Factors associated with metabolic syndrome and related medical costs by the scale of enterprise in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS) and to analyze the relationship between the risk factors of MS and medical cost of major diseases related to MS in Korean workers, according to the scale of the enterprise.


METHODS
Data was obtained from annual physical examinations, health insurance qualification and premiums, and health insurance benefits of 4,094,217 male and female workers who underwent medical examinations provided by the National Health Insurance Corporation in 2009. Logistic regression analyses were used to the identify risk factors of MS and multiple regression was used to find factors associated with medical expenditures due to major diseases related to MS.


RESULTS
The study found that low-income workers were more likely to work in small-scale enterprises. The prevalence rate of MS in males and females, respectively, was 17.2% and 9.4% in small-scale enterprises, 15.9% and 8.9% in medium-scale enterprises, and 15.9% and 5.5% in large-scale enterprises. The risks of MS increased with age, lower income status, and smoking in small-scale enterprise workers. The medical costs increased in workers with old age and past smoking history. There was also a gender difference in the pattern of medical expenditures related to MS.


CONCLUSIONS
Health promotion programs to manage metabolic syndrome should be developed to focus on workers who smoke, drink, and do little exercise in small scale enterprises.
Hyung-Sik
HS
Kong
Address: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Banpodae-ro 222, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea. leekangs@catholic.ac.kr.
Kang-Sook
KS
Lee
Eun-Shil
ES
Yim
Seon-Young
SY
Lee
Hyun-Young
HY
Cho
Bin Na
BN
Lee
Jee Young
JY
Park