Recent Trends and Patterns of Mortality in Korea

Abstract

Korea continues to experience rapid demographic transition and population aging. This study examines mortality trends and patterns between 1985-1995. Various death rates and ratios are calculated using death registration data. Mortality trends are analyzed by regression analysis, and life tables are constructed. Major findings are as follows: (1) The primary causes of mortality reduction were declines in infectious disease, circulatory disease, and respiratory disease; (2) The relative reduction of mortality was greater for females than males under 70 years of age, but the reverse is observed for people of 70 years and over; (3) Among all age groups, mortality reductions were greatest among children aged 5-9 years; (4) The leading cause of death for those under 40 was traffic accidents. Liver disease was the leading cause of death for those in their 40's, and cerbrovascular diseases were most important for those 50 years of age and over; (5) The major causes of increased death rates for both sexes were cancers (especially lung and large intestine cancer), diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, mental and behavioral disorders, traffic accidents, suicide, and homicide; and (6) Major causes increasing sex differentials in mortality were tuberculosis, cancers (esophagus, large intestine, and liver), liver diseases, drowning, and mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use.