Korean Job Discussion Forums

Jasmine · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Hongkers!

It just occurred to me: with all the drinking and smoking, high-stress jobs, long hours, stressful marriages, etc. going on over here, we never really hear about illness in Korea. People are always talking about eating this and drinking that because it's "good for health", but you never hear people talkign about making lifestyle changes that might also be "good for health".

In North America, we're constantly bombarded with statistics about heart disease and colon cancer and what can be done to prevent this and that, but you never hear about it here.

I'm just wondering, how long does the average person live here? and what do people die of most frequently?
Sorry if it sounds morbid, but I'm quite curious. Thanks for your responses in advance.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2003 4:57 am Post subject:

There's a different nature of health problems, but they're still around. I'm pretty sure I've heard of a problem with stomach cancer. I just think the public isn't very informed about the healthiness of doing various things.

No hard facts to quote, though.

stargazer · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I've heard that the Japanese have the longest life spans. I would think that Koreans would be similar.
Stomach cancer is a problem in Korea. But,fortunately,for men,prostate cancer is rare.
Even though I've lived in Korea I don't understand the usual conversations of the people so my knowledge of them comes ,too much, from " English" sources. It would be so informative if one could listen in to all the talk.

matko · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: in a world of hurt!

Japanese live the longest.
Canadians have the second longest life span.
Somebody posted a link on these stats a while back.
Do a search and you'll find it.
Being Canadian, I'm too lazy to look for you. That's the secret to our longevity.
As for the Japanese.......must be the porn.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

You can make your own comparisons through the UN's Infonation website.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?E62121FE3

edited link. - CM

Life Expectancy, Female/Male

Canada 82/76
China 72/68
Japan 83/77
NK 75/69
SK 76/69
NZ 80/74
USA 80/73

Edit:
If the link above doesn't work, you can make your own table from scratch here-
http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/infonation/e_infonation.htm

denz · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2003 6:57 am Post subject: yesh well

it's widely known that koreans live for 7 distinct decades.

denz

MrTESL · Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Location: Canada

Here are the top 10 (and a few more) for life expectancy, as reported by US Census International Programs Center. The numbers in brackets are the average life expectancy in years.

1 Andorra 83.5
2 San Marino 81.3
3 Japan 80.9
4 Singapore 80.3
5 Australia 80.0
6 Switzerland 79.9
7 Sweden 79.8
8 Canada 79.7
9 Iceland 79.7
10 Italy 79.3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 New Zealand 78.2
23 United Kingdom 78.0
28 United States 77.4
29 Ireland 77.2
44 South Korea 74.9
190 (last) Botswana 35.3

___________________________________
http://members.rogers.com/tesl/

MrTESL · Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Location: Canada

You can also search WHO's database for the casue of death.

Forgive the long post and weird formatting (M and F are male and female, of course), but below are the WHO stats for South Korea in 2000.

It's interesting that malnutrition still claims a few deaths, and "senility" claims even more than traffic accidents. Malaria claims 6 people and HIV 28. Top killers seem to be Diseases of the circulatory system and Malignant neoplasms.

I wonder if fan death is listed under "Other external causes?"

Infectious and parasitic diseases
M
3956�
F
2243�
Typhoid and paratyphoid fever
M
3�
F
5�
Other intestinal infectious diseases
M
122�
F
141�
Tuberculosis of respiratory system
M
2318�
F
893�
Tuberculosis, other forms
M
108�
F
94�
Whooping cough
M
0�
F
0�
Meningococcal infection
M
4�
F
0�
Tetanus
M
6�
F
4�
Septicaemia
M
912�
F
800�
Other bacterial diseases
M
21�
F
20�
Measles
M
7�
F
7�
HIV disease
M
27�
F
1�
Other viral diseases
M
305�
F
202�
Malaria
M
6�
F
0�
Other arthropod-borne diseases
M
18�
F
20�
Sexually transmitted diseases
M
6�
F
4�
Other infectious and parasitic diseases
M
93�
F
52�
Malignant neoplasms
M
37175�
F
20867�
Malignant neoplasm of lip, oral cavity and pharynx
M
663�
F
393�
Malignant neoplasm of oesophagus
M
1362�
F
149�
Malignant neoplasm of stomach
M
7468�
F
4082�
Malignant neoplasm of colon
M
1264�
F
1201�
Malignant neoplasm of rectum, rectosigmoid junction and anus
M
989�
F
767�
Malignant neoplasm of liver
M
7758�
F
2360�
Malignant neoplasm of larynx
M
654�
F
109�
Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung
M
8619�
F
2987�
Malignant neoplasm of breast
M
23�
F
1150�
Malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri
F
729�
Malignant neoplasm of uterus, other and unspecified
F
588�
Malignant neoplasm of prostate
M
548�
Malignant neoplasm of bladder
M
590�
F
182�
Malignant neoplasm of other sites
M
5562�
F
5068�
Leukaemia
M
795�
F
576�
Other malignant neoplasms of lymphoid and haematopoietic and related tissue
M
880�
F
526�
Benign neoplasm, other and unspecified neoplasm
M
505�
F
473�
Diabetes mellitus
M
5370�
F
5376�
Other endocrine and metabolic diseases
M
313�
F
379�
Malnutrition
M
103�
F
122�
Other nutritional deficiencies
M
58�
F
85�
Anaemias
M
147�
F
183�
Other diseases of blood and blood-forming organs
M
75�
F
76�
Mental disorders
M
2757�
F
3675�
Meningitis
M
96�
F
64�
Multiple sclerosis
M
8�
F
16�
Epilepsy
M
259�
F
176�
Other diseases of the nervous system and sense organs
M
1191�
F
1059�
Diseases of the circulatory system
M
28402�
F
30152�
Acute rheumatic fever
M
0�
F
0�
Chronic rheumatic heart disease
M
49�
F
115�
Hypertensive disease
M
1588�
F
2650�
Acute myocardial infarction
M
4711�
F
3472�
Other ischaemic heart diseases
M
1016�
F
1020�
Diseases of pulmonary circulation and other forms of heart disease
M
3869�
F
4212�
Cerebrovascular disease
M
16569�
F
18248�
Atherosclerosis
M
97�
F
58�
Embolism, thrombosis and other diseases of arteries, arterioles and capillaries
M
363�
F
246�
Phlebitis, thrombophlebitis, venous embolism and thrombosis
M
20�
F
15�
Other diseases of the circulatory system
M
120�
F
116�
Acute upper respiratory infection
M
100�
F
139�
Acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis
M
192�
F
260�
Pneumonia
M
2209�
F
1691�
Influenza
M
72�
F
99�
Bronchitis, chronic and unspecified, emphysema and asthma
M
4423�
F
3403�
Other diseases of the respiratory system
M
2217�
F
1300�
Ulcer of stomach and duodenum
M
376�
F
338�
Appendicitis
M
11�
F
13�
Hernia of abdominal cavity and intestinal obstruction
M
173�
F
164�
Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
M
8281�
F
1827�
Other diseases of the digestive system
M
2046�
F
1672�
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis
M
1318�
F
1250�
Infections of kidney
M
16�
F
43�
Hyperplasia of prostate
M
60�
Other diseases of the genitourinary system
M
178�
F
271�
Abortion
F
1�
Haemorrhage of pregnancy and childbirth
F
12�
Toxaemia of pregnancy
F
8�
Complications of the puerperium
F
15�
Other direct obstetric causes
F
22�
Indirect obstetric causes
F
4�
Diseases of skin and subcutaneous tissue
M
141�
F
246�
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
M
605�
F
1525�
Spina bifida and hydrocephalus
M
9�
F
15�
Congenital anomalies of the circulatory system
M
265�
F
239�
Other congenital anomalies
M
207�
F
195�
Birth trauma
M
0�
F
3�
Other conditions originating in the perinatal period
M
726�
F
590�
Senility
M
8628�
F
18609�
Signs, symptoms and other ill-defined conditions
M
2785�
F
1647�
Accidents and adverse effects
M
14374�
F
5582�
Motor vehicle traffic accidents
M
8175�
F
3200�
Other transport accidents
M
610�
F
88�
Accidental poisoning
M
248�
F
156�
Accidental falls
M
1835�
F
905�
Accidents caused by fire and flames
M
387�
F
212�
Accidental drowning and submersion
M
1284�
F
350�
Accidents caused by machinery and by cutting and piercing instruments
M
121�
F
16�
Accidents caused by firearm missile
M
4�
F
0�
All other accidents, including late effects
M
1681�
F
609�
Drugs, medicaments causing adverse effects in therapeutic use
M
29�
F
46�
Suicide and self- inflicted injury
M
4491�
F
1969�
Homicide and injury purposely inflicted by other persons
M
437�
F
382�
Other external causes
M
1164�
F
475�

___________________________________
http://members.rogers.com/tesl/

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Location: Middle Land

It's interesting to note the following:

(1) More people in Korea die from suicide than from infectious diseases

(2) Only females have died from "birth trauma"

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Hey, that short Link site is pretty nifty! Thanks CM.

Howard Roark · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Location: Canada

what about electric fan death?

crusher_of_heads · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:53 pm Post subject:

NilesQ · Joined: 27 Nov 2006

Remember, these things are environmental. A Canadian moves to Korea, they are now more subject to a Korean life expectancy than a Canadian one. Japanese diet is the reason for their health. Miso soup, fish, and rice. Japanese food is very healthy and they seem to be more health concious than Koreans. Instead of the latest gimmick well being fad, they watch what they eat and eat smaller portions.

Canada and US are on a downward trend. I read something recently that said that the current generation of American kids will be the first not to exceed their parent's life expectancy.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Why are all these old threads coming back?

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

Canadians certainly have a long lifespan, but not #2 in the world.

Japanese food includes a lot of healthy things, but also a lot of crap. Tempura, lots of fried crap. High in sodium.

Koreans don't live that long because they don't have a fucking clue of what's healthy and what's not. I am guessing smoking here is a recent trend (30 or so years), on top of overdrinking, so I guess they will decline some. Plus the stress that employers give their employees, families give each other, all this unnecessary surgery, etc.