• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.293-299
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• 2013

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of epilepsy and to estimate the cost of epilepsy in Korea, 2010. Methods: This study used a prevalence based approach to calculate the cost of epilepsy. Claims data from the Korean national health insurance and data from the Korea health panel, the Korea National Statistical Office's records of causes of death, and labor statistics were used to estimate the cost of epilepsy. Patients were defined as those who were hospitalized or visited an outpatient clinic during 2010 with a diagnosis of epilepsy (International Classification of Diseases 10th revision codes G40-G41). Total costs of epilepsy included direct medical costs, direct non-medical cost and indirect costs. Results: The annual prevalence of treated epilepsy was 228 per 100 000 population, and higher in men. The age-specific prevalence was highest for teenagers. The total economic burden of epilepsy was 536 billion Korean won (KW). Indirect cost (304 billion KW) was 1.3 times greater than direct cost (232 billion KW). By gender, the male (347 billion KW) were more burdened than the female (189 billion KW). The estimated cost in young age younger than 20 years old was 24.5% of the total burden of epilepsy. Conclusions: A significant portion of the economic burden of epilepsy is borne by people in young age. To reduce the economic burden of epilepsy, effective prevention and treatment strategies are needed.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.45-55
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• 1989

In recent years the life expectancy of the Korean people has been increasing appreciably because of the improvement in living conditions and public health facilities as well. However, there exist considerable constraints in the measurement of Korea's mortality rate. In elaboration, there are quite a few persons who do not submit birth and death reports, thereby lowering the reliability of statistical data. The 1978-1979 life table of the Korean people is still considered the latest one. Nevertheless, a decade has passed since its publication, and the need for a better life table reflecting realities is inc-reasingly growing. Capitalizing on the annual report of demographic statistics and demographic sample survey data m 1988, I have worked out the 1986 tentative life table of the Korean people and found out the following : 1. The male life expectancy in the 1978-1979 life table of the Korean people is 62.7 years old, and that of the female sex is 69.1 years old whereas the average life expectancy of the male sex in the 1986 life table stands at 66.3 years old, and that of the female sex is 74.5 years old. The average life expectancy is up by 3.5 years old for the male sex and also, up 5.4 years old for the female sex, res-pe ctively. 2. A gap between the male and female life expectancies in the 1978-1979 life table was 6.4 years old, while that of the 1986 life table was 8.2 years old. It means the female life expectancy has increased substantially. 3. The infant mortality rate has decreased, compared with the 1978-1979 level, yet it is still above those of Japan and Taiwan. 4. The mortality rate of the middle - aged men in the forties remains high, as was the case in the 1978-1979 period.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.131-142
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• 1999

By using the Korean demographic data and the modified relative risk projection model given in the Committee on the Biological Effect of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) report-V under the U.S. National Academy of Science, the radiogenic excess risk in Korean population has been evaluated. On the basis of this risk, a safety goal for the safe operation of domestic nuclear power plants has been further derived in terms of personal dose. The baseline risk of death due to all causes in Korea and the trivial risk level, which the society considers safe, were estimated to be $5.2{\times}10^{-3}$ and $5.2{\times}10^{-6}$, respectively. The radiogenic excess cancer risk in Korea has been estimated to be $5.2{\times}10^{-3}$ for tie case of acute exposure to 0.1 Gy and $3.7{\times}10^{-3}$ for the case of chronic lifetime exposure to 1.0 mGy/y. On the basis of these risks estimate, the resulting safety goal for one year opeation of a reactor was 0.05 mSv, which is quite identical with the ALARA guideline prescribed by the USNRC in the Appendix I, 10CFR50.