Comparative Analysis of Health Patterns and Gaps due to Environmental Influences in South Korea and North Korea, 2000–2017
- Author:
Yoorim BANG
1
;
Jongmin OH
;
Eun Mee KIM
;
Ji Hyen LEE
;
Minah KANG
;
Miju KIM
;
Seok Hyang KIM
;
Jae Jin HAN
;
Hae Soon KIM
;
Oran KWON
;
Hunjoo HA
;
Harris Hyun-soo KIM
;
Hye Won CHUNG
;
Eunshil KIM
;
Young Ju KIM
;
Yuri KIM
;
Younhee KANG
;
Eunhee HA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:The Ewha Medical Journal 2022;45(4):e14-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objectives:To conduct a comparative study of children’s health in South Korea versus North Korea focusing on air pollution.
Methods:We used annual mortality rate, prevalence, and environmental indicators data from the World Bank and World Health Organizations (WHO). Trend analysis of the two Koreas was conducted to evaluate changes in health status over time. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to find out the correlation between environmental indicators and children’s health status.
Results:We found a distinct gap in children’s health status between the two Koreas. While North Korea reported a higher death rate of children than South Korea, both showed a decreasing trend with the gap narrowing from 2000 to 2017. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increased and that of thinness decreased in both Koreas. Except PM2.5 exposure, South Korea reported higher figures in most indicators of air pollutant emissions (South Korea, mean (SD)=28.3 (2.0); North Korea, mean (SD)=36.5 (2.8), P-value=0.002).
Conclusion:This study empirically discovered the gaps and patterns of children’s health between South Korea and North Korea. North Korean children experienced more severe health outcomes than children in South Korea. These findings imply that epigenetic modification caused by environmental stressors affect children’s health in the two Koreas despite similar genetic characteristics. Considering the gaps in children’s health between the two Koreas, more attention and resources need to be directed towards North Korea because the necessary commodities and services to improve children’s health are lacking in North Korea.
