Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
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Overview of the Burden of Diseases in North Korea

  • Lee, Yo Han (Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University) ;
  • Yoon, Seok-Jun (Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Young Ae (Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University) ;
  • Yeom, Ji Won (Korea University School of Medicine) ;
  • Oh, In-Hwan (Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyunghee University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2013.02.28
  • Accepted : 2013.04.30
  • Published : 2013.05.31
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Abstract

This article evaluates the overall current disease burden of North Korea through the recent databases of international organizations. It is notable that North Korea as a nation is exhibiting a relatively low burden from deaths and that there is greater burden from deaths caused by non-communicable diseases than from those caused by communicable diseases and malnutrition. However, the absolute magnitude of problems from communicable diseases like TB and from child malnutrition, which will increase the disease burden in the future, remains great. North Korea, which needs to handle both communicable and nutritional conditions, and non-communicable diseases, whose burden is ever more increasing in the nation, can now be understood as a country with the 'double-burden' of disease.

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