As we enter an aging society, the causes of death among Koreans are also changing. Dementia, which was not one of the top 10 causes of death in the past, entered the rankings, and pneumonia was also established as one of the leading causes of death.
The National Statistical Office announced the results of analysis of the major causes of death in South Koreans in 2021.
◆ The number one cause of death in immobility, cancer
According to Statistics Korea, the top 10 causes of death in 2021 are cancer, heart disease, pneumonia, cerebrovascular disease, suicide, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, liver disease, sepsis, and hypertension.
Cancer has been the number one cause of death for 40 years since the National Statistical Office investigated the cause of death. Cancer mortality is steadily increasing every year. Last year, about one in four Koreans died from cancer.
When broken down by gender, it was found that men’s cancer mortality rate was 1.6 times higher than that of women. For women, about 123 per 100,000 people died from cancer, compared to 199 for men per 100,000 people.
The second and third leading causes of death after cancer are heart disease and pneumonia. Both diseases have risen significantly from the ranking of causes of death 10 years ago (3rd and 6th respectively). Pneumonia deaths are particularly common among the elderly with weakened immune systems.
Cancer, heart disease and pneumonia accounted for 43.1% of all deaths. Although this is a 1.7% decrease from the previous year, it is still the leading cause of death among Koreans.
◆ Dementia enters the top 10 cause of death
The biggest difference in the cause of death for Koreans from 10 years ago is that ‘Alzheimer’s disease dementia’ was classified as one of the main causes of death. This is related to the increase in the proportion of elderly dementia patients.
The causes of teenage deaths for men and women were also found to be different.
For men, chronic lower respiratory tract disease (8th) and transportation accidents (9th) were among the top 10 causes of death, whereas for women, unlike men, hypertensive disease (8th) and Corona 19 (10th) were on the list. went up
The causes of death also differed according to age. Intentional self-harm is the number one cause of death among teenagers and 30s. It was ranked higher than cancer.
The second leading cause of death among people in their 20s was transportation accidents. Among the causes of disease, the most common cause of death among teenagers and 30s was followed by cancer, heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease.
◆ Early detection through regular checkups is key
Cancer, which accounts for the highest proportion of deaths, can significantly reduce mortality if detected early. It is recommended to have an endoscopy every 5 years for colorectal cancer and 1 to 2 years for stomach cancer.
In the case of pneumonia, which is common in elderly patients, early confirmation with X-rays or lung CT can provide appropriate treatment. Diabetes can be confirmed through regular blood sugar tests. After all, early detection of the cause of death and early treatment are the most important factors in maintaining a healthy life for a long time.[End_Mark