PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.4, January 21, 2021 Article TypeEpidemiology and SurveillanceNoncommunicable Disease Statistics

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-01-21

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  Characteristics of HIV screening tests in Public Health Centers in Korea, 2018-2019

  Lee Yu Sang, Wang Jin-Sook, Han Myung-Guk

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(4): 158-165

  

  

  Abstract

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  As human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening test organizations, public health centers in Korea provide free HIV screening tests for residents including socially vulnerable groups. This paper analyzed the characteristics of individuals who underwent HIV screening across 255 public health centers from 2018 to 2019. The HIV screening test results were analyzed according to gender, age, region, nationality, and the reason for the HIV test. The total number of HIV tests conducted at public health centers was 455,902 in 2018 and 440,144 in 2019, which marked an increase when compared to the average number of tests conducted across a five year period from 2013 to 2017 (428,130). Key findings indicated that in both 2018 and 2019, more females underwent HIV testing than males. The 30-39 age group had the highest percentage of HIV tests conducted, followed by, in descending order, the 20-29 age group, the 40-49 age group, the 50-59 age group, the 60 years and over group, and the 19 years and under age group. By region, HIV screening tests in Seoul City and Gyeonggi Province accounted for more than 50% of the tests conducted. In 2019, the main reasons for HIV screening tests were prenatal examinations (30.5%), health checkups (25.7%), sexually transmitted disease (STD) checkups (15.5%), voluntary testing (7.8%), anonymous testing (7.4%), physician referrals (5.0%) followed by foreign resident checkups (4.6%), correctional population checkups (3.5%), and partners of HIV infected individuals (0.0%). High HIV positive rates were found among anonymous tests, voluntary tests, and foreign resident checkups. Notably, data indicated that the main reasons for HIV screening tests and the high positive rates in 2018 were not unlike those of 2019. As a result of these findings, this paper recommended that projects to promote HIV screening among foreign resident and socially vulnerable groups are needed to prevent the spread and treatment of HIV.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-01-21

  0 840 248

  Current Status of Non-communicable Diseases in the Republic of Korea

  Cho, Kyung Sook

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(4): 166-177

  

  

  Abstract

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  According to the WHO, NCDs kill approximately 41 million people a year worldwide. In the Republic of Korea (ROK), NCDs account for approximately 80% of all deaths and 41% of national health insurance expenditures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of NCDs with the aim of identifying management strategies in the ROK. Aging and modifiable behaviors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, the harmful use of alcohol, and metabolic factors such as raised blood pressure, diabetes, being overweight/obesity, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia all increase the risk of NCDs. Management of NCDs include detecting, screening and treating leading NCDs such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases. This study suggested that policy makers focus their efforts on comprehensive strategies for the management of NCDs in the ROK, considering that the country is one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world.

• Noncommunicable Disease Statistics 2021-01-21

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  Trends in the percentage of Korean people who eat out more than once a day, 2008-2019

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(4): 178-179

  

  

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