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Choi O, Kim S. Comparison of the efficacy of COVID-19 responses in South Korea and the United States. Glob Health Action 2024; 17:2370611. [PMID: 39135484 PMCID: PMC11328807 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2370611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic devastated many countries worldwide by causing large numbers of fatalities. In our research, we wanted to answer the question: Why was there such a large difference in the mortality rate between South Korea and the United States? This is because many East Asian countries, such as Korea, had a lower mortality rate than many countries, including developed ones, across the world - the mortality rate of South Korea was about five times lower than the United States. METHODS This study comprehensively compares strategies used to address the COVID-19 pandemic in two different countries: South Korea and the United States. The various aspects of these two countries' responses are examined, including initial response, information dissemination and public compliance, mitigation strategies, and vaccine rollout and their impacts. RESULTS Early and widespread testing, rigorous contact tracing, the clear release of government information, and an organized vaccine rollout powered a proactive approach in South Korea. The United States had a contrasting response consisting of delayed and more decentralized measures, where testing lagged due to varying policies and the political controversies facing vaccine distribution. CONCLUSIONS We signify the gravity of rapid response and testing, clear communication, and efficient vaccine distribution, as we believe this could correlate with a lower mortality rate. In addition, we discuss future directions, including the need for a specific health infrastructure and protocol against highly infectious outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Choi
- The Fessenden School, West Newton, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sunjoo Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Changwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
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Lee SY, Ham JH, Park HK, Jang DH, Jang WM. Association Between Risk Perceptions of COVID-19, Political Ideology, and Mask-Wearing Behavior After the Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Survey in South Korea. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2024; 17:1659-1668. [PMID: 38915789 PMCID: PMC11195682 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s463739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose After the declaration by the World Health Organization signaling the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries lifted mandatory mask-wearing regulations. This study aimed to investigate factors such as risk perception and political ideology associated with continued adherence to mask-wearing among specific populations, particularly when it is no longer deemed necessary. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study including a sample of 1001 respondents stratified by sex, age (≥ 18 years), and region from January 31 to February 2, 2023, after the mandatory mask regulation was lifted in South Korea. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to estimate the relationships between risk perceptions, political ideology, and mask-wearing maintenance, adjusting for factors such as sex, age, occupation, and trust in the government. Results Our results indicated significant associations between age, self-reported household economic status, political ideology, affective risk perception, and perceived effectiveness of the government's COVID-related measures with indoor mask-wearing. Specifically, liberals were more likely to keep mask-wearing indoors than conservatives (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-3.59); and those who perceived a greater affective risk of COVID-19 (aOR: 2.47; 95% CI: 1.96-3.10), along with those who perceived the government's countermeasures as inadequate, were more inclined to maintain the habit of wearing masks indoors (aOR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.19-3.03). Conclusion Our study highlighted the multifaceted factors influencing mask-wearing behavior in the post-COVID-19 era. Even after adjusting for various confounding factors, such as age, sex, and trust in the government, an association remained between affective risk perception, political ideology, and mask-wearing behavior. However, further research for psychological mechanisms is needed to foster a culture of preventive behaviors proportional to the risk of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Yeon Lee
- Department of Administration, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Office of External Affairs, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Centre, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji Hye Ham
- Seoul Public Health Research Institute, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Kyung Park
- Health Insurance Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, Wonju, South Korea
| | - Deok Hyun Jang
- Research Analytics & Communications, Gallup Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Won Mo Jang
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Centre, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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Wang X. The role of collectivism, liberty, COVID fatigue, and fatalism in public support for the zero-COVID policy and relaxing restrictions in China. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:873. [PMID: 38515060 PMCID: PMC10956218 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18331-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND China was the last country in the world to relax COVID-19 restrictions. A successful public health policy requires public support. This analysis examined the factors associated with Chinese support for zero-COVID and relaxing COVID-19 restrictions in China. METHOD Two online surveys were conducted among Chinese participants in mainland China on June 10-13 (N = 460) and December 2, 2022 (N = 450). These two samples were similar based on the participants' demographics. RESULTS The results revealed that the perceived health consequences of a COVID-19 policy, perceived norms of approving a COVID-19 policy, and hope positively predicted the participants' support for the COVID-19 policy. The results further showed that collectivism and fatalism positively predicted support for zero-COVID and negatively predicted support for relaxing restrictions. COVID fatigue was negatively associated with support for zero-COVID and positively associated with support for relaxing restrictions. Liberty positively predicted support for relaxing restrictions in June and negatively predicted zero-COVID in December 2023. It did not positively or negatively predict support for the policy adopted by the government. CONCLUSION Collectivism, liberty, COVID fatigue, and fatalistic beliefs are important considerations connected to public support for a COVID-19 policy. The role of liberty was more nuanced and depended on the survey's time and whether the government adopted the policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wang
- School of Communication, Rochester Institute of Technology, 92 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY, USA.
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Jeong S, Shin H, Ryu H, Lee MG, Hong J, Kwon JT, Lee J, Kim Y. Rapid estimation of tire-wear particle concentration in road dust using PM 10 and traffic data in a ternary plot. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167227. [PMID: 37734610 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution, a pressing global issue, is significantly exacerbated by airborne particulate matter (PM), affecting air quality and human health. Urban vehicular activities majorly contribute to PM rise through both exhaust and non-exhaust emissions. Despite strides in managing exhaust emissions, non-exhaust particles, such as tire wear particles (TWP) remain under-addressed. This research proposes a method for estimating TWP concentrations using PM10 data and traffic activity, which could offer a valuable tool for controlling roadside fine particles and TWP. This paper introduces a ternary plotting technique and step-by-step procedure to estimate TWP levels in road dust using only PM10 and traffic data. Traditional analysis of TWP via pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is complex and time-consuming. Hence, our proposed approach presents an alternate method that leverages readily accessible PM and traffic data, providing critical information for road management interpretation. The triangular plot analysis demonstrated a linear correlation: [log(Traffic) + 2]-[250,000/TWP-13]-0.18PM10. While the resulting correlation may vary based on specific road conditions, the method can be tailored to different regions, offering insights into efficient estimation of TWP concentrations and promoting improved roadside pollution management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohee Jeong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, South Korea
| | - Hyeokjin Shin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, South Korea
| | - Hyeongjeong Ryu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, South Korea
| | - Min Gyu Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, South Korea
| | - Jaehwan Hong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, South Korea
| | - Jung-Taek Kwon
- Risk Assessment Division, Environmental Health Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22733, South Korea
| | - Jaewoong Lee
- Risk Assessment Division, Environmental Health Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22733, South Korea
| | - Younghun Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, South Korea.
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Chung JB, Yeon D, Kim MK. Characteristics of victim blaming related to COVID-19 in South Korea. Soc Sci Med 2023; 320:115668. [PMID: 36640702 PMCID: PMC9827734 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the characteristics of the victim-blaming tendency of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and the worry of being blamed because of COVID-19 infection. This study utilized two methodologies based on the theory of defensive attribution and information processing. First, a media analysis was conducted to determine the characteristics of the two representative COVID-19 victim blaming cases (the Itaewon Club case and the Omicron-infected pastor case). The results show that from the viewpoint of defensive attribution theory, the victim blaming of patients infected with COVID-19 is related to social identity and moral violations committed by the patients. The Korean public emphasized their social identity and believed that the patients were different from them from an ego-defensive viewpoint. Second, we conducted three longitudinal online panel surveys (N1 = 1569; N2 = 1037; N3 = 833). The samples were selected by stratified random sampling based on sex, age, and 17 metropolitan regions in Korea. The results showed that as the number of COVID-19 cases increased, the respondents' level of risk perception decreased significantly. As the information processing theory explains, people who are familiar with the frequent risks of COVID-19 are less worried about being blamed by others. Meanwhile, the regression analysis found that victim blaming of the pastor was significantly related to the respondent's religion. We can conclude that the Korean people may blame the victims of COVID-19 because they believe that the victims are very different from an ego-defensive viewpoint. Furthermore, the trust variable appeared to be important: the more the respondents trusted the government, the more they blamed the victims of COVID-19. We term this phenomenon the "trust paradox."
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Bum Chung
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dahye Yeon
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Kyu Kim
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
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Cumbo E, Gallina G, Messina P, Scardina GA. Filter Masks during the Second Phase of SARS-CoV-2: Study on Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2360. [PMID: 36767727 PMCID: PMC9915404 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the most common countermeasure are the use of masks, which are supposed to filter inhaled and exhaled air to reduce the spread of the virus. The masks, which are medical devices, must be used by providing appropriate instructions for correct use. This study, which examined the population during the advanced stage of the pandemic, highlighted a substantial improvement in the management and choice of masks, even though the information disseminated to the population probably should be even more detailed and precise in order to avoid incorrect behavior that could compromise the effectiveness of these devices; in fact a high percentage of subjects had behaviors that can facilitate the spread of the virus, such as the continuous attempts to correct the incorrect positioning of the mask on the face or the need to move it because it is annoying.
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Jo S, Han SY, Howe N. Factors Associated with Handwashing Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of the Community Health Survey in Korea. SAGE Open Nurs 2023; 9:23779608231172364. [PMID: 37139169 PMCID: PMC10150421 DOI: 10.1177/23779608231172364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Handwashing is the most effective preventive behavior for coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) infection. However, research has shown the lower handwashing behaviors among Korean adults. Objectives This study aims to analyze factors associated with handwashing as a preventive behavior for COVID-19 infection based on the health belief model (HBM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) behavioral theories. Methods This secondary data analysis utilized the Community Health Survey developed by Disease Control and Prevention Agency conducted in 2020. Sampling method was stratified and targeted 900 people living in the territory of each community public health center. In total, 228,344 cases were used in the analysis. Handwashing behavior, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, subjective norm, and influenza vaccine uptake were used in the analysis. Regression analysis using weighing strategy by stratification and domain analysis was used. Results Less washing hand was associated with older age (B = 0.01, p < .001), males (B = 0.42, p < .001), not receiving an influenza vaccine (B = 0.09, p < .001), perceived susceptibility (B = 0.12, p < .001), subjective norm (B = 0.05, p < .001), and perceived severity (B = -0.04, p < .001). Conclusion While perceived susceptibility and social norm had positive association, perceived severity had a negative association with handwashing. Considering the Korean culture, creating a shared norm for frequent handwashing could be beneficial to promote handwashing rather than emphasizing the disease and its consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soojung Jo
- School of Nursing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Soo-Yeon Han
- Department of Nursing, Bucheon University, Bucheon, South Korea
- Soo-Yeon Han, Department of Nursing, Bucheon
University, Bucheon, South Korea.
| | - Nancy Howe
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation,
Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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