OBJECTIVES: Estimating influenza-associated mortality is important since seasonal influenza affects persons of all ages, causing severe illness or death. This study aimed to estimate influenza-associated mortality, considering both periodic changes and age-specific mortality by influenza subtypes. METHODS: Using the Microdata Integrated Service from Statistics Korea, we collected weekly mortality data including cause of death. Laboratory surveillance data of respiratory viruses from 2009 to 2016 were obtained from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After adjusting for the annual age-specific population size, we used a negative binomial regression model by age group and influenza subtype. RESULTS: Overall, 1 859 890 deaths were observed and the average rate of influenza virus positivity was 14.7% (standard deviation [SD], 5.8), with the following subtype distribution: A(H1N1), 5.0% (SD, 5.8); A(H3N2), 4.4% (SD, 3.4); and B, 5.3% (SD, 3.7). As a result, among individuals under 65 years old, 6774 (0.51%) all-cause deaths, 2521 (3.05%) respiratory or circulatory deaths, and 1048 (18.23%) influenza or pneumonia deaths were estimated. Among those 65 years of age or older, 30 414 (2.27%) all-cause deaths, 16 411 (3.42%) respiratory or circulatory deaths, and 4906 (6.87%) influenza or pneumonia deaths were estimated. Influenza A(H3N2) virus was the major contributor to influenza-associated all-cause and respiratory or circulatory deaths in both age groups. However, influenza A(H1N1) virus–associated influenza or pneumonia deaths were more common in those under 65 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Influenza-associated mortality was substantial during this period, especially in the elderly. By subtype, influenza A(H3N2) virus made the largest contribution to influenza-associated mortality.
Aged ; Cause of Death ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Cost of Illness ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Mortality ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Pneumonia ; Population Density ; Seasons

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to analyze the status and effects of influenza vaccine (IV) and pneumococcal vaccine (PV) in hospitalized patients in a University Hospital with chronic conditions.METHODS: The study is based on the medical records of 3,279 inpatients in pulmonary center of Yeungnam University Medical Center (Korea) between October 2015 and September 2016. The subjects were divided into two groups by age (under 65 years old and over 65 years old), and the preventive effects of IV and PV were analyzed by comparing vaccination rate, hospitalized period, pneumonia attach rate, and mortality rate. Vaccination data were obtained from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web system. The chi-squared test, linear regression analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze factors associated with the types of vaccinations and underlying medial factors.RESULTS: In the group under 65 years old, those without any vaccination had higher mortality rate. In addition, patients with IV vaccination were more likely to have shorter hospitalized periods. On the contrary, a group of people without any vaccination, hospitalized period increased. However, in the group of over 65 years old with various underlying conditions, the mortality rate was higher when IV or both IV and PV were vaccinated.CONCLUSION: The preventive effects show the opposite results in two age groups. This study indicates that the vaccines are more effective in the group under 65 years old than the group over 65 years old with chronic conditions.
Academic Medical Centers ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumococcal Vaccines ; Pneumonia ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

Influenza vaccination is important for cancer survivors, a population with impaired immunity. This study was designed to assess influenza vaccination patterns among Korean cancer survivors. In this cross-sectional analysis, data were obtained from standardized questionnaires from 943 cancer survivors and 41,233 non-cancer survivors who participated in the Fourth and Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2007-2011). We identified the adjusted influenza vaccination rates and assessed factors associated with influenza vaccination using multivariate logistic regression. Cancer survivors tended to have a higher adjusted influenza vaccination rate than the general population. The rates for influenza vaccination in specific cancer types such as stomach, hepatic, colon, and lung cancers were significantly higher than non-cancer survivors. Among all cancer survivors, those with chronic diseases, elderly subjects, and rural dwellers were more likely to receive influenza vaccination; those with cervical cancer were less likely to receive influenza vaccination. Cancer survivors were more likely to receive influenza vaccinations than non-cancer survivors, but this was not true for particular groups, especially younger cancer survivors. Cancer survivors represent a sharply growing population; therefore, immunization against influenza among cancer survivors should be concerned as their significant preventative healthcare services.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Comorbidity ; Disease Susceptibility/mortality ; Educational Status ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/*therapeutic use ; Influenza, Human/*mortality/*prevention & control ; Male ; Mass Vaccination/*utilization ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms/*mortality ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution ; Social Class ; Survival Rate ; Survivors/*statistics & numerical data