REVIEW article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Infectious Diseases: Epidemiology and Prevention
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1562179
This article is part of the Research TopicExploring SARS-CoV-2 Interactions in Aging and Comorbid PopulationsView all articles
Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19 Outcomes in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Literature Review
Provisionally accepted
Madeline Thompson1*
Amanda K Buttery1
Shu Xin Oh2Macy Chan3Byung Hyun Lee4Tomoharu Iino5Yu-Chun Alice Wang6Chris Clarke1- 1Moderna Australia, Melbourne, Australia
- 2Moderna Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- 3Moderna Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
- 4Moderna Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 5Moderna Japan, Osaka, Japan
- 6Moderna Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan
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This comprehensive synthesis of severe COVID-19 risk factors specific to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region addresses gaps in previous global studies, which often overlook regional demographic, epidemiological, and healthcare system variations.Three databases (PubMed, Ovid MedLine, Scopus) and two preprint platforms (BioRxiv, MedRxiv) were searched between December 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023. English-language publications from 11 APAC countries/regions (Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam) reporting conditions associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes in adults (aged ≥16 years) were included.Of 295 publications screened, 123 met inclusion criteria, mostly from South Korea (n = 68) and Japan (n = 23). Common risk factors included older age, male sex, obesity, diabetes, heart failure, renal disease, and dementia. Less commonly hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardio-and cerebrovascular disease, immunocompromise, autoimmune disorders, and mental illness were reported. To date, no prior region-specific synthesis of risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes across the APAC region has been identified. The findings support the development of tailored vaccination strategies and public health interventions at both national and regional levels, helping ensure high-risk populations are prioritized in ongoing COVID-19 prevention and management efforts.
Keywords: COVID-19, Severe outcomes, Mortality, Asia-Pacific, Risk factors
Received: 17 Jan 2025; Accepted: 12 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Thompson, Buttery, Oh, Chan, Lee, Iino, Wang and Clarke. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Madeline Thompson, Moderna Australia, Melbourne, Australia
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