Epidemiology and Health

COVID-19: Original Article

The age-standardized incidence, mortality, and case fatality rates of COVID-19 in 79 countries: a cross-sectional comparison and their correlations with associated factors: Dongui Hong, Sohyae Lee, Yoon-Jung Choi, Sungji Moon, Yoonyoung Jang, Yoon-Min Cho, Hyojung Lee, Sukhong Min, Hyeree Park, Seokyung Hahn, Ji-Yeob Choi, Aesun Shin, Daehee Kang; Epidemiol Health. 2021;43:e2021061. Published online September 8, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2021061

20,637 View
359 Download
10 Web of Science
11 Crossref

Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, crude incidence and mortality rates have been widely reported; however, age-standardized rates are more suitable for comparisons. In this study, we estimated and compared the age-standardized incidence, mortality, and case fatality rates (CFRs) among countries and investigated the relationship between these rates and factors associated with healthcare resources: gross domestic product per capita, number of hospital beds per population, and number of doctors per population.

METHODS

The incidence, mortality, and CFRs of 79 countries were age-standardized using the World Health Organization standard population. The rates for persons 60 years or older were also calculated. The relationships among the rates were analysed using trend lines and coefficients of determination (R<sup>2</sup>). Pearson correlation coefficients between the rates and the healthcare resource-related factors were calculated.

RESULTS

The countries with the highest age-standardized incidence, mortality, and CFRs were Czechia (14,253 cases/100,000), Mexico (182 deaths/100,000), and Mexico (6.7%), respectively. The R<sup>2</sup> between the incidence and mortality rates was 0.852 for all ages and 0.945 for those 60 years or older. The healthcare resources-related factors were associated positively with incidence rates and negatively with CFRs, with weaker correlations among the elderly.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to age-standardized rates, crude rates showed greater variation among countries. Medical resources may be important in preventing COVID-19-related deaths; however, considering the small variation in fatality among the elderly, preventive measures such as vaccination are more important, especially for the elderly population, to minimize the mortality rates.

Summary

Korean summary
국가별 발생률, 사망률, 치명률을 WHO 표준 인구로 연령표준화하였고, 의료자원과 관계된 지표와의 상관관계를 파악하였다. 2021년 4월 6일 기준, 연령표준화 발생률, 사망률, 치명률이 가장 높은 나라는 각각 체코 (10만명당 14,253명), 멕시코 (10만명당 182명), 멕시코 (6.7%)이며, 60세 이상 노인은 사망률과 치명률이 더 높은 것으로 나타났다. 1인당GDP, 인구당 의사 수, 인구당 병상 수는 발생률과 양의 상관관계가, 치명률과는 음의 상관관계가 있었고 노인에게서는 상관관계가 약하게 나타났다. 코로나바이러스감염증-19로 인한 피해를 최소화하기 위해서 의료자원의 투입과 더불어 노인의 감염예방이 중요할 것이다.

Key Message
The incidence, mortality, and case fatality rates of 79 countries were age-standardized using the WHO standard population. The correlations between the rates and the healthcare resource-related factors were investigated. As of April 6, 2021, the countries with the highest age-standardized incidence, mortality, and case fatality rates were Czechia (14,253 cases/100,000), Mexico (182 deaths/100,000), and Mexico (6.7%), respectively; the mortality and case fatality rates were higher among the elderly. GDP per capita, number of hospital beds per population, and number of doctors per population were associated positively with incidence rate, and negatively with case fatality rates: the correlations were weaker among the elderly. To minimize the burden caused by COVID-19, preventing the elderly from infection is important as well as supply of medical resources.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Occurrence of COVID-19 and serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: A case-control study among workers with a wide range of exposures
Anna K. Porter, Sarah E. Kleinschmidt, Kara L. Andres, Courtney N. Reusch, Ryan M. Krisko, Oyebode A. Taiwo, Geary W. Olsen, Matthew P. Longnecker
Global Epidemiology.2024; 7: 100137. CrossRef
Should we ignore SARS-CoV-2 disease?
Igor Nesteruk
Epidemiology and Infection.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
The First Wave of COVID-19 in Forensic Psychiatry: A Rapid Review Series
Y. Bodryzlova, A. J. Lemieux, A. Crocker
Victims & Offenders.2023; 18(5): 799. CrossRef
Age-standardization and Standard Population
Dongui Hong, Sohyae Lee, Kyu-Won Jung, Aesun Shin
Journal of Health Informatics and Statistics.2023; 48(Suppl 1): S15. CrossRef
Topic and Trend Analysis of Weibo Discussions About COVID-19 Medications Before and After China’s Exit from the Zero-COVID Policy: Retrospective Infoveillance Study
Duo Lan, Wujiong Ren, Ke Ni, Yicheng Zhu
Journal of Medical Internet Research.2023; 25: e48789. CrossRef
Rapid establishment of a dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Mexico city during a public health crisis
Roberto Tapia-Conyer, Rafael Ricardo Valdez-Vázquez, Julieta Lomelín-Gascón, Rodrigo Saucedo-Martínez, Luis Alberto Martinez-Juarez, Héctor Gallardo-Rincón
Hospital Practice.2022; 50(3): 183. CrossRef
Comparative epidemiology of five waves of COVID-19 in Mexico, March 2020–August 2022
Iván de Jesús Ascencio-Montiel, Oscar David Ovalle-Luna, Ramón Alberto Rascón-Pacheco, Victor Hugo Borja-Aburto, Gerardo Chowell
BMC Infectious Diseases.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Global burden of calcific aortic valve disease and attributable risk factors from 1990 to 2019
Jiaye Yu, Zhuo Wang, Qinyi Bao, Shuxin Lei, Yayu You, Zhehui Yin, Xiaojie Xie
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Is it possible to prepare for a pandemic?
Robert Tucker Omberg, Alex Tabarrok
Oxford Review of Economic Policy.2022; 38(4): 851. CrossRef
Time-series comparison of COVID-19 case fatality rates across 21 countries with adjustment for multiple covariates
Yongmoon Kim, Bryan Inho Kim, Sangwoo Tak
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives.2022; 13(6): 424. CrossRef
Cause-specific mortality in Korea during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Jinwook Bahk, Kyunghee Jung-Choi
Epidemiology and Health.2022; 44: e2022110. CrossRef

Original Article

Association between weekly fruit and vegetable consumption and depressive symptoms: results from the Korean Elderly Environmental Panel study: Youjeong Yuk, Chae-Rin Han, Yoonyoung Jang, Yun-Chul Hong, Yoon-Jung Choi; Epidemiol Health. 2021;43:e2021029. Published online April 20, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2021029

11,485 View
383 Download
5 Web of Science
5 Crossref

Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Although previous studies have investigated the correlation between fruit and vegetable consumption and depression, the results remain inconclusive. The present study aimed to investigate the association between weekly fruit and vegetable consumption and depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans.

METHODS

A multiple covariate linear regression analysis was performed using the data of 1,226 elderly individuals ≥ 60 years of age who participated in the Korean Elderly Environmental Panel II study from 2012 to 2014. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Korean version of the Short form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K). Generalized linear mixed-effects models were constructed to analyze the repeated measurements of 305 people who participated in the survey every year.

RESULTS

After adjusting for confounders, SGDS-K scores were negatively associated with the frequency of weekly fruit consumption as follows (β [95% confidence interval; CI]: -0.17 [-0.28 to -0.05], -0.17 [-0.27 to -0.07], -0.42 [-0.54 to 0.29], and -0.33 [-0.44 to -0.21]) for less than 1 time/wk, 1-3 times/wk, 4-6 times/wk, and daily, respectively, compared to no consumption. The SGDS-K scores were also negatively associated with the frequency of vegetable consumption (β [95% CI]: -0.86 [-1.18 to -0.55], -0.18 [-0.35 to -0.01], -0.36 [-0.53 to -0.18], and -0.15 [-0.29 to 0.00]) in the above order, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Fruit consumption was inversely associated with depression levels in a dose-dependent manner. Although there was no dose-response relationship between vegetable consumption and the level of depression, it was negatively associated with SGDS-K scores.

Summary

Korean summary
KEEP-II 데이터를 활용하여 한국 노년층의 주간 과일 및 채소 섭취 빈도와 우울증상 간의 상관관계를 알아보았다. 주중 과일을 섭취하는 빈도와 우울증상의 정도 및 우울증 이환 간에서 음의 상관관계가 있었으며 양반응관계가 나타났다. 채소 섭취 빈도의 경우에는 양반응관계가 나타나지 않았으나 채소 섭취 빈도와 우울증상의 정도 간에 음의 상관관계가 있었다.

Key Message
Weekly fruit consumption frequency was inversely associated with the level of depression in a dose-dependent manner in Korean elderly population who participated in KEEP-II study. Although there was no dose-response relationship between vegetable consumption and the level of depression, vegetable consumption frequency was negatively associated with the level of depression.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Bidirectional associations between dietary diversity and depressive symptoms in Chinese adult women: A retrospective cohort study
Xiaoqian Dong, Ying Li, Xingxing Wang, Yinglong Duan, Min Liu, Sha Wang, Xue He, Pingting Yang, Yaqin Wang, Jianfei Xie, Andy S.K. Cheng
Journal of Affective Disorders.2024; 351: 683. CrossRef
Regional differences in the effects of healthy aging on depressive symptoms: a Korean longitudinal study of aging (2006–2020)
Soo Jin Kang, Jinseub Hwang, Dohyang Kim, Bongjeong Kim
Frontiers in Public Health.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Neuroprotective Effects of Polyphenols—Polyphenols as an Element of Diet Therapy in Depressive Disorders
Anna Winiarska-Mieczan, Małgorzata Kwiecień, Karolina Jachimowicz-Rogowska, Janine Donaldson, Ewa Tomaszewska, Ewa Baranowska-Wójcik
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2023; 24(3): 2258. CrossRef
Genetic and environmental influences on fruit and vegetable consumption and depression in older adults
Annabel P. Matison, Anbupalam Thalamuthu, Victoria M. Flood, Julian N. Trollor, Vibeke S. Catts, Margaret J. Wright, David Ames, Henry Brodaty, Perminder S. Sachdev, Simone Reppermund, Karen A. Mather
BMC Geriatrics.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Longitudinal correlates of fruit and vegetable consumption with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in South Africa
Supa Pengpid, Karl Peltzer
BMC Psychology.2022;[Epub] CrossRef

First
Prev
Page of 1
Next
Last

Search