Characteristics of Heat wave Mortality in Korea

Analysis of the cause of death (Statistics Korea) showed that heat wave caused 442 deaths (21 per a year) from 1991 to 2011 in Korea. The number of summer heat-related deaths (heat disorders) increased exponentially as heat wave prolonged. In 1994 when the extreme heat wave prevailed, there were 92 heat-related deaths. Seasonally, heat-related deaths occurred most frequently in early August when air temperature is highest for a year, but it is frequent as well in late July when air temperature increases rapidly after withdrawal of Changma. The frequency of deaths by age has begun to increase from 40s and more than half of total deaths were occurred in the elderly (>= 60). Except retired elderly, the most vulnerable group (job and age) was the elderly agricultural workers and the next was the jobless people in 40 s similar to 50 s, assumed as homeless people. The most vulnerable regions were Hapcheon-gun, Uiryong-gun, and Sanchen-gun, which are inland rural area in Gyeongsang-do where the heat wave occurs most frequently in Korea. The heat-related death rate increased rapidly when air temperature exceeded 33 degrees C in both of the urban and rural area. Interestingly, the heat-related death were observed in the relatively lower temperature in the cities (29 degrees C), as compare to the rural area (31 degrees C).