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3 "Jung-Ho Yang"
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Original Articles
Cardiovascular disease risk disparities between immigrants and native Koreans: a population-based study in Gwangju, Korea
Jung-Ho Yang, Yerin Choi, Ran Lee, Seong Eun Kim, Kyung-Hwa Park, Seong-Woo Choi, BongKyu Sun, Kyunghak Kim, Sun-Seog Kweon
Epidemiol Health. 2025;47:e2025067.   Published online December 8, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2025067
  • 2,175 View
  • 73 Download
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDFSupplementary Material
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Korea is becoming a multiethnic society, with immigrants comprising nearly 5% of the population. Evidence on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among immigrants remains limited.
METHODS
We conducted a population-based study of 582 immigrants in Gwangju and 2,328 age-matched and gender-matched native Koreans (2022-2023). Immigrant data were obtained from direct health assessments, while native Korean data were drawn from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CVD risk was estimated using the Framingham risk score (FRS) and pooled cohort equations (PCE). Logistic regression was employed to compare the odds of elevated risk (10-year CVD risk ≥7.5%), adjusting for socio-demographic and behavioral factors.
RESULTS
Immigrants had a higher prevalence of hypertension (37.3 vs. 16.1%), diabetes (11.5 vs. 5.6%), poor self-rated health (69.6 vs. 61.3%), and unmet medical needs (30.9 vs. 8.9%), as well as lower rates of health checkups and cancer screening (all p<0.001), compared to native Koreans. Elevated CVD risk was more frequent in immigrants (FRS, 31.4 vs. 20.8%; PCE, 33.6 vs. 22.8%). The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.47 (1.14 to 1.88) for FRS and 1.49 (1.07 to 2.08) for PCE. Disparities were greatest among women, adults ≥40 years, uninsured people, low-income groups, and migrants from Central Asia, Russia, and Africa.
CONCLUSIONS
Immigrants in Korea face substantially higher CVD risk than native Koreans, particularly within socioeconomically vulnerable subgroups. Targeted prevention and policies addressing structural barriers are urgently needed.
Summary
Korean summary
국내 거주 이민자는 한국인보다 불리한 건강 상태와 더 높은 심혈관질환 위험을 보였다. 특히 여성, 고령자, 저소득층 등 취약 집단에서 격차가 두드러졌으며, 이는 구조적·사회경제적 요인이 이민자 건강 불평등에 기여함을 보여준다. 이러한 결과는 포용적 보건의료 정책과 맞춤형 예방 전략 마련의 필요성을 시사한다.
Key Message
Immigrants in South Korea face unmet healthcare needs, such as limited screening access, low disease awareness, and undertreatment of dyslipidemia. Our study shows consistently higher cardiovascular risk among immigrants compared with native Koreans, especially among women, older adults, uninsured individuals, and Central Asian migrants. These findings underscore the epidemiological importance of structural and socioeconomic disadvantages in shaping immigrant health disparities and emphasize the need for culturally tailored interventions and inclusive health policies to achieve cardiovascular health equity.
No association between genetically predicted C-reactive protein levels and colorectal cancer survival in Korean: two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis
Chang Kyun Choi, Jung-Ho Yang, Min-Ho Shin, Sang-Hee Cho, Sun-Seog Kweon
Epidemiol Health. 2023;45:e2023039.   Published online March 22, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023039
  • 18,126 View
  • 188 Download
  • 4 Web of Science
  • 4 Crossref
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDFSupplementary Material
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as a poor prognosis, but it remains unclear whether these associations are causal. This study examined the potential causality between CRP levels and CRC survival using 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR).
METHODS
From the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, a genome-wide association study (n=59,605), 7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to log2-transformed CRP levels were extracted as instrumental variables for CRP levels. The associations between the genetically predicted CRP and CRC-specific and overall mortality among CRC patients (n=6,460) were evaluated by Aalen’s additive hazard model. The sensitivity analysis excluded a SNP related to the blood lipid profile.
RESULTS
During a median of 8.5 years of follow-up, among 6,460 CRC patients, 2,676 (41.4%) CRC patients died from all causes and 1,622 (25.1%) died from CRC. Genetically predicted CRP levels were not significantly associated with overall or CRC-specific mortality in CRC patients. The hazard difference per 1,000 person-years for overall and CRC-specific mortality per 2-fold increase in CRP levels was -2.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], -14.05 to 8.21) and -0.76 (95% CI, -9.61 to 8.08), respectively. These associations were consistent in a subgroup analysis according to metastasis and a sensitivity analysis excluding possible pleiotropic SNPs.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings do not support a causal role for genetically predisposed CRP levels in CRC survival.
Summary
Korean summary
이 연구는 two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR)을 이용하여 대장암에서 C-reactive protein와 사망률 간의 관련성을 평가하였다. Two-sample MR은 한국유전체역학조사사업 (the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, KoGES) 참가자 59,605명에서 혈청 C-reactive protein에 대한 전장유전체 분석을 시행하여 7개의 단일염기다형성을 선별하였고, 화순암역학연구-대장암 (thw Hwasun Cancer Epidemiology Study-Colon and Rectum Cancer, HCES-CRC)에 등록된 6,460명 대장암 환자에서 그 7개 단일염기다형성과 사망률 간의 관련성을 평가한 결과를 이용하였다. 그 결과, 높은 혈청 C-reactive protein을 가지는 유전적 성향은 대장암 환자에서 사망률과의 통계적으로 유의한 관련성을 찾을 수 없었다.
Key Message
This study employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the relationship between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and mortality in colorectal cancer. The analysis utilized genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) data from 59,605 participants in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) for serum CRP and 6,460 colorectal cancer cases from the Hwasun Cancer Epidemiology Study-Colon and Rectum Cancer for mortality. Our findings suggest that there is no statistically significant association between genetically predisposed serum CRP levels and mortality. Consequently, our study does not support a causal effect of CRP on mortality in colorectal cancer.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • The Association between Genetically Predicted C-Reactive Protein Levels and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in an East Asian Population: Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization
    Chang Kyun Choi, Jung-Ho Yang, Min-Ho Shin, Sang-Hee Cho, Wei-Hua Jia, Jeongseon Kim, Aesun Shin, Dong-Hyun Kim, Keitaro Matsuo, Sun Ha Jee, Koichi Matsuda, Yu-Tang Gao, Xiao-Ou Shu, Wei Zheng, Sun-Seog Kweon
    Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.2026; 35(2): 348.     CrossRef
  • Novel genetic loci and functional properties of immune-related genes for colorectal cancer survival in Korea
    Dabin Yun, Jung-Ho Yang, Soyoun Yang, Jin-ah Sim, Minjung Kim, Ji Won Park, Seung Yong Jeong, Aesun Shin, Sun-Seog Kweon, Nan Song
    BMC Cancer.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Identification of MMP14 and MKLN1 as colorectal cancer susceptibility genes and drug-repositioning candidates from a genome-wide association study
    Dabin Yun, Jung-Ho Yang, Jin-ah Sim, Minjung Kim, Ji Won Park, Seung Yong Jeong, Aesun Shin, Sun-Seog Kweon, Nan Song
    Journal of Translational Medicine.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Mortality risk among adult americans living with cancer and elevated CRP
    Srikanta Banerjee, Jagdish Khubchandani, Shalika Tisinger, Kavita Batra, Maribeth Greenway
    Cancer Epidemiology.2024; 90: 102569.     CrossRef
Associations of regional-level perceived stress and depression with health-related quality of life in Korean adults: a multilevel analysis of 2017 Korea Community Health Survey data
Eunsu Kim, Min-Ho Shin, Jung-Ho Yang, Soon-Ki Ahn, Baeg-Ju Na, Hae-Sung Nam
Epidemiol Health. 2021;43:e2021062.   Published online September 8, 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2021062
  • 21,916 View
  • 293 Download
  • 3 Web of Science
  • 7 Crossref
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDF
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
We examined the associations of individual and regional-level perceived stress and depression with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Korean adults.
METHODS
We used data from the 2017 Korea Community Health Survey, which included 216,713 adults living within 254 municipal districts. As individual-level independent variables, perceived stress (higher vs. lower) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 ≥10) were defined. Regional-level age-adjusted rates of perceived stress (%) and depression (%) were created for 254 municipal districts and categorized into quartiles to generate regional levels of stress and depression. HRQOL was defined as the individual-level EuroQol 5-dimensional index×100. A multilevel analysis was performed to identify the relationship between individual or regional-level independent variables and individual HRQOL.
RESULTS
In the null model, the proportions of individual variation in the HRQOL explained by region were 1.7% and 2.7% for men and women, respectively. When adjusted with all individual-level variables, regional stress and depression, as well as individual-level perceived stress and depression, were significantly related to HRQOL for both genders. In the full model including all variables, the decrease in HRQOL from the first to the fourth quartile group of regional stress was greater in women (-1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.87 to -0.31) than in men (-0.65; 95% CI, -1.04 to -0.26).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that regional-level perceived stress and depression, as well as individual-level perceived stress and depression, are inversely associated with individual HRQOL.
Summary
Korean summary
시군구 단위 스트레스 인지율과 우울 유병률이 개인 단위 건강관련 삶의 질 수준과 연관성을 갖는지 파악하고자 지역사회건강조사 자료를 이용하여 다수준 분석을 수행하였다. 개인 수준에서 인지된 스트레스와 우울은 건강관련 삶의 질 감소와 관련이 있었다. 스트레스와 우울 수준이 높은 시군구일수록 개인의 건강관련 삶의 질은 낮아지는 관계를 보였는데, 이는 남성보다는 여성에서 더 저명하였다.
Key Message
This study examined the associations of regional-level perceived stress and depression with individual HRQOL measured in terms of the EQ-5D using a multilevel model. Individual-level perceived stress and depression were significantly related to individual HRQOL. Regional stress and depression were also significant factors and both had greater negative impacts on HRQOL among women than among men.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Trends in depressive episodes in pre-, intra-, and post-COVID-19 pandemic periods among South Korean adults
    Wonseok Jeong, Wonjeong Jeong
    BMC Public Health.2026;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Gender-specific secular trends and related factors of high perceived stress level among Korean older adults: a nation-wide serial cross-sectional study
    Eunjeong Choi, Hyun-Ju Seo, Kye Ha Kim, Sun-Young Jung
    BMC Public Health.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Comparison of Depression-related Factors among Young Adults Pre- and Post-COVID-19: Focusing on the Early Pandemic Period
    So Hyun Kim
    Journal of Health Informatics and Statistics.2025; 50(4): 370.     CrossRef
  • Factors Related to Health-Related Quality of Life across the Life Cycle in One-Person Households among Korean Adults
    Myung-Ock Chae
    Research in Community and Public Health Nursing.2024; 35: 125.     CrossRef
  • Association between seafood intake and depression in Korean adults: analysis of data from the 2014–2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
    Hyemin Shin, Won Jang, Yangha Kim
    Journal of Nutrition and Health.2023; 56(6): 702.     CrossRef
  • Depression before and during-COVID-19 by Gender in the Korean Population
    Won-Tae Cha, Hye-Jin Joo, Yu-Shin Park, Eun-Cheol Park, Soo-Young Kim
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(6): 3477.     CrossRef
  • Association Between Regional Levels of Particulate Matter and Recurrent Falls in Korea
    Jung-Ho Yang, Ji-An Jeong, Sun-Seog Kweon, Min-Ho Shin
    Journal of Korean Medical Science.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef
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