Individuals with disabilities experience signs of aging significantly earlier than their non-disabled counterparts. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent study has shed light on a concerning trend: individuals with disabilities experience signs of aging significantly earlier than their non-disabled counterparts, often by more than a decade.
The research points out that people in their 20s with disabilities exhibit rates of hypertension, sarcopenia, and other age-related conditions similar to those in their 30s without disabilities, indicating an accelerated life cycle.
The prevalence of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes among disabled individuals is 2.5 times higher than in the non-disabled population, with dementia rates soaring to more than seven times higher.
In response to these findings, the National Rehabilitation Center announced it will host a conference on February 29 to delve into the aging of the disabled, to discuss in-depth analysis and potential improvement strategies.
According to government data, in 2021, one in every two disabled individuals suffered from hypertension, and one in four had diabetes. The hypertension prevalence among the disabled was 50.2%, significantly higher than the 20.2% in the non-disabled group. Similarly, the diabetes rate was 28.6% among the disabled, compared to 11.4% among the non-disabled.
The stark contrast was also evident in the prevalence of dementia, a mental and age-related condition, which was 13.7% among the disabled, 7.2 times higher than the 1.9% in the non-disabled population.
The study also suggests that the onset of aging-related diseases occurs earlier in the disabled, with a 20-year-old disabled individual’s disease prevalence rate at 38.57%, closely mirroring the 44.15% rate of a non-disabled person in their 30s.
The lead researcher, Ho Seung-hee, stated, “The analysis of diagnosis rates for aging-related diseases confirms that the life cycle of disabled individuals is approximately 10 to 15 years ahead of those without disabilities.”
The study also revealed that disabled individuals visit medical institutions an average of 54.8 days per year and incur average annual medical expenses of 6.9 million won, dramatically higher than those without disabilities.
These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted health interventions and support systems to address the accelerated aging and higher healthcare demands within the disabled community.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
