Publications by authors named "Mei Chuan Hung"

Article Synopsis
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has had a more significant negative impact on the health of food system (FS) essential workers compared to other worker categories, with notable disparities among different FS subpopulations.
  • An analysis of data from over 151,000 essential worker respondents revealed that FS workers had lower vaccination rates and requirements for vaccines at work or school compared to non-food system (NFS) workers, despite similar experiences during the vaccination process.
  • The study highlighted variations in vaccination intent and attitudes among unvaccinated FS workers; specifically, food manufacturing and beverage store workers were more open to vaccination, while those in agriculture and forestry showed more reluctance, emphasizing the need for targeted health initiatives.
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Pregnant women* and their infants are at increased risk for serious influenza, pertussis, and COVID-19-related complications, including preterm birth, low-birth weight, and maternal and fetal death. The advisory committee on immunization practices recommends pregnant women receive tetanus-toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine during pregnancy, and influenza and COVID-19 vaccines before or during pregnancy. Vaccination coverage estimates and factors associated with maternal vaccination are measured by various surveillance systems.

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COVID-19 vaccine booster doses are safe and maintain protection after receipt of a primary vaccination series and reduce the risk for serious COVID-19-related outcomes, including emergency department visits, hospitalization, and death (1,2). CDC recommended an updated (bivalent) booster for adolescents aged 12-17 years and adults aged ≥18 years on September 1, 2022 (3). The bivalent booster is formulated to protect against the Omicron BA.

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Introduction: Focusing on subpopulations that express the intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccination but are unvaccinated may improve the yield of COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

Methods: A nationally representative sample of 789,658 U.S.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for all persons >18 years of age. We analyzed data from the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module collected during February 27-March 26, 2022 to assess COVID-19 booster dose vaccination coverage among adults. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess factors associated with vaccination.

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Article Synopsis
  • Influenza has caused significant health impacts from 2010-2020, with millions of illnesses and tens of thousands of deaths, and historical disparities exist in hospitalization and vaccination rates among different racial and ethnic groups compared to non-Hispanic White individuals.!* -
  • An analysis of hospitalization rates from 2009-2022 shows higher rates for non-Hispanic Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic adults, while vaccination coverage in 2021-22 was notably lower for these groups compared to White and non-Hispanic Asian adults.!* -
  • The gap in vaccination rates has persisted over the years, affecting even insured individuals with access to healthcare, indicating a need for targeted public health interventions to
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To explore previous COVID-19 diagnosis and COVID-19 vaccination status among US essential worker groups. We analyzed the US Census Household Pulse Survey (May 26-July 5, 2021), a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18 years and older. We compared currently employed essential workers working outside the home with those working at home using adjusted prevalence ratios.

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Article Synopsis
  • Many individuals with medical conditions face higher risks of severe illness from COVID-19, prompting a study on their vaccination rates in the U.S.
  • The study analyzed data from the National Immunization Survey, revealing that 81.8% of adults with medical conditions had received at least one vaccine dose, compared to 70.3% of those without conditions.
  • A key finding was that provider recommendations significantly influenced vaccination rates, highlighting the need for better access and confidence in obtaining the vaccine among unvaccinated individuals with medical issues.
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Article Synopsis
  • - The National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module conducted a phone survey from April 2021 to January 2022 to assess COVID-19 vaccination rates, intentions, and attitudes among different racial and ethnic groups.
  • - Foreign-born individuals showed higher vaccination rates (80.9%) and lower hesitancy (6.0%) compared to US-born individuals (72.6% and 15.8%), but some specific national origins, like Haitians and Somalis, had significantly lower vaccination rates.
  • - Spanish-speaking respondents had lower overall vaccination coverage but expressed higher intent to get vaccinated, highlighting the need for targeted interventions that address cultural and language-specific barriers in communities with lower vaccination rates.
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Some racial and ethnic minority groups have experienced disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19-related illness and mortality (1,2). Vaccination is highly effective in preventing severe COVID-19 illness and death (3), and equitable vaccination can reduce COVID-19-related disparities. CDC analyzed data from the National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module (NIS-ACM), a random-digit-dialed cellular telephone survey of adults aged ≥18 years, to assess disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage by race and ethnicity among U.

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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations have higher prevalences of health conditions associated with severe COVID-19 illness compared with non-LGBT populations (1). The potential for low vaccine confidence and coverage among LGBT populations is of concern because these persons historically experience challenges accessing, trusting, and receiving health care services (2). Data on COVID-19 vaccination among LGBT persons are limited, in part because of the lack of routine data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity at the national and state levels.

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Article Synopsis
  • * People with disabilities were less likely to have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, but they expressed a higher intention to get vaccinated, showing a strong belief in the vaccine's protective benefits.
  • * Despite their desire to get vaccinated, individuals with disabilities faced significant challenges in accessing vaccination services, suggesting that improving scheduling and site accessibility could enhance their vaccination rates.
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Background: Approximately 20,000 people died from influenza in the US in the 2019-2020 season. The best way to prevent influenza is to receive the influenza vaccine. Persons who are foreign-born experience disparities in access to, and utilization of, preventative healthcare, including vaccination.

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Introduction: Hepatitis B vaccination is routinely recommended for adults with diabetes mellitus aged <60 years and for those aged ≥60 years at the discretion of their healthcare provider. The purpose of this study is to assess hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults with and without diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Data from the 2014-2018 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed in 2020 to determine hepatitis B vaccination series completion (≥3 doses) among adults aged 18-59 and ≥60 years with diabetes mellitus.

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Problem/condition: Adults are at risk for illness, hospitalization, disability and, in some cases, death from vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly influenza and pneumococcal disease. CDC recommends vaccinations for adults on the basis of age, health conditions, prior vaccinations, and other considerations. Updated vaccination recommendations from CDC are published annually in the U.

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Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in the United States has been recommended for girls since 2006 and for boys since 2011. However, settings of receiving HPV vaccination have not been assessed. The purpose of this study is to assess settings of receiving HPV vaccination among adolescents in order to understand what strategies are needed to improve vaccination uptake.

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Background: Diabetes is associated with higher risk of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality from influenza. We assessed influenza vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥ 18 years with diabetes during the 2007-08 through 2017-18 influenza seasons and identified factors independently associated with vaccination during the 2017-18 season.

Methods: We analyzed data from the 2007-2018 National Health Interview Surveys, using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to estimate season-specific influenza vaccination coverage.

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Purpose: The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides free cervical cancer screening to low-income women. This study estimated the health benefits gained in terms of life years (LYs) saved and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained if cervical cancer screening by the NBCCEDP increased to reach more eligible women.

Methods: Data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results, NBCCEDP, and Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys were used.

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Introduction: In 2006, zoster vaccine live was recommended for adults aged ≥60 years. In 2011, zoster vaccine live was approved for use but not recommended for adults aged 50-59 years. This study assessed zoster vaccine live coverage among adults aged 50-59 years and ≥60 years.

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Introduction: Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among adults. The most effective strategy for preventing influenza is annual vaccination. However, vaccination coverage has been suboptimal among adult populations.

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This study aims to quantify the aggregate potential life-years (LYs) saved and healthcare cost-savings if the Healthy People 2020 objective were met to reduce invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence by 15%. We identified patients (n=886,380) diagnosed with invasive CRC between 2001 and 2011 from a nationally representative cancer dataset. We stratified these patients by sex, race/ethnicity, and age.

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Background: Central line (CL)-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) poses a major threat to patient safety and is associated with additional cost. This study investigated the sustained effect of multimodal interventions focusing on CL bundle improvement in the adult intensive care units (ICUs) of a teaching hospital in Taiwan.

Methods: A before-after prospective study was conducted in 17 adult ICUs of a medical center in northern Taiwan from January 2009 to December 2013.

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Introduction: Few studies have examined age and racial/ethnic disparities in invasive breast cancer among younger (age 15-44 years) vs. older (age 45-64 years) women. This study estimates disparities in breast cancer among younger compared with older women by race/ethnicity using five measures of population health: life expectancy (LE), expected years of life lost (EYLL), cumulative incidence rate (CIR), and incidence and mortality rate ratios (IRR and MRR).

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This study estimates the annual numbers of eight work-related cancers, total losses of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and lifetime healthcare expenditures that possibly could be saved by improving occupational health in Taiwan. Three databases were interlinked: the Taiwan Cancer Registry, the National Mortality Registry, and the National Health Insurance Research Database. Annual numbers of work-related cancers were estimated based on attributable fractions (AFs) abstracted from a literature review.

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Background/purpose: This study aims to examine the cost effectiveness of treating major cancers compared with other major illnesses in Taiwan.

Methods: We collected data on 395,330 patients with cancer, 125,277 patients with end-stage renal disease, and 50,481 patients under prolonged mechanical ventilation during 1998-2007. They were followed for 10-13 years to estimate lifetime survival functions using a semiparametric method.

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