Correlation of Income Instability With 12 Non-Communicable Disease Risks in Korea: A Prospective Cohort Study
Jaehyeong Cho1,2, Yejun Son1,3, Soeun Kim1,3
1Center for Digital Health, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Journal of Korean Medical Science
|August 5, 2025
Summary
Income instability, especially decreases, significantly increases the risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Financial fluctuations are linked to poorer health outcomes, highlighting the need for public health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Limited longitudinal research exists on long-term income volatility's health impacts.
- Previous studies focused on income levels, not fluctuations.
- This study addresses the gap by examining income instability and physical health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between income volatility and various physical health conditions.
- To analyze the impact of income instability using a large longitudinal dataset.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) Ansan-Anseong cohort (2001-2022).
- Calculated income volatility as intra-individual standard deviation of income changes.
- Employed Cox proportional hazards model to assess risk for 12 non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Main Results:
- Analyzed 9,185 participants (mean age 52.21).
- Medium and high income volatility correlated with increased disease risk (HR 1.14 and 1.09, respectively).
- Income decreases showed the highest risk (HR 1.61).
- Significant correlations found between income volatility and hypertension, MI, CAD, cerebrovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, gout, gastric disease, renal disease, arthritis, allergic disease, and asthma.
Conclusions:
- Income volatility, particularly decreases, is significantly linked to higher risks of chronic NCDs in South Korea.
- Findings emphasize the need for interventions to reduce financial instability for improved public health.
- Addressing socioeconomic factors is crucial for mitigating chronic disease burdens.
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