Lim Lee, Cynthia L Ogden","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025045","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Adopting sustainable diets is essential for improving both human and planetary health, and such diets should be evaluated from a multidimensional perspective. We characterized trends in sustainable dietary patterns, quantified by the sustainable diet index for United States (SDI-US) adults, along with trends in diet quality, diet-related environmental impacts, food affordability, and food practices.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2018) for adults aged ≥20 years (n=25,543). The SDI-US (range, 4-20 points), with higher scores indicating more sustainable diets, was calculated using 24-hour dietary recall data and responses to consumer and dietary behavior questionnaires. Mean total SDI-US scores, sub-indices, and 12 individual indicators were estimated for each survey cycle. Trends were assessed using orthogonal polynomial contrasts in regression models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 2007 to 2018, total SDI-US scores showed no significant overall trend (overall mean, 13.1). Nutritional and socio-cultural indicators remained relatively stable, whereas the economic indicator (food expenditures) worsened from 21.4% to 26.4% (p<0.05, linear trend) between 2007-2008 and 2017-2018. Environmental impacts initially worsened between 2007-2008 and 2013-2014 but improved through 2017-2018 (all p<0.05, quadratic trend). When stratified by age (p for interaction <0.001), a slight decline in SDI-US was observed among adults aged ≥60 years (14.1 to 13.9, p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>From 2007 to 2018, total SDI-US scores largely remained unchanged, although declines occurred among adults ≥60 years and scores remained lower among adults aged 20-39 years. Ongoing monitoring and coordinated improvements across all dimensions are needed to advance sustainable diets in all age groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025045"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144974557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of student human rights ordinances on mental health among middle and high school students in South Korea: a difference-in-differences analysis.","authors":"Sang Jun Eun","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025011","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To actively protect and enhance students' human rights, student human rights ordinances (SHROs) have been enforced in seven provinces in South Korea at different times since 2010. Although human rights are closely linked to mental health, there has been no research on the effectiveness of human rights legislation on adolescent mental health. This study evaluated the effects of SHROs on the mental health of middle and high school students.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Repeated cross-sectional data were used, including 1,148,257 respondents from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey between 2006 and 2023. Probabilities of perceived stress, sleep insufficiency, depressive mood, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt in treated provinces were estimated through a difference-in-differences approach that accounts for treatment effect heterogeneity across groups over time.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SHROs had no consistently significant effects on any mental health outcomes, except for slightly increased suicide ideation in total students (0.7%, 95% confidence interval 0.3% to 1.1%). Suicide attempts in total and male students and perceived stress and sleep insufficiency in female students tended to decrease, while other mental health outcomes tended to increase. Uncertainty in the effect estimates of SHROs increased for all mental health outcomes with possible violations of parallel trends, rendering originally significant effects insignificant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>SHROs failed to improve mental health of middle and high school students in treated provinces, possibly due to the absence of enforcement mechanisms. Further research is needed on the effectiveness of and effect mechanisms for legal measures to improve human rights on adolescent mental health.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025011"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12062860/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143568482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Palivizumab coverage rates among moderate-to-late preterm infants in Korea: a nationwide cross-sectional study.","authors":"Seungyeon Kim, Saram Lee, Young June Choe, Ju Sun Heo","doi":"10.4178/epih.e2025015","DOIUrl":"10.4178/epih.e2025015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Since October 2016, Korea has implemented a national reimbursement program for palivizumab aimed at moderate-to-late preterm (MLPT) infants born between 32 0/7 weels and 35 6/7 weeks of gestation during the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season (October-March). However, large-scale data on coverage rates and associated factors remain limited. This study evaluated palivizumab coverage rates and identified predictive factors influencing its administration in MLPT infants.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This nationwide, population-based cross-sectional study utilized data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service collected between October 2016 and March 2019. MLPT infants eligible for palivizumab reimbursement were divided into administration and non-administration groups. Seasonal and overall coverage rates were assessed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis examined factors associated with palivizumab administration, with a focus on infant and maternal characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 2,843 eligible MLPT infants, 1,201 (42.2%) received palivizumab, while 1,642 (57.8%) did not. Although coverage rates increased annually, they remained suboptimal. Lower palivizumab prophylaxis coverage was observed in infants with higher gestational ages, female sex, absence of low birth weight, those born in March, residents of non-capital areas, infants not admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit at birth, and infants of mothers aged <35 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In the initial 3 RSV seasons following the introduction of palivizumab reimbursement for MLPT infants in Korea, the overall coverage rate was low (42.2%). National policies targeting infants with higher gestational ages, those born in March, and those residing in non-capital areas are necessary to improve coverage and ensure equitable RSV prophylaxis.</p>","PeriodicalId":48543,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Health","volume":" ","pages":"e2025015"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12178765/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144021194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}