Effectiveness of NVX-CoV2373 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccination in South Korean Adolescents.

Background And Aims: Adolescents can have severe/chronic outcomes from COVID-19. Real-world data on relative vaccine effectiveness between mRNA- and protein-based vaccines are limited, and more data are needed on disease outcomes in this age group.

Methods: The K-COV-N database, COVID-19 vaccine registry and health insurance claims were retrospectively reviewed to identify adolescents (12- to 18-year-olds) in South Korea who received a homologous primary series of NVX-CoV2373 or BNT162b2 and a heterologous or homologous third vaccine dose.

Dienogest use and the risk of breast and gynecologic cancers: A nationwide population-based study.

Objective: To evaluate whether dienogest exposure is associated with the risk of breast, endometrial, or tubo-ovarian cancer in women with endometriosis.

Methods: In this nationwide retrospective cohort study (January 2012 to December 2023), we used the Korean National Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service database. Women aged 20-49 years with endometriosis who received dienogest for at least 6 months were compared with an active control group treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, with cohorts balanced by inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Real-world effectiveness of NVX-CoV2373 and BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in South Korea.

Objectives: In February 2022, NVX-CoV2373 became available in South Korea; real-world effectiveness of multiple doses compared with mRNA-based vaccines has not been thoroughly evaluated.

Methods: This retrospective study identified NVX-CoV2373 and BNT162b2 recipients aged ≥12 years from the K-COV-N database. Vaccine groups were propensity score-matched based on demographic characteristics, Seoul capital area residence, income level, comorbidity/disability, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, and prior vaccination dose/timing.

Erratum: Correction of Tables in the Article "Maternal Exposures to COVID-19 Vaccine and Adverse Birth Outcomes: National Population Study".

This corrects the article on p. e63 in vol. 40, PMID: 40329789.

Associations between environmental chemical mixtures and anthropometric measures in Korean girls: a cross-sectional study.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between environmental chemicals and anthropometric indices using preliminary data from the Puberty and Environment in Adolescents Cohort Project. Random urine samples from 370 Korean girls aged 7-14 years were evaluated for 15 environmental phthalates, phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites, and three heavy metals using growth metrics. We calculated the body mass index (BMI) z-score, weight z-score, height z-score, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) based on the World Health Organization growth references.

Exploring factors affecting knowledge creation in under-researched healthcare topics: a case study of women's health research.

Background: Knowledge creation (KC) produces resources to synthesize policy evidence and contributes to breakthroughs in unresolved health problems by discovering the previously unknown. Nevertheless, few studies have attempted to analyze which factors contribute to KC. This study aims to investigate the factors hindering the active occurrence of KC by using women's health research as a representative example of an under-researched healthcare field in South Korea.

Maternal Exposures to COVID-19 Vaccine and Adverse Birth Outcomes: National Population Study in Korea.

Background: This study aimed to estimate the association between mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine exposure during pregnancy and the risks of preterm birth and congenital malformations leveraging a national population data.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized national data from the National Health Insurance System, linking maternal and infant records with COVID-19 vaccination registries. Newborns with congenital malformations were identified using diagnosis codes.

Extreme ambient temperature and emergency healthcare service utilization due to substance use disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To synthesize the association between extreme ambient temperatures and the utilization of emergency healthcare services for substance use disorder (SUD). We performed a systematic literature review of original research published between 2000 and 2023 using five databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, WoS, and Scopus) for literature search, and assessed study quality and risk of bias. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to calculate the odds ratios (OR) for SUD-related emergency healthcare service utilization during periods of extremely high or low ambient temperatures.

Rural-urban migration dynamics and double burden of malnutrition among women across 29 low and middle income countries.

The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is a significant public health issue in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), resulting from complex socioeconomic, demographic and nutrition transitions. This study examined the association between internal migration and DBM among women across LMICs, focusing on direction, recency, and age at migration. Using the latest Demographic and Health Survey (2010-2023), data on body mass index, migration status, and covariates were extracted from 232,449 women aged 15-49 years in 29 countries.

Parents' employment and non-chromosomal congenital anomalies in Korea: a national population cohort study.

Objectives: We assessed the association between parents' employment status, including industrial classification, and non-chromosomal congenital anomalies in offspring.

Methods: We analyzed data from mothers who delivered live births between 2020 and 2022, linking their records with those of their neonates from the National Health Information Service (NHIS) database. Our analysis focused on common industrial classifications representing at least 6% of the total workforce.

Maternal media exposure and child anthropometric failures across 40 low- and middle-income countries.

Objective: To examine the association between maternal exposure to various types of media and child anthropometric failures, and whether this association varies by mothers' socioeconomic status (SES) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: This study analyzed Demographic and Health Survey data from 40 LMICs (2010-2024). The independent variable was defined as exposure to any mass media (i.

Evaluating Short-course Antibiotic Therapy for Pediatric Community-acquired Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: The optimal duration of antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children remains uncertain. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether short-course antibiotic therapy (≤6 days) is associated with poor clinical outcomes compared with long-course antibiotic therapy (>7 days) in children with CAP.

Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed.

Relative effectiveness of homologous NVX-CoV2373 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccinations in South Korea.

To estimate the relative effectiveness of NVX-CoV2373 versus BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 disease during the Omicron variant dominance in South Korea, we conducted a retrospective cohort-study among ≥12-year-olds using the K-COV-N database, which links COVID-19 vaccine registry data with health insurance claims data. The Cox proportional-hazards model and inverse probability of treatment weighting were employed to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs). Among homologous primary-series NVX-CoV2373 versus BNT162b2 recipients at Day 180 post-vaccination, the aHR was 0.

Methodology of comparative studies on the relative effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines: a systematic review.

Background: This study aimed to comprehensively outline the methodological approaches used in published research comparing the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted on June 13, 2024, to identify comparative studies evaluating the effectiveness of mRNA versus non-mRNA and monovalent versus bivalent COVID-19 vaccines. We screened titles, abstracts, and full texts, collecting data on publication year, country, sample size, study population composition, study design, VE estimates, outcomes, and covariates.

Neighbourhood environment and early menarche among adolescent girls of five countries.

Introduction: We aim to investigate the relationship between individuals' perceptions of their neighbourhood environment and early menarche.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 7,486 girls of Ethiopia, India, South Korea, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US), born in 1997-2011 was analysed. Early menarche was defined as being below the 10th to 20th percentiles in each cohort, considering the varying distributions across countries.

Timely access to secondary pediatric services in Korea: a key to reducing child and adolescent mortality.

Objectives: Geographic disparities in access to secondary pediatric care remain a significant issue in countries with universal health coverage, including Korea. This study investigated the link between geographic access to secondary pediatric care and mortality rates in children and adolescents (0-19 years) in Korea.

Methods: We analyzed district-level data to assess the percentage of those aged 0-19 years residing outside of a 60-minute travel radius from the nearest secondary pediatric care provider (accessibility vulnerability index, AVI).

Relative Effectiveness of the NVX-CoV2373 Vaccine Compared With the BNT162b2 Vaccine in Adolescents.

This retrospective matched cohort study evaluated the efficacy of 2 doses of NVX-CoV2373 compared with that of BNT162b2 vaccines in preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in adolescents. We analyzed 13-week risk differences and ratios between these 2 vaccines. The study included 465 NVX-CoV2373 and 465 BNT162b2 recipients.

Universal versus risk-based strategies for vaccinating children against COVID-19: Japan and Korea.

The global impact of COVID-19 on children emphasises the need for effective vaccination. While most cases are mild, those with underlying conditions face severe risks. Public health agencies promote various paediatric vaccination approaches.

Assessing the impact and implications of the revised Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes in preventing child traffic injuries in school zones in Korea: an interrupted time series analysis.

In 2019, a child's death in Korea led to legislation that imposed stricter penalties for school zone traffic violations. We assessed the impact of that legislation using 2017-2022 Traffic Accident Analysis System data. Adjusted analyses revealed a significant decline in severe injuries in school zones, decreasing from 11 cases to 8 cases per month (p=0.

Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Adolescents: Insights From Pharmacovigilance Study of VigiBase.

Background: During coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several COVID-19 vaccines were licensed with fast-track procedures. Although these vaccines have demonstrated high immunogenicity, there has been concerns on the serious adverse events (AEs) following COVID-19 vaccination among adolescents. We aimed to analyze comparative safety of COVID-19 vaccination in adolescents.