National trends in sexual intercourse and usage of contraception among Korean adolescents

Background The exact influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual intercourse and usage of contraception remains largely uncharted territory. To bridge this gap in knowledge, we conducted a comprehensive, cross-sectional examination of long-term trends in the prevalence of sexual intercourse and usage of contraception among South Korean adolescents from 2006 to 2022. Methods In our research, we drew upon data encompassing 1,138,799 South Korean adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, derived from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) over a period spanning from 2006 to 2022. We focused on the prevalence of sexual intercourse, contraception utilization, and the underlying associated factors among this demographic. The KYRBS data was collected using a complex sampling strategy to determine the national prevalence estimates and shifts in prevalence before (2006–2019) and during (2020–2022) the COVID-19 pandemic era. Results During the pre-pandemic period, a decrease in adolescent sexual intercourse was observed (6.34% in 2006, 5.53% in 2012, and 5.87% in 2019). However, in the post-pandemic period (2020–2022), there was a surge in sexual intercourse (4.55% in 2020 and 6.20% in 2022). This evident alteration in sexual intercourse trajectory between pre- and post-pandemic periods was statistically significant [βdiff, 0.950; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.756–1.144]. Regarding contraceptive use among South Korean adolescents, there was an increase in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic phase across all demographic segments (14.61% in 2006, 22.30% in 2012, and 47.69% in 2022) but a notable decline when compared with the pre- and post-pandemic periods (βdiff, − 0.319; 95% CI, − 0.454 to − 0.184). Additionally, during the study period, a decrease in sexual intercourse was observed in the pre-pandemic period (β, − 0.129; 95% CI, − 0.148 to − 0.110), followed by an increase in the post-pandemic period (β, 0.821; 95% CI, 0.627 to 1.014). This shift is highlighted by an effect size of 0.96 [weighted odds ratio (wOR); 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.00], indicating a substantial change in adolescent sexual behaviors across study periods. Conclusions The increase in sexual intercourse and decrease in usage of contraception observed in our study between the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods suggests a potential threat to sexual health among South Korean adolescents. This trend emphasizes the ongoing necessity of raising awareness about adolescent sexual behavior in South Korea.</p

Global public concern of children and adolescents suicide: a new perspective and new strategies for suicide prevention in the post-pandemic era

No description supplied</p

National trends in sleep sufficiency and sleep time among adolescents, including the late-COVID-19 pandemic, 2009-2022: a nationally representative serial study in South Korea

South Korea has garnered a reputation for its high prevalence of sleep deprivation among adolescents (Choi et al., 2022). Given the profound health implications of sleep deprivation (Li et al., 2023; Ramar et al., 2021), the significance of sufficient sleep, especially among adolescents, cannot be overstressed. Recognizing these potential health ramifications among the population, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) have produced recommendations for sleep time in adolescents; both organizations have recommended adolescents to have eight to ten hours of sleep a day (Wheaton et al., 2018). With South Korea’s pre-existing challenges regarding adolescent sleep, understanding the potential compounded effects of the pandemic is crucial; by conducting this cross sectional, comprehensive analysis, it would be possible to derive actional insights to mitigate the negative impacts and promote healthier sleep behaviors amongst South Korean adolescents.</p

Association of soda drinks and fast food with allergic diseases in Korean adolescents: a nationwide representative study

Introduction: A high consumption of carbonated soft drinks (i.e., soda drinks) and fast food is potentially asso?ciated with the observed global rise in adolescent allergic diseases. Thus, our study aimed to examine the potential associations between the consumption of soda drinks and fast food and allergic conditions, identifying specific re?lationships across subgroups and each allergic condition (asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis). Methods: This study uses large-scale data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (total n = 865,614). Soda drinks and fast food were defined by a self-reported questionnaire and allergic conditions by physician-diagnosed within Jinyoung Jeong, Hyesu Jo, and Yejun Son contributed equally as first authors. Edited by: Angela Haczku, Sacramento, CA. [email protected] www.karger.com/iaa © 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel Correspondence to: Jaeyu Park, qkrwodb980 @ gmail.com Selin Woo, dntpfls @ naver.com This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- Dong Keon Yon, yonkkang @ gmail.com NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC) (http://www. karger.com/Services/OpenAccessLicense). Usage and distributionfor commercial purposes requires written permission. Downloaded from http://karger.com/iaa/article-pdf/doi/10.1159/000539518/4247630/000539518.pdf by Anglia Polytechnic University user on 26 July 2024 1 year. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the weighted odds ratios (ORs), along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), for allergic diseases associated with the intake of soda drinks and fast food. Results: Among 865,614 adolescents in grades 7–12 (male, 51.40%), pa?tients with asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis were 18,568 (2.15%), 153,536 (17.74%), and 59,014 (6.82%), respectively. Current asthma was associated with soda drinks (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03–1.12) and fast food con?sumption (1.25; 1.17–1.33). Interestingly, stronger associ?ations were observed for female high schoolers, compared to male high schoolers and middle schoolers, in relation to the consumption of soda drinks (1.31; 1.19–1.44) and fast food (1.46; 1.26–1.69) with asthma. Current allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis had no significant association with fast food consumption and soda drinks. Conclusion: This first large-scale study suggests that fast food and soda drinks consumption are potentially associated with current asthma, with stronger associations observed in females than males, underscoring the need for sex-specific allergy prevention programs </p

National and regional trends in the prevalence of hypertension in South Korea amid the pandemic, 2009–2022: a nationwide study of over 3 million individuals

No description supplied</p

Association between sociodemographic factors and vaccine acceptance for influenza and SARS–CoV–2: A nationwide representative study in South Korea

Background:  To enhance targeted public health strategies and improve age–specific policies based   on   identified   risk   factors,   this   study   investigated   the   associations   between sociodemographic factors and vaccination behaviors during the COVID–19 pandemic, with emphasis on age–specific vaccine cost policies. Methods:  This study analyzed data from the Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) 2019–2022 with 507,964 participants, to investigate the impact of age–specific policies on vaccination behaviors during the pandemic period. Cohorts aged 19–64 and 65 or older were stratified based on age (years), sociodemographic factors, and health indicators. The cohorts were investigated to assess the influence of relevant risk factors on vaccine acceptance under the pandemic by employing weighted odds ratio and ratio of odd ratios (ROR). Results:  Among total 507,964 participants, the acceptance of SARS–CoV–2   vaccine was higher among individuals with factors possibly indicating higher socioeconomic status, such as higher education level (age 19–64: ROR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.27–1.40]; age ≥65: 1.19 [1.01–1.41]) and higher income (age 19–64: 1.67 [1.58–1.76]; age ≥65, 1.21 [1.06–1.38]) for both age cohorts, compared to influenza vaccine acceptance before the pandemic. In the context of influenza vaccination during the pandemic, the older cohort exhibited vaccine hesitancy associated with healthcare mobility factors such as lower general health status (ROR, 0.89 [0.81–0.97]). Conclusions:    SARS–CoV–2   vaccination   strategies   should   focus   on   reducing   hesitancy among   individuals   with   lower   social   participation   is   needed.   For   influenza   vaccine acceptance during the pandemic, strategies for the younger cohort should be targeted on individuals with lower social participation, while the older cohort should be emphasized on individuals with lower healthcare mobility.</p

Psychosocial alterations during the COVID-19 pandemic and the global burden of anxiety and major depressive disorders in adolescents, 1990–2021: challenges in mental health amidst socioeconomic disparities

Background  The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a global health crisis, profoundly impacted all aspects of daily life. Adolescence, a pivotal stage of psychological and social development, is heavily infuenced by the psychosocial and socio-cultural context. Hence, it is imperative to thoroughly understand the psychosocial changes adolescents experienced during the pandemic and implement efective management initiatives. Data sources We examined the incidence rates of depressive and anxiety disorders among adolescents aged 10–19 years globally and regionally. We utilized data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 to compare pre-pandemic (2018–2019) and pandemic (2020–2021) periods. Our investigation covered 204 countries and territories across the six World Health Organization regions. We conducted a comprehensive literature search using databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar, employing search terms such as “psychosocial”, “adolescent”, “youth”, “risk factors”, “COVID-19 pandemic”, “prevention”, and “intervention”. Results During the pandemic, the mental health outcomes of adolescents deteriorated, particularly in terms of depressive and anxiety disorders. According to GBD 2021, the incidence rate of anxiety disorders increased from 720.26 [95% uncertainty intervals (UI)=548.90–929.19] before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018–2019) to 880.87 per 100,000 people (95% UI=670.43–1132.58) during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021). Similarly, the incidence rate of major depressive disorder increased from 2333.91 (95% UI=1626.92–3138.55) before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3030.49 per 100,000 people (95% UI=2096.73–4077.73) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This worsening was notably pronounced in high-income countries (HICs). Rapid environmental changes, including heightened social anxiety, school closures, economic crises, and exacerbated racism, have been shown to adversely afect the mental well-being of adolescents. Conclusions The abrupt shift to remote learning and the absence of in-person social interactions heightened feelings of loneliness, anxiety, sadness, and stress among adolescents. This change magnifed existing socioeconomic disparities, posing additional challenges. These complexities profoundly impact adolescents’ well-being, especially vulnerable groups like those from HICs, females, and minorities. Acknowledging the underreporting bias in low- to middle-income countries highlights the importance of addressing these mental health alterations in assessments and interventions within these regions as well. Urgent interventions are crucial as the pandemic-induced mental stress may have lasting efects on adolescents’ mental health. </p

Longitudinal trends in depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts by family structure in South Korean adolescents, 2009–2022: a nationally representative serial study

    •    This is the nationwide study assessing the long-term trends in the prevalence of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts by family structure.     •    We observed an increase in depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts from the pre-COVID–19 pandemic to the intra-COVID–19 pandemic period.     •    Additional risk factors included being female, having a lower economic status, having poor school performance, smoking, and drinking.</p

National trends in alcohol consumption, smoking, suicide attempts, and COVID-19 pandemic-related factors among South Korean adolescents, 2012-2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about substantial disruptions in the lives of adolescents worldwide through school closures, diminished access to physical and mental health services, and decreased social interactions (Kang et al., 2023). Before the pandemic, a declining trend in adolescent alcohol consumption in developed countries was observed, and studies in South Korea also reported similar decreases in smoking and suicide attempts among adolescents (Jeong et al., 2020, Kang et al., 2018). However, there is controversial evidence about trends in such outcomes. Some research showed decreased alcohol consumption and smoking during the pandemic, while others negated significant changes after the pandemic (Park et al., 2023b, Shin et al., 2023). These discrepancies in previous studies could be attributed to limitations such as small sample sizes or short observation periods. Hence, there is a pressing need for comprehensive research demonstrating the trends and risk factors of adolescent alcohol consumption, smoking, and suicide attempts before and during the pandemic.</p

Global burden of vaccine-associated rheumatic diseases and their related vaccines, 1967–2023: a comprehensive analysis of the international pharmacovigilance database

Vaccine-associated rheumatic diseases are rare but one of the most feared adverse drug reactions (ADRs). However, this topic has been investigated less with large-scale data in the literature. With the rapid progress in the development and approval of vaccines during the pandemic, public concerns regarding their safety have been raised. To assess the global and regional burden, long-term trends, and potential risk factors of vaccines-associated six types of rheumatic diseases (ankylosing spondylitis [AS], polymyalgia rheumatica [PMR], rheumatoid arthritis [RA], Sjögren's syndrome, Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], Systemic scleroderma), this study conducted disproportionality analysis based on the reports from the World Health Organization International Pharmacovigilance Database documented between 1967 and 2023 (n for total reports = 131 255 418) across 156 countries and territories. We estimated the reporting odds ratio (ROR) and information component (IC) to determine the disproportionality signal for rheumatic diseases. Of 198 046 reports of all-cause rheumatic diseases, 14 703 reports of vaccine-associated rheumatic diseases were identified. While the reporting counts have gradually increased over time globally, we observed a dramatic increase in reporting counts after 2020, potentially due to a large portion of reports of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated rheumatic diseases. The disproportionality signal for rheumatic diseases was most pronounced in HBV vaccines (ROR, 4.11; IC025, 1.90), followed by COVID-19 mRNA (ROR, 2.79; IC025, 1.25), anthrax (ROR, 2.52; IC025, 0.76), papillomavirus (ROR, 2.16; IC025, 0.95), encephalitis (ROR, 2.01; IC025, 0.58), typhoid (ROR, 1.91; IC025, 0.44), influenza (ROR, 1.49; IC025, 0.46), and HAV vaccines (ROR, 1.41; IC025, 0.20). From age- and sex-specific perspective, young females and old males are likely to have vaccine-associated rheumatic disease reports. Furthermore, overall vaccines showed a disproportionality signal for PMR (IC025, 3.13) and Sjögren's syndrome (IC025, 0.70), systemic scleroderma (IC025, 0.64), specifically while the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are associated with all six types of diseases. Although multiple vaccines are associated with rheumatic disease reports, healthcare providers should be aware of the potential of autoimmune manifestations following vaccination, particularly the COVID-19 mRNA and HBV vaccines, and take into account for risk factors associated with these ADRs. Most ADRs exhibited an average time to onset of 11 days, underscoring the significance of monitoring and timely management by clinicians. </p