J Korean Med Sci.  2012 May;27(Suppl):S33-S40. 10.3346/jkms.2012.27.S.S33.

Health Inequalities Policy in Korea: Current Status and Future Challenges

• Khang YH
• Lee SI

• KMID: 1714486
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2012.27.S.S33

Abstract

In recent years, health inequalities have become an important public health concern and the subject of both research and policy attention in Korea. Government reports, as well as many epidemiological studies, have provided evidence that a wide range of health outcomes and health-related behaviors are socioeconomically patterned, and that the magnitude of health inequalities is even increasing. However, except for the revised Health Plan 2010 targets for health equity, few government policies have explicitly addressed health inequalities. Although a number of economic and social policies may have had an impact on health inequalities, such impact has scarcely been evaluated. In this review, we describe the current status of research and policy on health inequalities in Korea. We also suggest future challenges of approaches and policies to reduce health inequalities and highlight the active and intensive engagement of many policy sectors and good evidence for interventions that will make meaningful reduction of health inequalities possible.

Keyword

Economic Recession; Educational Status; Epidemiologic Studies; Health Policy; Income; Korea; Occupations; Poverty; Social Policy; Socioeconomic Factors

MeSH Terms

*Health Policy
Health Status
Humans
Republic of Korea
Socioeconomic Factors

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Trends in (A) Gini coefficient for disposable income and (B) prevalence of relative poverty (less than 50% of median disposable income) in Korea, 1990-2010. Source: Statistics Korea, Korean Statistical Information Service.

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  Fig. 2 Differences in infant mortality rates by mother's education and farmland size (1 Pyeong = 3.3 square meter) in 1955-1959 (14,325 live births and 1,187 infant deaths). Source: Adapted from reference 11.

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  Fig. 3 Mortality differentials (measured by adjusted relative risks) according to education, occupational class, and equivalized household income: Mortality follow-up of 1998 and 2001 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Source: Adapted from reference 15.

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  Fig. 4 Trends in the number of publications on health inequalities in Korea: Search results in Pubmed with MESH terms being "socioeconomic factors" and "Korea".

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  Fig. 5 A framework for prioritizing health problems, taking into account changes in health status and health inequalities.

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