Changes in mortality after the recent economic crisis in South Korea.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the changes in all cause mortality and cause-specific mortality after the economic crisis in South Korea.


METHODS
Monthly mortality data for an entire country was used and intervention analysis applied to compare mortality after the crisis with mortality which would have occurred if the trends before the crisis had continued.


RESULTS
All cause mortality began to increase about 1 year after the crisis, while cardiovascular increased immediately. Transport accidents decreased significantly during the year following the crisis and then regressed towards the pre-economic crisis level. Suicides increased rapidly and maintained an upward trend but subsequently reduced towards the pre-economic crisis level.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown an evidence of a relationship between economic crisis and mortality.
Kim
Hanjoong
H
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Song
Young Jong
YJ
Yi
Jee Jeon
JJ
Chung
Woo Jin
WJ
Nam
Chung Mo
CM
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D017059:Models, Econometric; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends