BACKGROUND

A community survey on the immunization status of residents in Barangay Pinag-Isang Palad, Old Balara, Quezon City, reflected a low immunization rate of 8% for influenza and 6% for pneumococcal vaccines. Exploring ways to increase awareness on vaccination is important to improve the delivery of primary prevention.

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of infomercials versus infographics in promoting influenza and pneumococcal vaccination among residents of Barangay Pinag-Isang Palad.

A quasi-experimental study design using systematic sampling where one group of respondents was assigned to the infomercial intervention, and the other group to the infographics intervention. Each participant completed a self-administered 25-item questionnaire assessing perceived barriers to influenza and pneumococcal vaccination. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare within group changes in scores pre- and post-intervention. Mann-Whitney test was used to determine between group differences in post-intervention scores.

A total of 70 respondents representing 70 households in the barangay participated in the study. Respondents were mostly from the 26-35 age group, females with high school education in the service industry, with < P23,381 average monthly income, and good self-reported health status. Comparison of the pre- and post-intervention mean scores of both groups (infomercial and infographics), showed statistically significant change in post-intervention mean scores from baseline. However, comparison of the post-intervention mean scores between groups was not statistically significant. Identified barriers in both groups were challenges in affordability and accessibility of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines.

This study showed that the InfoVax Strategy, using infomercials and infographics, can be effective tools in improving perceptions on influenza and pneumococcal vaccination among residents of Barangay Pinag-Isang Palad. The findings of this study can be applied to communities having similar characteristics. Healthcare providers may improve perceptions on vaccination and subsequent uptake by distributing infographics or playing infomercials aside from public health lectures. Vaccination will help prevent loss of earnings and incrased medication consumption. The local health unit needs to evaluate and address the identified barriers of affordability and accessibility.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the mothers' native country on influenza vaccinations in adolescents in multicultural families. METHODS: Data were gathered from the 13th (2017) Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using a complex sample data analysis method. The participants in this study had a father who was born in Korea and a mother born outside of Korea. The sample included 481 adolescents. RESULTS: The analysis of non-adjusted confounding variables showed that influenza vaccination was higher in multicultural adolescents whose mother's native country had an annual minimum temperature less than 21℃ (odds ratio [OR]: 1.81, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20~2.74). Furthermore, when the analysis was adjusted for confounding variables, an annual minimum temperature less than 21℃ in the mother's native country had a statistically significant association with influenza vaccination (OR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.36~3.29). CONCLUSION: Multicultural adolescents belong to a socioeconomically vulnerable class, and their health promotion behaviors are influenced by their mothers' culture. Thus, healthcare providers and school nurses should provide adolescents with appropriate information related to influenza vaccination depending on their mothers' culture and their family's cultural background.
Adolescent* ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Cultural Diversity ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Fathers ; Health Personnel ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human* ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Methods ; Mothers ; Risk-Taking* ; Seasons* ; Statistics as Topic ; Vaccination*

Influenza can be prevented through annual appropriate vaccination against the virus concerned. In China, influenza vaccine is categorized as "Class Ⅱ" infectious diseases which the cost is paid out of the user's pockets. The annual coverage of influenza vaccination had been 2%-3%. The main reasons for the low coverage would include the following factors: lacking awareness on both the disease and vaccine, poor accessibility of vaccination service, and the cost of vaccination. To reduce the health and economic burden associated with influenza, comprehensive policies should be improved, targeting the coverage of seasonal influenza vaccination. These items would include: ① Different financing reimbursement schemes and mechanisms to improve the aspiration on vaccination and on the vaccine coverage in high-risk groups, as young children, elderly, people with underlying medical conditions; ② to ameliorate equality of vaccination services; ③ to improve knowledge of the health care workers (HCWs) and the public on influenza and related vaccines; ④ to improve clinical and preventive medical practice and vaccination among HCWs through revising clinical guidelines, pathway and consensus of experts; ⑤ to provide more convenient, accessible and normative vaccination service system; ⑥ to strengthen research and development as well as marketing on novel influenza vaccines; ⑦ to revise items regarding the contraindication for influenza vaccine on pregnancy women, stated in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
Aged ; Awareness ; Child ; China ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Personnel ; Health Promotion/methods* ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/economics* ; Influenza, Human/prevention & control* ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Vaccination

PURPOSE: To identify current status of university health care program. METHODS: Data and information from homepages of 309 colleges or universities in South Korea were collected. The data was analyzed by frequencies, t-test, chi2 test with SPSS Ver. 18.0. RESULTS: 117(37.9%) universities had organization of health care. Whether university had health care program or not had shown significantly depended on number of students, types of school (university or college), region, and existence of medical and nursing course. Medical course was shown as a strong predictor for facilitating university health care program limitedly focusing on diseases treatment. Health promotion programs have been operated in 15 universities, vaccination programs in 10 universities, and health screening in 20 universities. CONCLUSION: It is strongly recommended to revise the School Health Law for constructing a comprehensive university health care program consolidating health counseling and physical training.
Counseling ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Nursing ; School Health Services ; Vaccination

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors influencing commitment to human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination and prior vaccination among female college students in northern Taiwan. METHODS: A quota sample of 400 female college students was recruited from nine colleges in northern Taiwan during March 2013. Of these, 398 completed the self administered questionnaire which was designed based on the health promotion model. RESULTS: The results showed that factors associated with prior vaccination behavior were family history of gynecologic malignancy, ever being advised to get HPV vaccination, perceived barriers of action and perceived self-efficacy. Predictors for commitment to HPV vaccination in the next 6 months were the cost of vaccination, ever being advised to get HPV vaccination, perceived self-efficacy and situational influences. Perceived self-efficacy was significantly influenced by relationship status, past receipt of a recommendation for HPV vaccination and level of knowledge about HPV. CONCLUSION: When formulating vaccination policies, governmental or medical institutions should include these factors to promote vaccination.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Promotion/methods ; Humans ; Papillomavirus Infections/complications/*prevention & control ; *Papillomavirus Vaccines ; Self Efficacy ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Students/*psychology ; Taiwan ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/*prevention & control/virology ; Vaccination/psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

Several international initiatives have taken place with themes such as "Men as Partners in reproductive health". Furthermore, many articles have recently been published concerning men's preconception care before pregnancy. However, little attention has been paid to this field in Korea. The concept of preconception health and health care for men is very important for pregnancy outcomes, and furthermore, for the health of their future families. Men's contribution to the pregnancy is clear for planned pregnancy and also offers an opportunity for disease prevention and health promotion in men themselves. This paper reviews the important concept of men's health for preparing for pregnancy, and summarizes key component of a comprehensive approach to optimizing the preconception health status of men as expecting fathers. In fact, many clinicians including most obstetricians-gynecologists in Korea are not trained to provide preconception health and care for men. In addition, no consensus has been developed on basic guidelines for preconception care including the pregnancy planning for men and women, laboratory tests before pregnancy, vaccination programs, and much more information on preparing for a successful pregnancy. To improve preconception care for men in Korea, many barriers must be overcome, such as lack of national services, financing, organization, and men's and women's understanding of the importance of preconception health for their pregnancy. Therefore, much more research is needed on men's preconception care in Korea.
Consensus ; Delivery of Health Care ; Family Planning Services ; Fathers ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Korea ; Male ; Men's Health ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Preconception Care ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Vaccination

Free medical care is currently a highly debated issue in Korea. However, from a practical point of view, 'completely free' medical care is impossible. Last year the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) reported a huge deficit of up to 1.3 trillion in Korean won, which is the largest deficit in the past 10 years. NHIC expenditures are skyrocketing for many reasons: drug overuse, very expensive new drugs or devices increasing geriatric population and survivors of cancer or chronic illnesses, expanding insurance coverage for new diagnostic tests, drugs, neonates, rare diseases, disabilities, and cancer, occurrence of new diseases, increasing number of doctors, moral hazard, and wasting of resources due to the duplication and counteraction between modern medicine and Oriental medicine. What, then, should we do to provide partially free medical care? We need to reduce expenditures for drugs and increase health insurance premiums. Korean health insurance premium currently low compared to that of other countries in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. It is also necessary to introduce the concept of a health tax, in which healthy individuals with a high income pay higher premiums while sick or low-income individuals pay lower premiums. Expanding public health coverage such as vaccinations, regular health surveillance programs, and education on health promotion should be implemented. Private health care insurance can be introduced carefully with close monitoring. The last and most important recommendation is that society must become more ethical and transparent. Korea is entering a new era as a developed country and as a result a welfare system, including medical care is notoptional but is mandatory in some part. However, even a partially free medical care is going to be possible only if the entire health care system is operated in an ethical and efficient way for maximal utilization of limited resources while avoiding moral hazard and waste.
Chronic Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Developed Countries ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Health Expenditures ; Health Promotion ; History, Modern 1601- ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Insurance ; Insurance Coverage ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; National Health Programs ; Public Health ; Rare Diseases ; Survivors ; Taxes ; Vaccination

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze married immigrant women's utilization of health care and their demand for public health care services. METHODS: This study was conducted through descriptive survey with 102 married immigrant women in 2 cities, and survey was done from November, 2010 to May, 2011. RESULTS: The results were as follows. Of respondents, 70% were using medical services in Korea and only 38.2% of them were satisfied with services. Major difficulties in using health care services were 'access problem' (35.7%), 'communication problem' (27.7%), and 'medical cost' (19.8%). The respondents' main sources of health information were family (56%), health care center (15%). The types of health information and education demanded by respondents were children's health care (22.1%), pregnancy and delivery (21.1%), and common disease care (20.0%). The most wanted services from public health care institutions were vaccination (24.5%), health promotion (21.5%), and leisure activity programs (20.6%). There was a statistically significant difference in period of immigration and public health care demands. CONCLUSION: For married female immigrants, it is recommended to provide tailored public health care services such as outreach service and visiting nursing care service, and to set up different language signs for common disease patients.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Education ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Emigration and Immigration ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Health Services* ; Humans ; Korea ; Leisure Activities ; Nursing Care ; Pregnancy ; Public Health ; Vaccination

BACKGROUND: Korea is a highly prevalent area of isolated anti-HBc with a rate of 15%, but there is neither vaccination nor management guideline agreed. To know the management for Hepatitis B Vaccination for adults with isolated anti-HBc, we investigated immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in adults with isolated anti-HBc. METHODS: The 23 adults with persistent isolated anti-HBc, who visited a health promotion center from Dec. 1998 to Aug. 1999, were vaccinated with Hepavax?-B by the standard schedule (0, 1, 6 month) and anti-HBs titers were measured 1 month after 1st and 3rd vaccinations (1, 7 month). RESULTS: After the 1st vaccination, 18 (78.26%) developed anti-HBs seroconversion. Among them, 4 (17.39%) had titers of 10~49 mIU/ml, 8 (34.78%) 50~99 mIU/ml, and 6 (26.09%) more than 100 mIU/ml. All non-responders after the 1st vaccination remained as such even with 3 doses of complete vaccination. The majority of seroconverted group did not show more anti-HBs response with further vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Since none of adults with isolated anti-HBc had a primary response, which indicated few false positive results. Therefore they should be excluded on vaccination programs in Korea. To differentiate between immunity and occult infections, a single dose of vaccine with a follow-up anti-HBs test is preferable for adults with isolated anti-HBc. If the test shows a seroconversion it would indicate protective immunity, if not, then occult infection may be suspected.
Adult* ; Appointments and Schedules ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens* ; Hepatitis B* ; Humans ; Korea ; Vaccination*

BACKGROUND: Korea Academy of Family Medicine recommands HBsAb and HBsAb test in youth health promotion program. Adequate management are necessary for prevention of vertical transmission at perinatal period, especially girls' high school students as a future's conceivable woman. Health examination program for the first grade students of high school which was established by the Educational Ministry has been acted since 1998. So, through the students health examination we'd like to find an adequate method of prevention and management in hepatitis B. METHODS: Our study examines HBs Ag/Ab about girls' high school students at two high schools in a city. According to the results of hepatitis B, active intervention in carrier group, passive intervention in candidate were done. And then a year later, hepatitis B management was investigated through the questionnaire. RESULTS: In active intervention group, regular check up of hepatitis B is 21.4%, hepatitis B blood test in family is 39.3% and in passive intervention group, hepatitis B vaccination rate after health examiantion is 9.1%. CONCLUSION: More active intervention such as mass vaccination are required in health examination for the purpose of hepatitis B management at youth.
Adolescent ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Hematologic Tests ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Vaccination ; Vaccination ; Surveys and Questionnaires