The Relationship Between Economic Status and Mortality of South Koreans, as It Relates to Average Life Expectancy. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Ji Man; Jo, Yong-Sim; Park, Eun-Cheol; Cho, Woo-Hyun; Choi, Jongwon; Chang, Hoo-Sun
• Is Part Of: Asia-Pacific journal of public health. Volume 27:Number 2(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: NP2443
• Page End: NP2457
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: economic status -- average life expectancy -- mortality -- socioeconomic inequality -- Korea; Public health -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Public health -- Asia -- Periodicals; 362.1095
• DOI: 10.1177/1010539512466569
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1010-5395

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between economic status and mortality of Korean men and women who were under and over the average national life expectancy using Cox's proportional hazard model to adjust for health status, past medical history, and age. The study subjects come from local applicants of Korean National Health Insurance who had a health examination in 2005. They were enrolled into a follow-up investigation from 2005 to 2011. In individuals younger than the average life expectancy, the mortality of the lowest economic status was 2.48 times higher in men and 2.02 times higher in women than that in the highest economic status. Economic status–mortality association in males older than the average life expectancy was attenuated but not eliminated. However, there is no significant relationship between economic status and mortality for females above the average life expectancy.