Dementia-related death statistics in Korea between 2013 and 2023

This study aimed to analyze dementia-related death statistics in Korea between 2013 and 2023.

The analysis utilized microdata from Statistics Korea's cause-of-death statistics. Among all recorded deaths, those related to dementia were extracted and analyzed using the underlying cause-of-death codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision.

The number of dementia-related deaths increased from 8,688 in 2013 to 14,402 in 2023. The crude death rate rose from 17.2 per 100,000 in 2013 to 28.2 per 100,000 in 2023, although the age-standardized death rate declined from 9.7 to 8.7 over the same period. The dementia death rate is 2.1 times higher in women than in men, and mortality among individuals aged 85 and older exceeds 976 per 100,000. By specific cause, Alzheimer's disease accounted for 77.1% of all dementia deaths, and by place, the majority occurred in hospitals (76.2%), followed by residential institutions including nursing homes (15.3%) in 2023.

The rising mortality associated with dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease, highlights a growing public health concern in Korea. These findings support the need for enhanced prevention efforts, improved quality of care, and targeted policies addressing the complexities of dementia management. It is anticipated that this empirical analysis will contribute to reducing the social burden.