title: Age-period-cohort analysis of hepatitis A incidence rates in Korea from 2002 to 2012.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of hepatitis A in Korea from 2002 to 2012 using age-period-cohort analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used claims data from the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation for the entire population. Census data from 2010 were used as the standard population. The incidence of hepatitis A was assumed to have a Poisson distribution, and the models and effects were evaluated using the intrinsic estimator method, the likelihood ratio, and the Akaike information criterion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of hepatitis A gradually increased until 2007 (from 17.55 to 35.72 per 100,000 population) and peaked in 2009 (177.47 per 100,000 population). The highest incidence was observed among 27-29-year-old individuals when we omitted data from 2005 to 2007. From 2005 to 2007, the peak incidence was observed among 24-26-year-old individuals, followed by 27-29-year-olds. The best model fits were observed when the age-period-cohort variables were all considered at the same time for males, females, and the whole population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of hepatitis A exhibited significant age-period-cohort effects; its incidence peaked in 2009 and was especially high among Koreans 20-39 years of age. These epidemiological patterns may help predict when high incidence rates of hepatitis A may occur in developing countries during their socioeconomic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine & Institute for Health and Society, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Gyeonggi Infectious Disease Control Center, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Sungyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine & Institute for Health and Society, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: BoYoul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Control and Policy, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Moran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003906:Developing Countries; D057217:Economic Development; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012499:Sanitation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiology; Hepatitis A; Incidence