Health in South Korea

Overview of health in South Korea

This article is about health in South Korea. For the South Korean health care system, see Healthcare in South Korea.

Life expectancy development in South Korea

Life expectancy has been rising rapidly and South Korea ranked 3rd in the world for life expectancy [1] (previously 11th in 2016[2]). South Korea has among the lowest HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate in the world, with just 0.1% of the population being infected, significantly lower than the U.S. at 0.6%, France's 0.4%, and the UK's 0.3% prevalence rate. South Korea has a good influenza vaccination rate, with a total of 43.5% of the population being vaccinated in 2019 (80.8% of people over 65).[3] A new measure of expected human capital calculated for 195 countries from 1920 to 2016 and defined for each birth cohort as the expected years lived from age 20 to 64 years and adjusted for educational attainment, learning or education quality, and functional health status was published by the Lancet in September 2018. South Korea had the sixth highest level of expected human capital with 26 health, education, and learning-adjusted expected years lived between age 20 and 64 years.[4]

Obesity has been consistently among the world's lowest - only 3% of the population were obese, which was the second lowest in the OECD, compared to over 30% in the U.S. or 23% in the UK.[5] As a result, mortality from cardiovascular disease was the fourth lowest in the OECD.[6][7]

Lee Jong-wook, former director-general of the World Health Organization, who dedicated his work to combating tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, along with eradicating polio

## Health issues[edit]

### Cancer[edit]

The cancer treatment in South Korea is regarded to be one of the best in the world with South Korea also having the highest cancer survival rate.[8][9] Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in South Korea, as well as the sixth most prevalent type of cancer in South Korea.[10] In addition, South Korea has a rather similar level of incidence when it comes to liver cancer patients. In a study in 2014, out of the 16,178 cases of people with liver cancer, 12.058 were men and 4,120 were women, this brings the male to female ratio to 2.9:1.[10] The most common ages where primary liver cancer cases were diagnosed was found to be between the ages 50–59 years (27.3%), subsequently the ages between 60-69 (25.2%) also had high levels of liver cancer patients.[10] As for women who had liver cancer, they generally diagnosed the illness at a much higher age range when comapred to male counterparts.[10] Furthermore, lung cancer is responsible for the most deaths in South Korea.[11] However, there have been attempts to minimize the smoking trends in South Korea and yet the rate of lung cancer patients is still increasing, this can be attributed to the aging population of South Korea and the incidence of lung cancer in never-smokers.[11] It was found that in 2012, the rate of lung cancer cases for every 100,000 residents was 43.9, and the survival rate increased to 21.9% from the years 2008-2012.[11] In South Korea the number of cancer survivors has increased gradually in addition to a higher percentage of individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer. The percentage of cancer cases has increased by 3.4% per year while the percentage of mortality has decreased by 2.7% per year. Depression is a common variable observed amongst long-term survivors as they are considered higher-risk for dealing with such health condition which can result in suicide if not taken seriously.[12]

### Suicide[edit]

Further information: Suicide in South Korea

Suicide in South Korea is a serious and widespread problem. The suicide rate was the highest in the OECD in 2012 (29.1 deaths per 100,000 people).[13] Lithuania is ranked first, but is not an OECD member state as of September 2016.[14] Age and gender distribution of suicide rates differed considerably between the two countries[15] On the 27 December, South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known by Oscar-winning film Parasite was found dead in an appeart suicide.

### Obesity[edit]

In 2022, the general obesity rate in South Korea remained at 37.2 percent. This was the second most noteworthy rate recorded beginning around 2008. Obesity was characterized as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or over. South Korean men had a higher obesity rate than women.[16] This data is based on the ages from 19 and older.

### Smoking[edit]

Further information: Smoking in South Korea

In 2020, 16.4% of Koreans were noted to be daily smokers.[17] According to the WHO in 2015, the age standardized prevalence of tobacco smoking in the Republic of South Korea is 49.8%.[18] Starting on January 1, 2015, the Ministry of Health banned smoking in cafés, restaurants, and bars.[19] Facilities, such as government offices, public institutions, public transport facilities and schools have become smoke-free zones.[19] In 1986, the Republic of Korea mandated tobacco manufactures to include warnings on cigarette packages.[19] The violation against the smoke policy include a fine, which is less than 100 thousand won.[20]

### Drinking alcohol[edit]

See also: Drinking culture of Korea

Alcohol consumption in Korea stood at 8.3L per person in 2020 (compared to 12.9L in Latvia and 1.3L in Turkey) according to the OECD.[21] In 2018, the WHO noted that alcohol consumption distribution was 22.2% beer, 1.9% wine, 7.1% spirits, and 68.9% is attributed to "other.[22]

Age-standardized death rate of liver cirrhosis for male in South Korea is 20.6% of which 70.5% is attributed to alcohol.[23] Prevalence of alcohol use disorders (including alcohol dependence and harmful use of alcohol) is 10.3% of male in South Korea, more than twice of 4.6% of Western Pacific Region.[23]

### Infectious disease[edit]

An outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) occurred in South Korea in May 2015 by a Korean who visited the Middle East and carried the MERS virus to Korea. Seven months later, the government officially declared that the outbreak was over.[24]

### Air pollution[edit]

See also: Environment of South Korea

South Korea near bottom of world survey of air quality

Very Unhealthy

Unhealthy

Unhealthy for sensitive groups

Moderate

Good

According to the Environmental Performance Index 2016, South Korea ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in terms of air quality. More than 50 percent of the populations in South Korea exposed to dangerous levels of fine dust.[25]

### Tuberculosis[edit]

South Korea ranks last place among OECD countries for tuberculosis. Its three major indexes: incidence rate, prevalence rate and death rate are the worst among the OECD countries since 1996 when South Korea became a member of OECD.[26]

2019 Tuberculosis statistics - OECD (per 100,000 person)[27] | Incidence (Estimated) | Treatment Success (%) | Mortality (unweighted average)

|
|
|

| Country | Value | Country | Value | Country | Value
Highest |  Philippines | 554.0 |  Cambodia | 94.0 |  Philippines | 24.0
|  South Korea | 66.0 |  Korea, South | 83.0 |  South Korea | 4.7
Lowest |  Australia | 7.0 |  China | 65.0 |  Australia | 0.2
OECD Average |  | 13.0 |  | 62.0 |  | 0.8

### Chronic disease[edit]

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, chronic illness account for the majority of diseases in South Korea, a condition exacerbated by the health care system’s focus on treatment rather than prevention. The incidence of chronic disease in South Korea hovers around 24 percent. The prevalence human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 2015 was 14,880 cases.[28] In 2001 central government expenditures on health care accounted for about 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).[29] South Korea is experiencing a growing elderly population, which leads to an increase in chronic degenerative diseases. The proportion of the population over 65 is expected to rise from 13% in 2014 to 38% in 2050. Majority of health care professionals treat patients on curative, rather than preventive treatments, because of the lack of financial incentives for preventive treatments.[30]

### Unequal distribution of physicians[edit]

There are 2.5 doctors and 7.9 nurses per 1,000 people in South Korea (2020).[31] There are regional disparities between urban and rural areas for health professionals. The number of primary care doctors in cities is 37.3% higher than in rural areas, and the problem is growing because younger physicians are choosing to practice in the cities.[32]

## See also[edit]

* Healthcare in South Korea
* Mental health in South Korea
* LGBT health in South Korea

## References[edit]

1. ^ "WHO Global Health Observatory Life Expectancy at birth (years)". World Health Organization. December 1, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
2. ^ "World Health Statistics 2016: Monitoring health for the SDGs". WHO. Archived from the original on May 23, 2016.
3. ^ Seo, Jeongmin; Lim, Juwon (January 20, 2022). "The impact of free vaccination policies under the Korean Influenza National Immunization Program: Trends in influenza vaccination rates in South Korea from 2010 to 2019". PLOS ONE. 17 (1): e0262594. Bibcode:2022PLoSO..1762594S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262594. PMC 8775253. PMID 35051210.
4. ^ Lim, Stephen; et, al. "Measuring human capital: a systematic analysis of 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016". Lancet. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
5. ^ Anon (2005). OECD Factbook: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. ISBN 978-92-64-01869-3.
6. ^ "Health at a Glance 2015: OECD Indicators | READ online".
7. ^ "OBESITY Update" (PDF). OECD. June 2014.
8. ^ OECD: Health at a Glance 2019, pages 138-143.
9. ^ Nam Kyung-don: S. Korea ranks among top OECD member countries in the treatment of cancer: data, The Korea Herald, November 21, 2019.
10. ^ a b c d Kim, B. H.; Park, J. W. (2017). "Epidemiology of liver cancer in South Korea". Clinical and Molecular Hepatology. 24 (1): 1–9. doi:10.3350/cmh.2017.0112. PMC 5875192. PMID 29249129.
11. ^ a b c Park, J. Y.; Jang, S. H. (2016). "Epidemiology of Lung Cancer in Korea: Recent Trends". Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases. 79 (2): 58–69. doi:10.4046/trd.2016.79.2.58. PMC 4823185. PMID 27064578.
12. ^ Park, Boram (September 11, 2017). "The Prevalence of Depression among Patients with the Top Ten Most Common Cancers in South Korea". Psychiatry Investigation: 2–3 - via National Library of Medicine.
13. ^ "Suicide rates". OECD. 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
14. ^ "World Health Statistics 2016: Monitoring health for the SDGs". WHO. 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2016. Page 63. WHO member states with a population of less than 250,000 are not included in the statistics.
15. ^ Kim, Seong Yi; Kim, Myoung-Hee; Kawachi, Ichiro; Cho, Youngtae (2011). "Comparative Epidemiology of Suicide in South Korea and Japan: Effects of Age, Gender and Suicide Methods". Crisis. 32 (1): 5–14. doi:10.1027/0227-5910/a000046. PMID 21371965.
16. ^ "South Korea: obesity rate yearly trend". Statista. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
17. ^ "Daily smokers (indicator)". OECD. 2022. doi:10.1787/1ff488c2-en. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
18. ^ "WHO | World Health Organization". gamapserver.who.int. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
19. ^ a b c "Republic of Korea: Smoking ban extended | WHO FCTC Implementation Database". apps.who.int. Archived from the original on September 18, 2015. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
20. ^ "국가법령정보센터". www.law.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-05-13.
21. ^ "Alcohol consumption (indicator)". OECD. 2022. doi:10.1787/e6895909-en. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
22. ^ "Global status report on alcohol and health 2018". World Health Organisation. 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
23. ^ a b "country profiles" (PDF). World Health Organization.
24. ^ "South Korea finally MERS-free". Science | AAAS. 2015-12-23. Retrieved 2017-05-14.
25. ^ "South Korea near bottom of world survey of air quality". The Korea Herald. May 16, 2016. "South Korea ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in terms of air quality, the Environmental Performance Index 2016 rankings showed Monday. ... A report said that 1.3 billion people exposed to poor air quality lived in East Asian countries, with more than 50 percent of the populations in South Korea and China exposed to dangerous levels of fine dust."
26. ^ "'결핵 후진국' 한국, 환자가 급증한 이유는" ["Tuberculosis backward country" South Korea, The reason for the surge of patients]. March 25, 2017. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016.
27. ^ "Health at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2020 - Global Tuberculosis Report 2019". OECD iLibrary. 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
28. ^ Lee, Eunyoung; Kim, Jungmee; Lee, Jin Yong; Bang, Ji Hwan (2020). "Estimation of the Number of HIV Infections and Time to Diagnosis in the Korea". Journal of Korean Medical Science. 35 (6): e41. doi:10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e41. PMC 7025911. PMID 32056401.
29. ^ South Korea country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (May 2005). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
30. ^ "Song, Y. J. (2009). The South Korean Health Care System. International Medical Community, 52(3), 206-209. doi:February 25, 2014"
31. ^ "Doctors (indicator)". OECD. 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
32. ^ Lee, J (2003). Health care reform in South Korea: Success or Failure?.93(1), 44-51. doi:March 3, 2014

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