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KMID : 0904520050170010149
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Health and Medical Sociology
2005 Volume.17 No. 1 p.149 ~ p.182
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Health and Medical Care of North Korean Defectors in South Korea
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Yoon In-Jin
Kim Sook-Ie
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Abstract
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This study examines the health condition of adult North Koran defectors living in South Korea, their use of medical service, and their satisfaction with medical service. The primary data for this study came from a survey conducted in June and July, 2004 with a sample of 313 adult North Korean defectors who are currently married or have ever married and lived in South Korea for at least six months.
The results show that North Korean defectors had been in a low state of health due to malnutrition, poor and unhealthy environment, defective medical system, etc., in North Korea, and that they have been faced with physical and mental health problems caused by their suffering from anxiety, obsession, and severe physical labor during their stay in China and other third counties after defecting from North Korea. The level of their subjective evaluation of health condition is lower than that of South Koreans and their rate of illness is higher than that of South Koreans.
Their most frequently suffered illness are arthritis, peptic ulcer, heart diseases, neurasthenia, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, tuberculosis, decay of teeth, and hemorrhoids in declining order. Hernia of an intervertebral disk and after-childbirth illness are frequently mentioned among the rest. It is found that heart diseases, neurasthenia, hepatitis, and (pulmonary) ’tuberculosis are more salient among North Korean defectors compared with South Koreans. The high rate of infectious diseases like hepatitis and tuberculosis is closely related to North Korea’s social structural problems such as the breakdown of North Korean public health system, the shortage of medical supplies, and poor supply of drinking water and insanitary facilities.
Despite their low stage of health and high rate of illness, it is found that North Korean defectors in South Korea are quite content with the medical service they receive. This seems to result from perceived superiority of South Korea’s medical service compared to North Korea’s poor health and medical system.
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KEYWORD
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Health, Medical Care, Medical Service, North Korean Defectors
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Listed journal information
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