This study aimed to analyze infant, maternal, perinatal, and fetal mortality statistics in the Republic of Korea (Korea), 2014. It was based on the open-access data available from the Statistics Korea website (http://kostat.go.kr/portal/eng/index.action). Recent trends in these vital statistics were also examined. The results of this study constitute a descriptive presentation and analysis of the national data. The number of infant deaths was 1,305 out of 435,435 live births in 2014, and the infant mortality rate was 3.0. The number of maternal deaths was 48. The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births was 11.0. The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 women of child-bearing age (15 to 49 years old) was 0.37. The number of perinatal deaths was 1,365, and the perinatal mortality rate was 3.1. The number of fetal deaths was 5,317. The fetal mortality rate was 12.1. The trends in those vital statistics in recent years were consistent except for a few findings, including a decrease in the maternal mortality ratio of pregnant women 40 years old and older and a change in the proportions of the causes of infant death, with a decrease in mortality due to neonatal respiratory distress and an increase in mortality due to bacterial sepsis. Although these vital statistics were generally consistent, some aspects varied by year. Pregnant women less than 20 years old should be monitored more intensively for their babies' health. Our findings can serve as basic data supporting the establishment of health policies by the Korean government.
Cause of Death ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Mortality ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Infant Death ; Infant Mortality ; Infant* ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Maternal Death ; Maternal Mortality ; Mortality ; Perinatal Death ; Perinatal Mortality* ; Pregnant Women ; Republic of Korea* ; Sepsis ; Vital Statistics

PURPOSE: Of numerous health status indicators, those of neonate and peripartum encompass nation's maternal, birth, neonatal and infantile health level. The goal of this study was to investigate the changes during the past 50 years of neonatal and perinatal indicators in Korea. METHODS: We analyzed the changes of population, number of live births per year, crude birth rate (CBR), total fertility rate (TFR), incidence of low birth weight infant (LBWI) and preterm infants, neonatal mortality rate (NMR), infant mortality rate (IMR), perinatal mortality rate (PMR), and maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of Korea, and especially compared those indicators of Korea with those of other OECD nations during the past 50 years. RESULTS: Korea has accomplished a marked improvement in the above indicators during the past 50 years. The average index of OECD and Korean rank among 34 OECD nations in the above health indicators in 2010 are as follows: population 49,410,370 (36,285,235, 9th), CBR 9.4 (12.1, 4th), TFR 1.23 (1.75, 1st), LBWI incidence 5.0 (6.8, 6th), NMR 1.8 (2.9, 8th), IMR 3.2 (4.3, 10th), PMR 3.3 (6.0, 4th), MMR 15.7 (8.7, 29th). CONCLUSION: Birth rate of Korea was very low among OECD nations with relatively low LBWI incidence. It is inspiring that NR, IMR, and PMR were lower than the average. However, MMR was very higher than the average of OECD. The present review provides the neonatal and perinatal health indicators in Korea and it might be helpful to improve clinical practice and outcome in the future.
Birth Rate ; Epidemiology ; Health Status ; Health Status Indicators ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Maternal Mortality ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Perinatal Mortality ; Peripartum Period ; Republic of Korea* ; Vital Statistics*

OBJECTIVES: Child mortality remains a critical problem even in developed countries due to low fertility. To plan effective interventions, investigation into the trends and causes of child mortality is necessary. Therefore, we analyzed these trends and causes of child deaths over the last 30 years in Korea. METHODS: Causes of death data were obtained from a nationwide vital registration managed by the Korean Statistical Information Service. The mortality rate among all children aged between one and four years and the causes of deaths were reviewed. Data from 1983-2012 and 1993-2012 were analyzed separately because the proportion of unspecified causes of death during 1983-1992 varied substantially from that during 1993-2012. RESULTS: The child (1-4 years) mortality rates substantially decreased during the past three decades. The trend analysis revealed that all the five major causes of death (infectious, neoplastic, neurologic, congenital, and external origins) have decreased significantly. However, the sex ratio of child mortality (boys to girls) slightly increased during the last 30 years. External causes of death remain the most frequent origin of child mortality, and the proportion of mortality due to child assault has significantly increased (from 1.02 in 1983 to 1.38 in 2012). CONCLUSIONS: In Korea, the major causes and rate of child mortality have changed and the sex ratio of child mortality has slightly increased since the early 1980s. Child mortality, especially due to preventable causes, requires public health intervention.
Cause of Death ; Child Mortality/*trends ; Child, Preschool ; Communicable Diseases/mortality ; Databases, Factual ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Neoplasms/mortality ; Nervous System Diseases/mortality ; Republic of Korea ; Sex Ratio ; Vital Statistics

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we focused on estimating the burden of premature death in Korea caused by smoking using the YLL (years of life lost due to premature death) measurement. METHODS: First, we determined parameters: such as age-specific standard life expectancy, age on death, sex, and cause of death by analyzing the national death certificate data and life table collected during 1997. These were provided by the National Statistical Office. Secondly, we estimated the age group- specific years of life lost due to premature death by employing the standard expected years of life lost (SEYLL) measurement. Thirdly, the burden of premature death caused by smoking was estimated using the YLLs measurement which was developed by the global burden of disease study group. Fourthly, We calculated the risk related to smoking using the population attributable risk. RESULTS: The following results were obtained in this study:1) Premature death that is attributable to smoking in males could be prevented in 60.9% (513,582 person-year) by non-smoking.2) The burden of premature death by smoking for female was prevented to 17.7% (513,582 person-year) by non-smoking. CONCLUSION: We found that the YLL method employed in this study was appropriate in quantifying the burden of premature death. This provides a rational basis for planning a national health policy regarding premature deaths caused by smoking and other related risk factors.
Cause of Death ; Death Certificates ; Female ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Expectancy ; Life Tables ; Male ; Mortality, Premature* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the burden of diseases in Korea especially caused by major cancers using the YLL(years of life lost due to premature death) measurement. METHODS: First, we determined the parameters: such as age-specific standard life expectancy, age on death, sex, cause of death by analyzing the national death certificate data and life table collected during 1996 provided by the National Statistical Office. Secondly, we estimated the age group-specific YLL by employing standard expected years of life lost(SEYLL). Thirdly, final burden of disease due to premature death was estimated by using YLLs measurement which developed by global burden of disease study group. RESULTS: The burden of premature death by cancer for male was attributed mainly to liver cancer(514.5 person-year), stomach cancer(436.4 person-year), and lung cancer(367.7 person-year). Each of these cancers was responsible for the loss of over 100 person-year based on our YLL measurement. The burden of premature death by cancer for female was attributed mainly to liver cancer(135.1 person-year), stomach cancer(252.1 person-year), and lung cancer(121.8 person-year). Each of these cancers was responsible for the loss of over 100 person year based on our YLL measurement. CONCLUSION: We found the YLL method employed in this study was appropriate to quantify the burden of premature death. Thereby, it would provide a rational bases to plan a national health policy regarding premature death caused by cancer.
Cause of Death ; Death Certificates ; Female ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Expectancy ; Life Tables ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Mortality, Premature* ; Stomach

PURPOSE: In Korea before 1996, the perinatal mortality rates (PMRs) were reported by individual studies, but the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare started official reports of PMRs from 1996, and Statistics Korea provides the annual official data since 2007. The present study observed the decreasing trends of PMR and compared the PMRs between OECD nations. Thereby, we surveyed the terminology of PMR and the international trends in the usage of the calculation methods and intended to provide uniformity in calculating PMR in Korea. Also, the authors speculated some perinatal problems to be improved in the future in order to decrease PMR further. METHODS: Data before 1996 were gathered from individual reports, and after 1996 were utilized from Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Statistics Korea. Data of OECD nations were analyzed from OECD Health Data 2010. The changes in annual PMR of Korea was reviewed, which is helpful to recognize the current state of Korea, and was compared to that of OECD nations. RESULTS: During the past 50 years, the PMRs of Korea were remarkably improved (PMRs: 60 in 1960s, 35 in 1970s, 30 in 1980s, approximately, respectively). The official PMR values of Korea are as following: 6.0 in 1996, 5.2 in 1999, 4.6 in 2002, 4.2 in 2005, 3.6 in 2006, 3.7 in 2007, 3.6 in 2008, and 3.4 in 2009. The decreasing pattern of the annual PMR value was observed and the most recent value reflected the excellent situation in PMR compared to other OECD nations. CONCLUSION: Accordingly, we could observe the encouraging levels of PMR in Korea. We speculate that following efforts should be accompanied to achieve further improvement in PMR, such as improvements in neonatal and maternity transfer system, establishment in perinatal care centers, and establishment in perinatal research network system in Korea.
Epidemiologic Methods ; Korea ; Perinatal Care ; Perinatal Mortality ; Public Health ; Vital Statistics

Neonatal mortality rate (NMR) or infant mortality rate (IMR) are the rate of deaths per 1,000 live births at which babies of either less than four weeks or of one year of age die, respectively. The NMR and IMR are commonly accepted as a measure of the general health and wellbeing of a population. Korea's NMR and IMR fell significantly between 1993 and 2009 from 6.6 and 9.9 to 1.7 and 3.2, respectively. Common causes of infantile death in 2008 had decreased compared with those in 1996 such as other disorders originating in the perinatal period, congenital malformation of the heart, bacterial sepsis of newborns, disorders related to length of gestation and fetal growth, intra-uterine hypoxia, birth asphyxia. However, some other causes are on the increase, such as respiratory distress of newborn, other respiratory conditions originating in the perinatal period, other congenital malformation, diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism. In this study, we provide basic data about changes of NMR and IMR and the causes of neonatal and infantile death from 1983 to 2009 in Korea.
Anoxia ; Asphyxia ; Cause of Death ; Fetal Development ; Heart ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Sepsis ; Vital Statistics

Neonatal mortality rate (NMR) or infant mortality rate (IMR) are the rate of deaths per 1,000 live births at which babies of either less than four weeks or of one year of age die, respectively. The NMR and IMR are commonly accepted as a measure of the general health and wellbeing of a population. Korea's NMR and IMR fell significantly between 1993 and 2009 from 6.6 and 9.9 to 1.7 and 3.2, respectively. Common causes of infantile death in 2008 had decreased compared with those in 1996 such as other disorders originating in the perinatal period, congenital malformation of the heart, bacterial sepsis of newborns, disorders related to length of gestation and fetal growth, intra-uterine hypoxia, birth asphyxia. However, some other causes are on the increase, such as respiratory distress of newborn, other respiratory conditions originating in the perinatal period, other congenital malformation, diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism. In this study, we provide basic data about changes of NMR and IMR and the causes of neonatal and infantile death from 1983 to 2009 in Korea.
Anoxia ; Asphyxia ; Cause of Death ; Fetal Development ; Heart ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Sepsis ; Vital Statistics

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of the registered cause of death in a county and its related factors. METHODS: The data used in this study was based on 504 cases, in a county of Chonnam province, registered between January and December 1998. Study subjects consisted of 388 of the 504 cases, and their causes of death were established by an interview survey of the next of kin or neighbor and medical record surveys. We compared the registered cause of death with the confirmed cause of death, determined by surveys and medical records, and evaluated the factors associated with the accuracy of the registered cause of death. RESULTS: 62.6% of the deaths were concordant with 19 Chapters classification of cause of death. external causes of mortality, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, neoplasms and diseases of the circulatory system showed the good agreement between the registered cause of death and the confirmed cause of death. The factors relating to the accuracy of the registered cause of death were the doctors' diagnosis for the cause of death (adjusted Odds Ratio: 2.67, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.21-5.89) and the grade of the public officials in charge of the death registry (adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.30, 95% CI= 0.12-0.78). CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy of the registered cause of death was not high. It could be improved by using the doctors' diagnosis for death and improving the job specification for public officials who deal with death registration.
Cause of Death* ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Jeollanam-do ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases ; Odds Ratio ; Vital Statistics

OBJECTIVETo describe geographical distribution and its transition of mortality of cancers in China.

METHODSThe information of 2 513 949 310 person years were collected in 1973-1975 and 142 660 482 person years in 2004-2005 respectively. Being standardizing the death rates of these two survey with 2000 national census population, the changes of mortality of main cancers was observed and the geographic distribution of cancers in 2004-2005 was analyzed.

RESULTSA total of 1 865 445 cancer deaths were collected in 1973-1975, the standardized death rate was 99.61/100 000, and 193 839 cancer deaths were collected in 2004-2005, the standardized death rate was 123.72/100 000, with growth of 24.20%. District mortality analysis showed that the provincial standardized cancer death rates varied greatly, with the highest in Heilongjiang (7443 cases, 183.34/100 000), and the lowest in Yunnan (2454 cases, 61.03/100 000). The highest standardized death rate of esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, leukemia, female breast cancer, cervical cancer was in Henan (3535 cases, 32.95/100 000), Gansu (1333 cases, 59.35/100 000), Heilongjiang (1640 cases, 38.63/100 000), Shanghai (390 cases, 11.58/100 000), Heilongjiang (2382 cases, 60.15/100 000), Hainan (36 cases, 7.04/100 000), Tianjin (161 cases, 5.45/100 000), Heilongjiang (179 cases, 8.09/100 000), Xinjiang (131 cases, 10.69/100 000) respectively; the lowest standardized cancer death rate of above-mentioned cancers was in Yunnan (63 cases, 1.59/100 000), Beijing (235 cases, 5.95/100 000), Tianjin (454 cases, 10.86/100 000), Tibet (3 cases, 0.82/100 000), Tibet (12 cases, 3.29/100 000), Qinghai (0 case, 0.00/100 000), Tibet (1 cases, 0.28/100 000), Tibet (6 cases, 2.88/100 000), Chongqing (27 cases, 1.02/100 000) respectively.

CONCLUSIONComparing the two surveys, the standardized mortality of cancers was increased. Most of cancers occurred obviously in cluster by geographical distribution.

Cause of Death ; China ; epidemiology ; Demography ; Female ; Geography ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Vital Statistics