Measuring the Burden of Disease in Korea Using Disability-Adjusted Life Years (2008-2020)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Policy

Background:

• Population health monitoring is crucial for evidence-based policy decisions.
• Understanding disease burden trends informs public health strategies.
• This study analyzes Korean disease burden from 2008-2020 for population-level insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the overall disease burden in Korea in 2020.
• To analyze changes in disease burden from 2008 to 2020.
• To identify disease burden variations across demographic and geographic subgroups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Korean National Burden of Disease and Injuries Study methodology.
• Calculated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by sex, cause, region, and income.
• DALYs were computed by summing years of life lost and years lived with disability.

Main Results:

• In 2020, Korea's disease burden was 25,439 DALYs per 100,000 population, a 13.8% increase since 2008.
• Leading causes of DALYs included diabetes mellitus, low back pain, and ischemic stroke.
• A sex-specific gap reversal occurred in 2017, with male disease burden exceeding female; regional and income disparities were also noted.

Conclusions:

• Urgent need for health policies addressing rising disease burdens and high-burden subgroups.
• Findings provide a foundation for healthcare policy development in Korea.
• The study aims to improve Korean health levels and promote health equity.