Cause-specific mortality in Korea during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Epidemiology and health Vol. 44; p. e2022110
• Main Authors: Bahk, Jinwook, Jung-Choi, Kyunghee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Society of Epidemiology 23-11-2022
• Subjects: Adolescent; Cause of Death; COVID-19; Female; Humans; Male; Mortality; Pandemics; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Sepsis; Republic of Korea; COVID-19; Cause of death; Mortality
• ISSN: 2092-7193; 2092-7193
• DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2022110

This study aimed to examine the trends in total mortality between 1998 and 2020 and to compare the changes in a wide range of detailed causes of death between 2020 (i.e., during the coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19] pandemic) and the previous year in Korea.
We used registered population and mortality data for the years 1998-2020 obtained from Statistics Korea. The age-standardized all-cause mortality rate and the annual percent change between 1998 and 2020 were determined. The rate ratio and rate difference of the age-standardized mortality rate between 2019 and 2020 were calculated.
The age-standardized all-cause mortality rate in Korea has been on a downward trend since 1998, and the decline continued in 2020. In 2020, 950 people died from COVID-19, accounting for 0.3% of all deaths. Mortality decreased for most causes of death; however, the number of deaths attributed to sepsis and aspiration pneumonia increased between 2019 and 2020 for both men and women. Age-specific mortality rates decreased or remained stable between 2019 and 2020 for all age groups, except women aged 25-29. This increase was mainly attributed to a higher number of suicide deaths.
This study shed light on the issues of sepsis and aspiration pneumonia despite the successful response to COVID-19 in Korea in 2020. Cases of death from sepsis and aspiration pneumonia should be identified and monitored. In addition, it is necessary to develop a proactive policy to address suicide among young people, especially young women.