Study Finds Major Health Disparities for South Koreans With Disabilities

Empty wheelchairs are lined up in front of a hospital in Seoul on Feb. 12, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)

SEOUL, March 13 (Korea Bizwire) — People with disabilities in South Korea face significantly higher rates of dementia and other health challenges compared to the general population, according to a comprehensive health statistics report released by the National Rehabilitation Center on March 12.

The study, which examined 86 health indicators among 2.65 million registered people with disabilities, revealed that the prevalence of dementia is 7.3 times higher among people with disabilities (13.8%) compared to those without disabilities (1.9%).

Mental health conditions also showed marked disparities. People with disabilities experienced higher rates of depression (12.8%) and anxiety disorders (13.9%) compared to the general population (4.9% and 6.2% respectively).

The report highlighted concerning gaps in preventive care. Only 63.5% of people with disabilities received general health screenings in 2022, compared to 75.5% of the general population. The disparity was even more pronounced among those with severe disabilities, where the screening rate dropped to 52%.

Cancer screenings and dental checkups showed similar patterns. The cancer screening rate for people with disabilities was 45.5%, significantly lower than the general population’s 57.7%. Dental checkups showed an even wider gap, with only 17.9% of people with disabilities receiving them compared to 26.7% of the general population.

When people with disabilities did receive health screenings, the results were concerning. Only 18.3% received “normal” health assessments, compared to 41.6% of the general population. Half of those screened (50.4%) were diagnosed with health conditions, nearly double the rate of the general population (25.4%).

Chronic conditions were particularly prevalent. Hypertension affected 50.5% of people with disabilities, compared to 20.4% of the general population, while diabetes rates were 29.2% versus 11.6%.

The healthcare utilization data revealed stark differences in medical needs. People with disabilities averaged 20.6 days of hospitalization annually, nearly ten times higher than the general population’s 2.1 days. They also recorded twice as many outpatient visits (35 days versus 17.8 days).

The financial implications are significant. While people with disabilities comprise 5.2% of South Korea’s population, they accounted for 15.9% of total national healthcare expenses in 2022, amounting to 18.45 trillion won out of the national total of 116.19 trillion won. Per capita annual medical expenses for people with disabilities averaged 7.19 million won, 3.8 times higher than the general population’s 1.90 million won.

The mortality rate among people with disabilities was 5.3 times higher than the general population, with respiratory disabilities showing the highest mortality rate, followed by kidney-related disabilities and brain lesions.

These findings will be presented at the 2025 Disability Health Statistics Conference at the National Rehabilitation Center’s Narae Hall on March 13.

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)