Blood sugar test (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — A new study has revealed significant regional disparities in access to diabetic care across South Korea, with some Seoul districts having nearly six times better accessibility than rural areas, as the number of people with diabetes continues to rise amid an aging population.
According to research published in the recent issue of Health and Social Welfare Review by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, residents in Seoul’s Seongdong and Gangnam districts have 5.8 times better access to diabetic care facilities than those in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province. The study also identified about 25 townships and districts where residents have no access to medical facilities within a 30-minute drive.
The study, led by professor Kim Chang-yup of Seoul National University, analyzed National Health Insurance Service claims data from 2015 to 2019 to quantify available medical services per 1,000 people with diabetes across different regions.
The national average spatial accessibility score was 13.92, meaning there were approximately 14 healthcare professionals available within a 30-minute travel time per 1,000 diabetics. However, this figure varied significantly by region.
Among the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces, Daejeon (18.39), Seoul (18.01), and Gwangju (17.86) scored above average, while Gangwon (10.37), North Gyeongsang (10.66), South Jeolla (11.86), and South Gyeongsang (12.15) fell below the national average.
Similar disparities were observed in primary care accessibility, with Seoul (16.45), Daejeon (16.04), and Daegu (14.39) showing significantly better access than North Gyeongsang (9.02), Gangwon (9.16), and South Jeolla (9.82).
The gap became even more pronounced at the district level. In 2019, Seoul’s Seongdong district (22.54), Gangnam district (22.48), and Seocho district (21.08) showed the highest accessibility scores, while Hoengseong County in Gangwon Province (3.86), Cheongsong County in North Gyeongsang (4.04), and Hwasun County in South Jeolla (4.08) recorded the lowest.
The study identified approximately 25 townships and districts, primarily in Gangwon Province (11 areas) and North Gyeongsang Province (6.8 areas), where people with diabetes had no access to medical services within a 30-minute drive.
Moreover, regions with lower overall accessibility tended to show greater internal disparities in access to care.
“We have empirically confirmed that regional disparities in accessibility exist not only in emergency and severe medical care but also in outpatient care for chronic disease management,” the researchers noted.
They emphasized that consistent treatment and management of diabetes requires easily accessible medical facilities and recommended a more balanced distribution of healthcare resources to reduce inequalities.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
