Burden of Disease Attributable to Smoking in Korea

Smoking is one of the major health threats and is highly prevalent in Korea. This study quantifies the burden of disease (BOD) resulting from smoking by using the most reliable national statistics of Korea. We followed Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2013 methodology for estimating BOD attributable to smoking. Population attributable fraction was calculated for all diseases and multiplied by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to obtain BOD by each disease. Total burden of smoking in Korea was 1 368 072 DALYs (38 per 1000); 68% of the disease burden was in males and 32% in females. The highest percentage of burden was a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in both genders. BOD was highest in the 70- to 74-year-old age group. Smoking burden is substantial in Korea, especially among the elderly population. Tailored health plans for each gender and age should be formulated, and smoking-related burden should be continuously monitored to evaluate the extent of hazard and create priority settings.