- Performance of indicators used in regular risk assessments for COVID-19 in association with contextual factors
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Sujin Hong, Jiyoung Oh, Jia Lee, Yongmoon Kim, Bryan Inho Kim, Min Jei Lee, Hyunjung Kim, Sangwoo Tak
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Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2024;15(5):420-428. Published online October 31, 2024
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2024.0141
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 Graphical Abstract
 Abstract
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 - Objectives
This study aimed to summarize the results of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk assessments and to examine the associations between risk levels and various indicators, including COVID-19 incidence, risk perception, community mobility, and government policy.
Methods
The results of the risk assessment and the indicators utilized were summarized. From November 2021 to May 2022, the COVID-19 risk level was evaluated on a weekly basis, and its correlation with these indicators was analyzed. Data were obtained from press releases by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, regular surveys conducted by Hankook Research, and information available on the Google and Oxford websites.
Results
Weekly risk assessments were conducted for 30 weeks, using different indices depending on the phases. Correlation analysis revealed the strongest positive correlation between risk level and risk perception (r=0.841). The risk level from “1-week lead” demonstrated a strong positive correlation with the time-varying reproduction number (Rt). Similarly, the risk level from “week lagged value” showed a strong positive correlation with the number of severe cases in the hospital.
Conclusion
At the time of risk assessment, the Rt precedes the risk level, while severe cases in hospitals follow. Therefore, the assessed risk level functioned as an early warning system. Risk perception demonstrated the strongest correlation with the risk level, suggesting consistency throughout the assessment period. Contextual indicators (e.g., risk perception) that consider time lags and implementation scales, could improve the evaluation of future risk assessment results, particularly when there are challenges in reflecting specific situations in coordinated emergency response.
- Factors associated with the timely diagnosis of malaria and the utilization of types of healthcare facilities: a retrospective study in the Republic of Korea
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HyunJung Kim, Sangwoo Tak, So-dam Lee, Seongwoo Park, Kyungwon Hwang
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Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2024;15(2):159-167. Published online April 16, 2024
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2023.0349
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Graphical Abstract
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This study aimed to analyze trends in the timely diagnosis of malaria cases over the past 10 years in relation to the utilization of different types of healthcare facilities. Methods: The study included 3,697 confirmed and suspected cases of malaria reported between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2022, in the national integrative disease and healthcare management system. Some cases lacking a case report or with information missing from the case report were excluded from the analysis. A generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution was constructed to estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals adjusted for other variables, such as distance. Results: When cases involving diagnosis >5 days after symptom onset in confirmed patients (5DD) were examined according to the type of healthcare facility, the risk ratio of 5DD cases was found to be higher for tertiary hospitals than for public health facilities. Specifically, the risk ratio was higher when the diagnosis was established at a tertiary hospital, even after a participant had visited primary or secondary hospitals. In an analysis adjusted for the distance to each participant’s healthcare facility, the results did not differ substantially from the results of the crude analysis. Conclusion: It is imperative to improve the diagnostic capabilities of public facilities and raise awareness of malaria at primary healthcare facilities for effective prevention and control.
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