While the overall number of young people with depression fell short of the older generation, the growth rate was much faster. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of young South Koreans suffering from depression jumped nearly twofold in five years, data showed Friday.
The data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) showed some 98,400 people in their 20s were diagnosed with depression last year, compared to some 50,000 tallied in 2014.
There were close to 752,000 people with depression here last year, up 28 percent from just over 588,000 five years previously, the data showed.
This year, around 683,000 people were diagnosed with depression. Those in their 60s and 50s were the most affected, with patient numbers hitting 133,712 and 129,255, respectively.
HIRA said that while the overall number of young people with depression fell short of the older generation, the growth rate was much faster.
“For those in their 20s, the increase rate stood at 97 percent from 2014 to 2018, while comparable numbers for teens jumped 78 percent to 42,535 from 23,885,” the assessment agency said.
In line with the increase in patients, outlays for treatment shot up to over 331.9 billion won (US$281.7 million) last year vis-a-vis 223.5 billion won in 2014.
(Yonhap)
