[KSCI] Korea Science Citation Index Service

Mortality Patterns among Korean Vietnam Veterans 베트남 참전군인의 사망양상

Yi, Sang-Wook (Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Kwandong University)
Ohrr, Hee-Choul (Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University)

Publication Information

Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine / v.23, no.3, 2011 , pp. 279-286 More about this Journal

Abstract

Objectives: A total of 320,000 Korean soldiers in three combat units and four supporting units participated in the Vietnam War. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between Vietnam experience and mortality by comparing mortalities in Korean Vietnam War veterans to the general population. Methods: The deaths of 185,760 Vietnam veterans from January 1, 1992 to December 31, 2005 were confirmed by matching the veterans' information to death records from the National Statistical Office. Crude death rate, age adjusted rate and Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated 95% confidence. Age was standardized to the total male population during 1992-2005 with the age of 36 to 83 years old. Results: The age adjusted death rate per 100,000 was 868.1 among veterans and 1226.5 among the general population. Mortality of all causes was significantly lower among veterans (SMR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.82-0.84). Mortalities from neoplasms (SMR=0.87), circulatory diseases (SMR=0.79), and external causes of deaths (SMR=0.92) were significantly lower among veterans. Mortalities from several external causes of deaths including Intentional self-harm (X60-X84), assault and accidental poisoning, angina pectoris, chronic ischemic heart diseases, prostate cancer, and malignant neoplasms of hematopoietic system including multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and leukemia were not different between veterans and the general population. Conclusions: Mortality among Vietnam veterans was lower than that among the general population. It would be explained mainly by healthy veteran effect.

목적: 우리나라 베트남 참전군인의 사망률을 같은 연령대의 우리나라 남자전체인구 사망률과 비교하여 베트남참전이 참전군인의 사망에 미치는 영향을 살펴본다. 이를 통하여 고엽제노출이 사망에 미치는 영향을 간접적으로 살펴본다. 방법: 185,760명의 베트남 참전군인에 대해 1992년 1월 1일부터 2005년 12월 31일까지 사망여부를 추적하였다. 사망추적은 통계청의 사망통계자료를 이용하였다. 사망원인 분류는 통계청의 일반사망 19개 장 분류와 요약분류 103개 항목을 기본으로 하였다. 참전군인의 보통사망률과 연령조정사망률, 표준화사망비와 사망비의 95% 신뢰구간을 구하였다. 1992-2005년 우리나라 36-83세 남자인구를 표준인구로 하였다. 결과: 참전군인의 사망의 모든원인의 보통사망률은 10만명당 780.2명, 연령조정사망률은 868.1명이었다. 1992-2005년간 우리나라 36-83세군의 보통사망률은 1226.5명이었다. 사망의 모든 원인 사망률은 전체인구보다 유의하게 낮았다(SMR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.82-0.84). 신생물(SMR=0.87), 순환계통질환(SMR=0.79), 사망의외인(SMR=0.92)도 사망률이 전체인구보다 유의하게 낮았다. 참전군인의 사망건수가 많아 통계적 검정력이 있는 사망원인 중에서 자살, 사고성중독, 피살 등 일부 사망의 외인과 다발성골수종, 백혈병, 비호지킨림프종 등 조혈계신생물, 전립샘암, 협심증, 만성허혈심장질환 등에서 참전군인과 일반인구 사망률에 차이가 없었다. 결론: 참전군인의 사망률은 일반인구보다 낮았고, 이는 건강제대군인효과(Healthy veteran effect)으로 설명 할 수 있다. 건강제대군인효과를 고려할때, 사망건수가 많으면서 참전군인과 일반인간에 차이가 없는 사망원인들이 고엽제 또는 베트남 참전과 관련이 있을 가능성이 있다. 90%의 참전군인들이 생존해 있으므로, 계속적인 사망추적조사가 필요할 것이다.

Keywords

Mortality; Cause of death; Veterans; Vietnam; War; Korean;

Citations & Related Records

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