Cause-of-death statistics in 2020 in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

Background: This study analyzed the causes of death in the Korean population in 2020.Methods: Cause-of-death data for 2020 from Statistics Korea were examined based on the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases and Causes of Death, 7th revision and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision.Results: In total, 304,948 deaths occurred, reflecting an increase of 9,838 (3.3%) from 2019. The crude death rate (the number of deaths per 100,000 people) was 593.9, corresponding to an increase of 19.0 (3.3%) from 2019. The 10 leading causes of death, in descending order, were malignant neoplasms, heart diseases, pneumonia, cerebrovascular diseases, intentional self-harm, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer disease, liver diseases, hypertensive diseases, and sepsis. Cancer accounted for 27.0% of deaths. Within the category of malignant neoplasms, the top 5 leading organs of involvement were the lung, liver, colon, stomach, and pancreas. Sepsis was included in the 10 leading causes of death for the first time. Mortality due to pneumonia decreased to 43.3 (per 100,000 people) from 45.1 in 2019. The number of deaths due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was 950, of which 54.5% were in people aged 80 or older.Conclusion: These changes reflect the continuing increase in deaths due to diseases of old age, including sepsis. The decrease in deaths due to pneumonia may have been due to protective measures against SARS-CoV-2. With the concomitant decrease in fertility, 2020 became the first year in which Korea’s natural total population decreased.

Cardiovascular, Neurological, and Immunological Adverse Events and the 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine

“…Globally, pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of mortality in older adults, resulting in approximately 2.5 million deaths annually . Consequently, intensive management strategies are becoming increasingly important for public health, which has lead to increased immunization policies for prevention of pneumonia.…”

“…Globally, pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of mortality in older adults, resulting in approximately 2.5 million deaths annually. 1 , 2 Consequently, intensive management strategies are becoming increasingly important for public health, which has lead to increased immunization policies for prevention of pneumonia. According to the current recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, all older adults should receive 1 dose of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23).…”

Estimation of the Three Phases by Direct Cost of Care for Non-surviving Patients with Cancer: A National Population-based Patient-level Study

“…The relative survival rates of patients with cancer between 2016 and 2020 were 71.5% for 5 years and 67.5% for 10 years, and are continuously improving. However, cancer is still the number one cause of death in Korea in 2020, and the death rate is 160.1 per 100,000 people 5 .…”

Comparison of complications between laparoscopic and open gastrectomies for early gastric cancer by a nationwide propensity score-matched cohort study

“…Although the mortality rate of gastric cancer has been declining, there is currently no difference in the mortality ranking among organs affected by malignant neoplasms, including the stomach, worldwide 1 – 4 . Gastric cancer is one of the five leading malignant neoplasms in South Korea 3 , 5 . Nevertheless, its incidence can be reduced by various active efforts, such as smoking cessation, alcohol abstinence, low sodium intake, body weight control, and Helicobacter pylori eradication 3 , 6 – 13 .…”

“…Gastric cancer is one of the five leading malignant neoplasms in South Korea 3 , 5 . Nevertheless, its incidence can be reduced by various active efforts, such as smoking cessation, alcohol abstinence, low sodium intake, body weight control, and Helicobacter pylori eradication 3 , 6 – 13 . If gastric cancer occurs despite efforts to prevent it, the prognosis after treatment can be favorable if gastric cancer is detected early 4 .…”