Epidemiology and Health

Original Articles

The effect of public hospital closure on the death of long-term inpatients in Korea: Taeuk Kang, Minsung Sohn, Changwoo Shon; Epidemiol Health. 2024;46:e2024022. Published online January 17, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2024022

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Abstract Summary PDF: Abstract
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to examine the changes in health outcomes and the patterns of medical institution utilization among patients with long-term stays in public hospitals following the closure of a public medical center. It also sought to present a proposal regarding the role of public hospitals in countries with healthcare systems predominantly driven by private entities, such as Korea.
METHODS
To assess the impact of a public healthcare institution closure on health outcomes in a specific region, we utilized nationally representative health insurance claims data. A retrospective cohort study was conducted for this analysis.
RESULTS
An analysis of the medical utilization patterns of patients after the closure of Jinju Medical Center showed that 67.4% of the total medical usage was redirected to long-term care hospitals. This figure is notably high in comparison to the 20% utilization rate of nursing hospitals observed among patients from other medical facilities. These results indicate that former patients of Jinju Medical Center may have experienced limitations in accessing necessary medical services beyond nursing care. After accounting for relevant mortality factors, the analysis showed that the mortality rate in closed public hospitals was 2.47 (95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.96) times higher than in private hospitals.
CONCLUSIONS
The closure of public medical institutions has resulted in unmet healthcare needs, and an observed association was observed with increased mortality rates. It is essential to define the role and objectives of public medical institutions, taking into account the distribution of healthcare resources and the conditions of the population.; Summary

Korean summary
본 연구는 사회보험제도를 기반으로 하고 있는 한국의 상황에서 지방의 공공의료기관 폐쇄가 환자들의 건강에 어떠한 영향을 미쳤는지를 확인하고자 국민건강보험 청구자료를 기반으로 후향적코호트 자료를 구축하여 분석을 시행하였다. 연구결과 장기 입원 환자의 67.4%가 장기요양병원을 의료를 이용하였고, 이는 비교집단의 장기요양 이용비율인 20% 수준보다 3배 가량 높은 수치로, 의료이용에 일부 제약이 발생하였을 가능성을 시사하는 것이다. 폐업 후 1년 이내 사망률을 비교한 결과, 인근지역 내 민간병원 환자와 비교하여 공공의료기관 입원환자의 사망확률은 2.67배였고, 의료급여 수급권자들의 사망확률은 고소득 5분위에 비해 2.24배 높은 것으로 나타났다.

Key Message
Even in Korea's healthcare system with high medical accessibility, adverse health impacts have been observed due to the closure of public healthcare institutions. Systematic policy development is necessary to evaluate essential medical service provision and allocate medical resources comprehensively.

Regional disparities in the availability of cancer clinical trials in Korea: Jieun Jang, Wonyoung Choi, Sung Hoon Sim, Sokbom Kang; Epidemiol Health. 2024;46:e2024006. Published online December 11, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2024006

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Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material: Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Unequal access to cancer clinical trials is an important issue, given the potential benefits of participation for cancer patients. We evaluated regional disparities in access to cancer clinical trials in Korea.
METHODS
From the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety database, we extracted 2,465 records of all cancer clinical trials approved between January 2012 and April 2023. To measure disparities in cancer clinical trial access, we calculated the ratio of clinical trials open to non-capital areas relative to those open to capital areas. We then analyzed temporal trends in this ratio, which we termed the trial geographical equity index (TGEI).
RESULTS
Disparities in access to cancer clinical trials, as indicated by the TGEI, did not significantly improve during the study period (regression coefficient, 0.002; p=0.59). However, for phase II/III trials sponsored by global pharmaceutical companies, the TGEI improved significantly (regression coefficient, 0.021; p<0.01). In contrast, the TGEI deteriorated for trials initiated by investigators or those testing domestically developed therapeutics (regression coefficient, -0.015; p=0.05). Furthermore, the increasing trend of TGEI for phase II/III trials sponsored by global companies began to reverse after 2019, coinciding with the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
CONCLUSIONS
Over the past decade, access to cancer clinical trials has improved in Korea, particularly for phase II/III trials evaluating therapeutics from global companies. However, this increase in accessibility has not extended to trials initiated by investigators or those assessing domestically developed therapeutics. Additionally, the impact of COVID-19 on disparities in clinical trial access should be closely monitored.; Summary

Korean summary
본 연구는 개시된 암 임상시험 수가 국내 수도권에 비해 비수도권에서 절대적으로 부족하고, 이러한 부족이 지난 10년간 개선되지 않았음을 보여줍니다. 다만, 글로벌 제약회사의 치료제를 검증하는 2상/3상 암 임상시험의 경우 임상시험 접근성에 대한 이러한 지역적 격차가 의미 있게 감소했으나 이러한 개선 또한 2019년 이후로는 정체되었을 수 있습니다. 상기 결과들은 임상시험 가용성의 형평성을 향상시키기 위해서는 국내 임상시험 개시 규모가 지역적 불균형을 이루고 있음에 대한 인식이 높아져야 하고, 비수도권 지역에서 임상시험 개시를 방해하는 장벽을 식별하는 데 추가적인 노력이 필요함을 강조합니다.

Key Message
The findings in this study indicate scarcity of cancer clinical trials in non-capital areas compared to that in capital areas of Korea, which has not improved over the past decade. However, this regional disparity in the access to clinical trials meaningfully decreased for phase II/III trials testing therapeutics from global pharmaceutical companies, though this progress may have stalled after 2019. This study highlights that increasing awareness of the regional imbalance in clinical trial access is vital and further efforts are needed to identify the barriers impeding the initiation of clinical trials in non-capital areas to improve the equity of availability.

Evaluation of the accessibility and its equity of the national public-private mix program for tuberculosis in Korea: a multilevel analysis: Hyunjin Son, Changhoon Kim; Epidemiol Health. 2023;45:e2023002. Published online December 7, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023002

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Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material: Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To examine the effect of individual and area-level characteristics on the probability of public-private mix (PPM) support (PPM coverage) for tuberculosis (TB).
METHODS
This study is a retrospective cohort design using TB reporting and treatment management data in Korea. We analyzed PPM coverage through multilevel logistic regression and empirical Bayesian estimation according to individual and area-level characteristics and their interaction.
RESULTS
Patients aged 0-29 years, women, of Korean nationality, treated at a general hospital, a one-time reporting, urban areas, and the lowest deprivation index (DI) showed higher PPM coverage. Due to the cross-level interaction, PPM coverage in the urban areas (slope=-0.048, p<0.001) had a higher level but a steeper negative deprivation gradient than in rural areas (slope= -0.015, p<0.001). For a general hospital, the PPM coverage in urban is high but more significantly decreased than in rural areas with the higher DI (urban: slope=-0.047, p<0.001; rural: slope=-0.031, p<0.001). For clinics and hospitals, the effect of DI did not appear in urban areas, but in rural areas, the higher the DI, the higher the PPM coverage with a slope of 0.046 (p<0.001) and 0.063 (p<0.001), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The PPM program created a significant disparity in PPM coverage between urban-rural areas and type of healthcare provider according to DI. Considering the high risk of TB incidence in areas with higher DI, institutional improvement and program redesign are needed to improve accessibility and equity.; Summary

Korean summary
다수준 분석을 통해 시행하여 PPM(Public-Private Mix) 사업의 주요한 평가 지표인 PPM coverage를 접근성과 형평성 관점에서 검토하였다. PPM 사업은 전반적으로 치료지원 수준을 높이는 효과가 있었지만, 도시화수준, 박탈 수준과 치료지원기관 선택의 3원 교차수준 교호작용의 결과로 지역간 PPM coverage에 지역박탈지수에 따른 큰 기울기를 가진 격차를 만들었다. 지역박탈수준이 큰 지역의 높은 결핵 발생 위험을 고려하면 효율성과 함께 형평성 수준을 향상시킬 수 있는 제도적 개선과 프로그램의 보완이 필요하다.

Key Message
This study analyzed the effect of individual and area-level characteristics on the probability of public-private mix (PPM) coverage for tuberculosis (TB) in Korea. The PPM program created a significant disparity in PPM coverage between urban-rural areas and type of healthcare provider according to deprivation index (DI). Given the high TB risk in areas with high DI, there is a need for institutional improvement and program redesign to improve accessibility and equity.

Spatial analysis of tuberculosis treatment outcomes in Shanghai: implications for tuberculosis control: Jing Zhang, Xin Shen, Chongguang Yang, Yue Chen, Juntao Guo, Decheng Wang, Jun Zhang, Henry Lynn, Yi Hu, Qichao Pan, Zhijie Zhang; Epidemiol Health. 2022;44:e2022045. Published online May 1, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2022045

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Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material: Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes are a key indicator in the assessment of TB control programs. We aimed to identify spatial factors associated with TB treatment outcomes, and to provide additional insights into TB control from a geographical perspective.
METHODS
We collected data from the electronic TB surveillance system in Shanghai, China and included pulmonary TB patients registered from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2016. We examined the associations of physical accessibility to hospitals, an autoregression term, and random hospital effects with treatment outcomes in logistic regression models after adjusting for demographic, clinical, and treatment factors.
RESULTS
Of the 53,475 pulmonary TB patients, 49,002 (91.6%) had successful treatment outcomes. The success rate increased from 89.3% in 2009 to 94.4% in 2016. The successful treatment outcome rate varied among hospitals from 78.6% to 97.8%, and there were 12 spatial clusters of poor treatment outcomes during the 8-year study period. The best-fit model incorporated spatial factors. Both the random hospital effects and autoregression terms had significant impacts on TB treatment outcomes, ranking 6th and 10th, respectively, in terms of statistical importance among 14 factors. The number of bus stations around the home was the least important variable in the model.
CONCLUSIONS
Spatial autocorrelation and hospital effects were associated with TB treatment outcomes in Shanghai. In highly-integrated cities like Shanghai, physical accessibility was not related to treatment outcomes. Governments need to pay more attention to the mobility of patients and different success rates of treatment among hospitals.; Summary

Key Message
Tuberculosis treatment outcomes, a key indicator in the assessment of TB control programs, were associated with spatial autocorrelation and hospital effects in Shanghai; however, they were not associated with physical accessibility to hospitals.

Prevalence and factors associated with non-use of health services in the Peruvian population with COVID-19 symptomatology: a secondary analysis of the 2020 National Household Survey: Akram Hernández-Vásquez, Fabriccio J. Visconti-Lopez, Diego Azañedo; Epidemiol Health. 2021;43:e2021084. Published online October 18, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2021084

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Abstract Summary PDF

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of non-use of health services (NUHS) and its associated factors in Peruvians with symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS

A secondary analysis of the 2020 National Household Survey (ENAHO) was carried out. Participants over 18 years of age with any COVID-19 symptom (fever, cough, sensation of shortness of breath) in the last 4 weeks who did not visit health services were defined as exhibiting NUHS. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) were estimated to determine the factors associated with NUHS.

RESULTS

Data from 1,856 participants were analyzed; the prevalence of NUHS was 52.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 48.0 to 56.5). Living in urban areas of the jungle (aPR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.32 to 1.98; p<0.001) and rural areas of the jungle (aPR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.90; p=0.002) was associated with a higher probability of NUHS than living in urban coastal areas. The factors associated with a lower probability of NUHS were being 50-59 years old (aPR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.90) and 60 years and over (aPR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.95), having a secondary educational level (aPR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.93) or superior educational level (aPR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.96), and having health insurance (aPR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

More than half of the participants with COVID-19 symptoms did not use health services, and NUHS was associated with the geographic and socio-demographic characteristics of the population. The formulation of health strategies and programs is required to increase the use of health services by people with COVID-19 symptoms.

Summary

Key Message
The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of non-use of health services (NUHS) and its associated factors in Peruvians with symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2020. In the study, more than half of the participants with COVID-19 symptoms did not use health services, and NUHS was associated with the geographic and socio-demographic characteristics of the population. The formulation of health strategies and programs is required to increase the use of health services by people with COVID-19 symptoms, in the country with the highest mortality rate by this disease.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Staying in or out? COVID-19-induced healthcare utilization avoidance and associated socio-demographic factors in rural India
Michael Safo Oduro, Prince Peprah, Anthony Kwame Morgan, Williams Agyemang-Duah
BMC Public Health.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Chronic disease relapses: A cross-sectional study of the associated factors and socioeconomic inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru
Fabriccio J. Visconti-Lopez, Akram Hernández-Vásquez, Dustin M. Solorzano-Salazar, Diego Azañedo, Ramune Jacobsen
PLOS ONE.2022; 17(9): e0274697. CrossRef
COVID-19 and drivers of excess death rate in Peru: A longitudinal ecological study
Kim N. Cajachagua-Torres, Hugo G. Quezada-Pinedo, Carlos A. Huayanay-Espinoza, Jordan A. Obeso-Manrique, Víctor A. Peña-Rodríguez, Elisa Vidal, Luis Huicho
Heliyon.2022; 8(12): e11948. CrossRef

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