Understanding the Rapid Increase in Life Expectancy in South Korea.

• Autores: Seungmi Yang, Young-Ho Khang, Sam Harper, George Davey Smith, David A. Leon, John Lynch
• Localización: American journal of public health, ISSN 0090-0036, Vol. 100, Nº. 5, 2010, págs. 896-903
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Objectives. We assessed life expectancy increases in the past several decades in South Korea by age and specific causes of death. Methods. We applied Arriaga's decomposition method to life table data (1970- 2005) and mortality statistics (1983-2005) to estimate age-and cause-specific contributions to changes in life expectancy. Results. Reductions in infant mortality made the largest age-group contribution to the life expectancy increase. Reductions in cardiovascular diseases (particularly stroke and hypertensive diseases) contributed most to longer life expectancy between 1983 and 2005 (30% in males and 28% in females). Lower rates of stomach cancer, liver disease, tuberculosis, and external-cause mortality accounted for 30% of the male and 20% of the female increase in longevity. However, higher mortality from ischemic heart disease, lung and bronchial cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, diabetes, and suicide offset gains by 10% in both genders. Conclusions. Rapid increases in life expectancy in South Korea were mostly achieved by reductions in infant mortality and in diseases related to infections and blood pressure. (Am J Public Health. 2010;100:896-903. doi:10.2105/AJPH. 2009.160341) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]