The Socioeconomic Cost of Injuries in South Korea.
10.3961/jpmph.2009.42.1.5
- Author:
Kunhee PARK
1
;
Jin Seok LEE
;
Yoon KIM
;
Yong Ik KIM
;
Jaiyong KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Comparative Study ; English Abstract ; Evaluation Studies
- Keywords:
Claims data;
Injury;
Mortality data;
Socioeco nomic cost
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Child;
Child, Preschool;
*Cost of Illness;
Efficiency;
Female;
*Health Care Costs;
Humans;
Infant;
Infant, Newborn;
Inpatients;
Korea;
Length of Stay;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Outpatients;
Socioeconomic Factors;
Wounds and Injuries/*economics/mortality
- From:Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
2009;42(1):5-11
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to estimate the socioeconomic cost of injuries in South Korea. METHODS: We matched claims data from national health insurance, automobile insurance and industrial accident compensation insurance (IACI), and mortality data obtained from the national statistical office from 2001 to 2003 by patients' unique identifier. Socioeconomic cost included both direct cost and indirect cost: the direct cost was injury-related medical expenditure and the indirect cost included loss of productivity due to healthcare utilization and premature death. RESULTS: The socioeconomic cost of injuries in Korea was approximately 1.9% of the GDP from 2001 to 2003. That is, 12.1 trillion KRW (Korean Won) in 2001, 12.3 trillion KRW in 2002, and 13.7 trillion KRW in 2003. In 2003, direct medical costs were 24.6% (3.4 trillion KRW), the costs for loss of productivity by healthcare utilization were 13.0% (1.8 trillion KRW), and the costs for loss of productivity by premature death were 62.4% (8.6 trillion KRW). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the socioeconomic cost of injuries in Korea between 2001 and 2003 was estimated by using not only health insurance claims data, but also automobile insurance, IACI claims and mortality data. We conclude that social efforts are required to reduce the socioeconomic cost of injuries in Korea, which represented approximately 1.9% of the GDP for the time period specified.
