Abstract
Background: This study was conducted to determine the scale and the nature of the economic burden caused by strokes
and to use the results as an evidential source for determining the allocation of South Korea stroke cases in 2015.
Methods: For research subjects, the study analyzed demographic characteristics and economic burden based on data
from national health insurance (NHI) claims for inpatient and outpatient cases of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic
stroke in 2015 through the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) and statistical data regarding
cause of death from the Korea National Statistical Office (KNSO). This study, in order to estimate economic burden
due to stroke, deduced the direct and indirect costs of illness caused by stroke, using cost-of-illness (COI) methods. The
economic burden is divided into direct and indirect costs, and indirect cost is estimated by summing lost productivity
measured in opportunity cost lost by medical disposition due to a specific disease and lost productivity due to premature
death.
Results: The total economic burden in Korea due to stroke was US$6.855 billion, that due to ischemic stroke was
US$3.658 billion, and that due to hemorrhagic stroke was US$3.197 billion. The average economic burden per stroke
case was about US$7247.
Conclusion: The results of estimating the annual economic burden in all of Korea due to stroke will be used as an
evidential source for preparing medical insurance policies, priorities, and plans for arranging medical resources for
stroke as well as for determining effective prevention of the disease and related priorities in national health care policies.