Burden Of Disease From Climate-Related Health Effects In Korea

Abstract

Background: The authors evaluated the health impacts of climate change in Korea using disability-adjusted life years (DALY) and direct and indirect cost of health impact for the current and coming future based on the available data and evidence. Subjects and methods: We developed a theoretical model of health effects of climate change based on the literature and previous studies, both domestic and international, which was reviewed by expert committee to develop a model that fits Korean context. Burden of disease was assessed using the same principle as used by GBD2010 developed by IHME, based on the available data sources of health and population including National Health Insurance dataset, national mortality statistics, national population survey, surveillance data of notifiable infectious diseases, disaster statistics, and climate dataset from Korean Meteorological Agency. Future health effects were estimated for the year 2020, 2030, and 2050 for each future climate scenario of Representative Concentration Pathways for Korea. Results: Among the health effects from climate change, burden of disease from heat wave including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and heat-related diseases occupied 67.3%. Deaths and illnesses from climate extremes such as typhoon and flooding from heavy rain took 15.3% and 14.8% of total burden of disease, respectively, while burden of disease from respiratory diseases related with air quality and infectious diseases were small in proportion. Overall, 80.6% of burden of disease was responsible from premature deaths from the effect of climate change, mostly from death due to heat wave and climate extremes. Most of the health effects are expected to increase in the year from 2020 to 2050, and the highest amount of increase was from cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: It is expected that this study will provide a scientific basis for the policy making and planning to mitigate and adapt to climate change in Korea.