Disease-Specific Mortality and Prevalence Trends in Korea, 2002–2015

Abstract

Background: Evaluation of mortality and prevalence trends is important for health planning and priority decision-making in health policy. This study was performed to examine diseasespecific mortality and prevalence trends for diseases in Korea from 2002 to 2015. Methods: In this study, 206 mutually exclusive diseases and injuries were classified into 21 cause clusters, which were divided into three cause groups: 1) communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions; 2) non-communicable diseases (NCDs); and 3) injuries. Cause specific trends for age-standardized mortality and prevalence rates were analyzed by the joinpoint regression method. Results: Between 2002 and 2015, the age-standardized mortality declined to about 177 per 100,000 population, while the age-standardized prevalence rate increased to approximately 68,065 per 100,000 population. Among the 21 cause clusters, most of the disease mortality rates showed decreasing trends. However, neurological disorders, self-harm, and interpersonal violence included periods during which the mortality rates increased in 2002-2015. In addition, the trends for prevalence rates of human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome, tuberculosis, transport injuries, and self-harm, and interpersonal violence differed from the overall prevalence rates. The annual percent change in prevalence rates for transport injuries increased during 2004-2007, and then decreased. The self-harm and interpersonal violence prevalence rates decreased from 2004 to 2014. Conclusion: Between 2002 and 2015, overall decreasing trends in the mortality rate and increasing trends in the prevalence rate were observed for all causes in Korea. Especially, NCDs represented an important part of the increasing trends in Korea. For clusters of diseases with unusual trends, proper management must be considered.

Impact of nationwide hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance on the prognosis in patients with chronic liver disease

“…Statistics Korea annually reports the cause of death statistics, and a previous study reported the accuracy of the cause of death to be 92%. 28 Thus, this nationwide population-based study was conducted using data from a representative sample of a large number of enrolled patients in an area where HCC incidence rates are high. Furthermore, this study had a long follow-up period (up to 14 years) to evaluate the study outcomes.…”

“…Furthermore, this cohort contained the date and the cause of death, which were determined using the national database for cause of death produced by Statistics Korea. Statistics Korea annually reports the cause of death statistics, and a previous study reported the accuracy of the cause of death to be 92% [ 28 ]. Thus, this nationwide population-based study was conducted using data from a representative sample of a large number of enrolled patients in an area where HCC incidence rates are high.…”

The Korea Cohort Consortium: The Future of Pooling Cohort Studies

“…The trends in ASRs were summarized as annual percent changes (APCs) [ 7 ]. With the APC approach, the case rates were assumed to change annually at a constant percentage.…”

“…With the APC approach, the case rates were assumed to change annually at a constant percentage. The average annual percent change (AAPC), a measure of trends over a pre-specified fixed interval, was calculated by summarizing the trend over the time period as a weighted average of the APCs [ 7 ]. All-cause-specific trends for age-standardized mortality and prevalence rates were analyzed using the joinpoint regression method with the Joinpoint Regression Program version 4.9.1 (Statistical Research and Applications Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA).…”

Comparison of Suicide Risk by Mental Illness: a Retrospective Review of 14-Year Electronic Medical Records

“…13 Suicide is the fourth most common cause of death in Korea, 14 and deaths through self-harm have increased from 2002 to 2015. 15 Evidence suggests that suicide in Korea is closely related to mental illness. 16 17 18 According to nationwide statistics on the causes of suicide in 2018, 19 31.6% of suicide deaths were caused by psychiatric problems.…”