J Prev Med Public Health.  2009 Jan;42(1):5-11. 10.3961/jpmph.2009.42.1.5.

The Socioeconomic Cost of Injuries in South Korea

• Park K
• Lee JS
• Kim Y
• Kim YI
• Kim J

• KMID: 792602
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2009.42.1.5

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to estimate the socioeconomic cost of injuries in South Korea.
METHODS
We matched claims data from national health insurance, automobile insurance and industrial accident compensation insurance (IACI), and mortality data obtained from the national statistical office from 2001 to 2003 by patients' unique identifier. Socioeconomic cost included both direct cost and indirect cost: the direct cost was injury-related medical expenditure and the indirect cost included loss of productivity due to healthcare utilization and premature death.
RESULTS
The socioeconomic cost of injuries in Korea was approximately 1.9% of the GDP from 2001 to 2003. That is, 12.1 trillion KRW (Korean Won) in 2001, 12.3 trillion KRW in 2002, and 13.7 trillion KRW in 2003. In 2003, direct medical costs were 24.6% (3.4 trillion KRW), the costs for loss of productivity by healthcare utilization were 13.0% (1.8 trillion KRW), and the costs for loss of productivity by premature death were 62.4% (8.6 trillion KRW).
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, the socioeconomic cost of injuries in Korea between 2001 and 2003 was estimated by using not only health insurance claims data, but also automobile insurance, IACI claims and mortality data. We conclude that social efforts are required to reduce the socioeconomic cost of injuries in Korea, which represented approximately 1.9% of the GDP for the time period specified.

Keyword

Claims data; Injury; Mortality data; Socioeco nomic cost

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Child
Child, Preschool
*Cost of Illness
Efficiency
Female
*Health Care Costs
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Inpatients
Korea
Length of Stay
Male
Middle Aged
Outpatients
Socioeconomic Factors
Wounds and Injuries/*economics/mortality