Skip Navigation
Skip to contents

Epidemiol Health : Epidemiology and Health

OPEN ACCESS
SEARCH
Search
Advanced Search
mobile menu button

Search

Page Path
HOME > Search
3 "Chickenpox vaccine"
Filter
Filter
Article category
Keywords
More +
Publication year
Authors
More +
Funded articles
Cohort Profile
Cohort profile: Korean Varicella Immunization Monitoring (K-VIM) Scheme: a national cohort of children born 2011–2022
Young Kyu Shim, Young Hwa Lee, Young June Choe, Yoonsun Yoon, Yun-Kyung Kim
Epidemiol Health. 2026;48:e2026005.   Published online January 22, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2026005
  • 540 View
  • 50 Download
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDF
Abstract
Varicella, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, was once nearly universal in childhood before the advent of vaccination and may lead to severe complications and even fatalities. Monitoring varicella vaccine effectiveness is crucial yet often overlooked in settings with limited surveillance infrastructure. The Korean Varicella Immunization Monitoring (K-VIM) Scheme was established to address this gap by assembling a national, insurance-based birth cohort of children born between 2011 and 2022 (n=4,505,165). This cohort leverages comprehensive healthcare databases in Korea to capture vaccination records, medical visits, and varicella infection outcomes for virtually all children within the target birth years. We describe the enrollment and key characteristics of the K-VIM cohort, including vaccination coverage, demographic features, and varicella incidence to date. The structure and completeness of Korea’s national health insurance and immunization registries enable robust longitudinal tracking of varicella infections among vaccinated versus unvaccinated children. Early findings demonstrate distinct patterns in infection rates and disease severity according to vaccination status. The K-VIM Scheme provides a foundation for ongoing epidemiological studies of varicella vaccine effectiveness and public health impact in Korea. Future plans include evaluating the long-term effects of varicella vaccination, including potential impacts on herpes zoster incidence, using diverse study designs to strengthen causal inference and inform immunization policy.
Summary
Korean summary
연구 목적 및 설계: K-VIM Scheme은 2011년부터 2022년 사이 출생한 450만 명 이상의 어린이를 대상으로 한 국가 단위 보험 기반 출생 코호트로, 국내 수두 백신의 장기적 효과와 안전성을 모니터링하기 위해 구축되었다. 데이터 통합: 국가 예방접종 등록자료와 건강보험 심사평가원 보험자료를 연계함으로써, 수두 감염 및 예방접종 결과를 추적 관찰 누락 없이 장기적으로 정밀하게 추적할 수 있다. 공중보건 기여: 본 연구 결과는 현재의 1회 접종 국가 예방접종 프로그램(NIP)을 평가하고, 향후 예방접종 정책 수립을 위한 2회 접종 일정의 잠재적 이익에 대한 핵심적인 근거를 제공할 수 있다.
Key Message
Study Purpose and Design: The K-VIM Scheme is a national, insurance-based birth cohort of over 4.5 million children born between 2011 and 2022, established to monitor the long-term effectiveness and safety of varicella vaccination in Korea. Data Integration: By linking the National Immunization Registry with national healthcare claims data, the cohort enables robust longitudinal tracking of varicella infections and vaccination outcomes with minimal loss to follow-up. Public Health Impact: These findings provide a critical evidence base for evaluating the current 1-dose National Immunization Program and the potential benefits of 2-dose schedules to inform future immunization policies.
Original Article
Incidence of varicella in children in Jeju-do, Korea, 2005-2016: age-period-cohort analysis
Jinhee Kim, Ji-Eun Kim, Jong-Myon Bae
Epidemiol Health. 2018;40:e2018054.   Published online November 8, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2018054
  • 25,128 View
  • 223 Download
  • 2 Web of Science
  • 3 Crossref
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDFSupplementary Material
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Although the nationwide inoculation rate of varicella vaccine was approximately 95% in Korean children recently, the number of notified varicella cases is unexpectedly continuously increasing till now. To suggest some hypotheses regarding this discrepancy, an age-period-cohort (APC) analysis as a descriptive epidemiology study was conducted for children residing in Jeju-do, Korea.
METHODS
The raw data were obtained from the nationwide database for insurance claim of healthcare fee provided by the National Health Insurance Service, Korea. The selection criteria were children aged 2-13 years who visited any healthcare center due to varicella from 2005 to 2016 while residing in Jeju-do. After calculating the birth cohort-specific crude incidence rates by age and year, the intrinsic estimator method was used to perform the APC analysis.
RESULTS
As the annual crude incidence rates decreased with increasing age between 2005 and 2016, the age and period effects also decreased. The intrinsic estimator coefficients suggesting the cohort effect shifted from positive to negative in 2011, the starting year of free varicella vaccine program in Jeju-do.
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that inoculated varicella vaccines have preventive effects. However, further studies to evaluate waning immunity would be needed.
Summary
Korean summary
2011년 이후 생후 12-15개월 유아에게 수두백신 무상접종을 시행해 오고 있는 제주도에 있어서, 수두발생 신고건수가 증가하는 괴리 현상에 있어, 국민건강보험공단의 수진자료를 확보하여 연령-기간-코호트 (age-period-cohort, APC) 분석을 시행하였다. 그 결과 연령이 증가하고 연도가 최근으로 올수록 수두 발생에 대한 연령과 기간효과는 점점 감소하는 반면, 수두백신 무상접종이 시작된 2011년을 전후해서 코호트 효과는 양에서 음으로 전환하였다. 따라서 현재 접종하고 있는 수두 백신은 수두발생을 예방하는 효과가 있으며, 돌발수두 발생은 이차백신 실패로 볼 수 있다.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • The comparison of seroconversion rates among different varicella vaccines administered Turkish children; MAV/06 and vOka
    Zuhal Umit, Zumrut Sahbudak Bal, Aysin Zeytinoglu, Tansu Gulbahar Aydogan, Ozlem Bag, Gizem Guner Ozenen, Ferda Ozkinay, Zafer Kurugol
    Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics.2021; 17(11): 4190.     CrossRef
  • Recent increase in pertussis incidence in Korea: an age-period-cohort analysis
    Chanhee Kim, Seonju Yi, Sung-il Cho
    Epidemiology and Health.2021; 43: e2021053.     CrossRef
  • Incidence of Scarlet Fever in Children in Jeju Province, Korea, 2002-2016: An Age-period-cohort Analysis
    Jinhee Kim, Ji-Eun Kim, Jong-Myon Bae
    Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.2019; 52(3): 188.     CrossRef
Epidemiologic Investigation
Vaccination history in elementary school children enrolled in the varicella epidemic investigations held in Jeju-si, Korea in the first half of 2017
Hyun-Suk Oh, Jong-Myon Bae
Epidemiol Health. 2017;39:e2017053.   Published online November 13, 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2017053
  • 22,687 View
  • 207 Download
  • 4 Web of Science
  • 4 Crossref
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDFSupplementary Material
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The reported incidence rate of varicella infection in Jeju-do is higher compared with the national average. This study aimed to examine varicella vaccination history and evaluate clinical manifestation of varicella cases in Jeju-do.
METHODS
Based on the guideline suggested by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), two epidemic investigations for varicella infection were conducted in the first half of 2017. The history of varicella vaccination was confirmed using the Integrated Control System for Diseases and Health operated by the KCDC.
RESULTS
Out of a total of 60 elementary school children as the study subjects, all had been previously vaccinated against varicella. Twenty cases (33%) showed mild clinical manifestations and no complications.
CONCLUSIONS
As the government of Jeju-do has supplied a single-labeled vaccine since 2011, there is a need to evaluate the type of vaccination failure such as primary or secondary.
Summary
Korean summary
수두 발생 신고률에 있어 제주도는 전국에 비해 높은 수준을 보이고 있지만, 수둑접종률은 전국과 유사한 수준이다. 이에 2017년 상반기 수두 집단발생에 대응한 2건의 역학조사를 수행한 결과, 33%에서 돌발수두 임상 증상을 보였고 모두 백신 접종력이 있었다. 높은 발생 신고률은 지역사회 소아 개원의들의 높은 신고에 의한 것으로 유추할 수 있으며, 수두 백신 실패에 대한 추후 조사가 필요하다.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Seroprevalence and molecular characteristics of varicella-zoster virus infection in Chinese children
    Lin Luan, Xiaochen Shen, Jing Qiu, Yang Jing, Jingqi Zhang, Jie Wang, Jun Zhang, Chen Dong
    BMC Infectious Diseases.2019;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Cost-effectiveness analysis of universal varicella vaccination in Turkey using a dynamic transmission model
    Lara J. Wolfson, Vincent J. Daniels, Matthew Pillsbury, Zafer Kurugöl, Cuneyt Yardimci, Jeffrey Kyle, Ener Cagri Dinleyici, Georges M.G.M. Verjans
    PLOS ONE.2019; 14(8): e0220921.     CrossRef
  • Incidence of varicella in children in Jeju-do, Korea, 2005-2016: age-period-cohort analysis
    Jinhee Kim, Ji-Eun Kim, Jong-Myon Bae
    Epidemiology and Health.2018; 40: e2018054.     CrossRef
  • Analysis of sero-epidemiological characteristics of varicella in healthy children in Jiangsu Province, China
    Lei Zhang, Wang Ma, Yuanbao Liu, Yong Wang, Xiang Sun, Ying Hu, Xiuying Deng, Peishan Lu, Fenyang Tang, Zhiguo Wang, Minghao Zhou
    BMC Infectious Diseases.2018;[Epub]     CrossRef
Epidemiol Health : Epidemiology and Health
© Korean Society of Epidemiology.
TOP