Regional inequalities in excess mortality and its community determinants during the early Covid-19 pandemic in South Korea
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11180101 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Eunah Kim (0000-0003-2087-4648, Seoul National University Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)), Woojoo Lee (0000-0001-7447-7045, Department of Public Health Science, Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)), Sung-Il Cho (0000-0003-4085-1494, Seoul National University Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of), corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 78 |
| Issue | 10 |
| Pages | 654-660 |
| Publication date | 2024-10-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0143-005X • E-ISSN: 1470-2738 |
| Publisher | BMJ (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1136/jech-2023-221763 |
| PMID | 38955462 |
| OpenAlex | W4400234888 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
BACKGROUND: Excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic provides a comprehensive measure of disease burden, and its local variation highlights regional health inequalities. We investigated local excess mortality in 2020 and its determinants at the community level. METHODS: We collected data from 250 districts in South Korea, including monthly all-cause mortality for 2015-2020 and community characteristics from 2019. Excess mortality rate was defined as the difference between observed and expected mortality rates. A Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model was applied to predict the expected rates for each district. Penalized regression methods were used to derive relevant community predictors of excess mortality based on the elastic net. RESULTS: In 2020, South Korea exhibited significant variation in excess mortality rates across 250 districts, ranging from no excess deaths in 46 districts to more than 100 excess deaths per 100 000 residents in 30 districts. Economic status or the number of medical centres in the community did not correlate with excess mortality rates. The risk was higher in ageing, remote communities with limited cultural and sports infrastructure, a higher density of welfare facilities, and a higher prevalence of hypertension. Physical distancing policies and active social engagement in voluntary activities protected from excess mortality. CONCLUSION: Substantial regional disparities in excess mortality existed within South Korea during the early stages of COVID-19 pandemic. Weaker segments of the community were more vulnerable. Local governments should refine their preparedness for future novel infectious disease outbreaks, considering community circumstances
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Disease · Environmental health · Excess mortality · Geography · Inequality · Infectious disease (medical specialty) · Mortality rate · Outbreak · Pandemic · Preparedness · Social distance · Socioeconomics · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · COVID-19 epidemiological studies · Demography · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine
Contribution of risk factors to excess mortality in isolated and lonely individuals
Excess mortality
Excess deaths associated with covid-19 pandemic in 2020
Effect of socioeconomic inequalities and vulnerabilities on health-system preparedness and response to Covid-19 in Brazil
Estimating excess mortality due to the Covid-19 pandemic
The WHO estimates of excess mortality associated with the Covid-19 pandemic
Covid-19 and the consequences of isolating the elderly
High excess mortality in areas with young and socially vulnerable populations during the Covid-19 outbreak in Stockholm Region, Sweden
Making Democracy Work
Excess mortality during the Coronavirus disease pandemic in Korea
The Covid-19 pandemic and health inequalities
Social capital, income inequality, and mortality
The Impact of the Built Environment on Health
Social capital and disaster preparedness among low income Mexican Americans in a disaster prone area
| Highly cited | No |
|---|