title: Measuring the Environmental Burden of Disease in South Korea: A Population-Based Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study attempted to measure the environmental burden of disease by examining mortality and disability rates in South Korea, permitting international comparisons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) was used to analyze data from public records. Years of life lost (YLL) and years lost to disability (YLD) were measured in terms of incidence rate and number of deaths. Attributable risks were based on those for WHO Western Pacific Regions. For air pollution, attributable risk was calculated using local PM10 levels and relative risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total Korean environmental burden of disease was 17.98 per 1000 persons and the most serious risk factor was air pollution, at 6.89 per 1000 persons. Occupation was the second highest contributing factor, at 3.29 per 1000 persons, followed by indoor air pollution at 2.91 per 1000 persons. The DALY of air-pollution (indoor and outdoor) was 9.80 per 1000 persons, accounting for more than half of the total environmental burden of disease. The burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and asthma were 4.07, 3.16, and 1.96 per 1000 persons, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respiratory illnesses comprised most of the disease burden, the majority of which was linked to air pollution. The present results are important as they could be used to make evidence-based decisions regarding the management of diseases and environmental-risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 136-705, Korea. yoonsj02@korea.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seok-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, KonKuk University, Seoul 143-729, Korea. mubul@kku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyeong-Su
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 339-007, Korea. jsha@jei.re.kr.
authors.forename: Jongsik
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Economic Research Institute, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea. 99340004@korea.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004782:Environmental Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: DALY; environmental burden of disease; environmental disease; environmental risk factors