By Kim Bo-eun
The number of outpatients receiving treatment for dementia has increased by eightfold over the past 11 years — an indication of the fast aging population, a report showed Sunday.
The number of dementia patients has grown faster than the rate for other senile diseases. According to the report by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, those aged 65 and over who received treatment for dementia as outpatients increased from an average of 8.2 per 100,000 in 1999 to 66.4 in 2010.
“Checkups and treatment as well as measures to prevent the development of senile disorders such as dementia need to be taken,” said a researcher at the institute.
The number of outpatients treated for dementia increased by 25.4 percent on average every year since 1999, making it the disease that had the highest rate of increase each year among 20 major ones.
The report also showed that the percentage of the elderly aged 65 or older among outpatients has grown from 6.8 percent in 1999 to 25.7 percent in 2010. During the same period, the percentage of the elderly in hospitals grew from 8.8 to 25.4 percent.
According to a report by Statistics Korea, 11.8 percent of Korea’s population is aged 65 or older this year. The ratio is expected to keep increasing in the decades to come. Those aged 65 or older are forecast to make up 24.3 percent of the total population in 2030 and 37.4 percent in 2050, the report showed.
As the population continues to age, the number of elderly patients seeking medical services is expected to rise.
“The elderly seek medical services for chronic illnesses as well as various accidents, and their use of medical services rises sharply starting at the age of 75,” said the researcher.
“Policies that seek to reduce the elderly’s excessive dependence on medical services, through encouraging regular exercise and healthy diets, are necessary.”
The rising susceptibility to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cerebral infarctions caused an increase in medical expenses.
The overall expense was about 3 trillion won in 2011, a three-fold rise from 1.08 trillion won five years earlier.
The number of patients with senile diseases will continue to rise along with the growing number of senior citizens in the country, experts say.
“In order to reduce the frequency and save medical expenses, it’s crucial to recognize symptoms in advance to delay the progress of the illness,” the researcher said.