Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

Original Articles

Effects of Socio-demographic Factors on the Decreasing Trend in the Sex Ratio at Birth in Korea, 1997-2017: Jisuk Bae; J Prev Med Public Health. 2020;53(5):371-380. Published online August 7, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.20.282

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Objectives
This study investigated the effects of socio-demographic factors on the decreasing trend in the sex ratio at birth from 1997 to 2017 in Korea.
Methods
Data from 10 349 602 live births registered with Statistics Korea from 1997 to 2017 were analyzed. The secondary sex ratio (SSR), defined as the ratio of male to female live births, during the study period (1997-1999 [phase I], 2000-2002 [phase II], 2003-2005 [phase III], 2006-2008 [phase IV], 2009-2011 [phase V], 2012-2014 [phase VI], and 2015-2017 [phase VII]) was calculated according to selected socio-demographic factors, such as parental age, education, occupation, and birth order. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for a male birth after adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
The SSR gradually decreased from 1.10 (in 1998-2000 and 2002) to 1.05 (in 2013-2016). While a decreasing trend in the SSR was not noted among first births, male-biased sex ratios were prominent among third and higher-order births, for which the highest SSR was 1.46 in 1998. Higher birth order was significantly associated with an excess of male births in phases I-VI (≥third vs. first, OR range, 1.03 to 1.35). Advanced maternal age was significantly associated with an excess of female births in phases II, III, and V (≥40 vs. 20-24 years, OR range, 0.92 to 0.95).
Conclusions
This study demonstrated that advanced maternal age and reduction of the artificially-biased SSR among third and higher-order births may partially explain the decreasing trend in the SSR from 1997 to 2017 in Korea.; Summary

Causes of Child Mortality (1 to 4 Years of Age) From 1983 to 2012 in the Republic of Korea: National Vital Data: Seung Ah Choe, Sung-Il Cho; J Prev Med Public Health. 2014;47(6):336-342. Published online November 7, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.14.024

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Objectives
Child mortality remains a critical problem even in developed countries due to low fertility. To plan effective interventions, investigation into the trends and causes of child mortality is necessary. Therefore, we analyzed these trends and causes of child deaths over the last 30 years in Korea.
Methods
Causes of death data were obtained from a nationwide vital registration managed by the Korean Statistical Information Service. The mortality rate among all children aged between one and four years and the causes of deaths were reviewed. Data from 1983-2012 and 1993-2012 were analyzed separately because the proportion of unspecified causes of death during 1983-1992 varied substantially from that during 1993-2012.
Results
The child (1-4 years) mortality rates substantially decreased during the past three decades. The trend analysis revealed that all the five major causes of death (infectious, neoplastic, neurologic, congenital, and external origins) have decreased significantly. However, the sex ratio of child mortality (boys to girls) slightly increased during the last 30 years. External causes of death remain the most frequent origin of child mortality, and the proportion of mortality due to child assault has significantly increased (from 1.02 in 1983 to 1.38 in 2012).
Conclusions
In Korea, the major causes and rate of child mortality have changed and the sex ratio of child mortality has slightly increased since the early 1980s. Child mortality, especially due to preventable causes, requires public health intervention.

Summary

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Child mortality of twins and singletons among late preterm and term birth: a study of national linked birth and under-five mortality data of Korea
Young Shin Kim, Minku Kang, Young June Choe, Joohon Sung, Ji Yeon Lee, Seung-Ah Choe
European Journal of Pediatrics.2022; 181(5): 2109. CrossRef

English Abstract

Trends in Sex Ratio at Birth according to Parental Social Positions: Results from Vital Statistics Birth, 1981-2004 in Korea.: Heeran Chun, Il Ho Kim, Young Ho Khang; J Prev Med Public Health. 2009;42(2):143-150.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2009.42.2.143

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Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
South Korea has experienced unprecedented ups and downs in the sex ratio at birth (SRB), which has been a unique phenomenon in the last two decades. However, little is known about socioeconomic factors that influence the SRB. Employing the diffusion theory by Rogers, this study was undertaken to examine the trends in social variations in the SRB from 1981 to 2004 in Korea. METHODS: The data was taken from Vital Birth Statistics for the period from 1981-2004. We computed the annual male proportion of live births according to the parental education (university, middle/high school, primary) and occupation (non-manual, manual, others). Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the odds ratios of male birth according to social position for the equidistant three time periods (1981-1984, 1991-1994, and 2001-2004). RESULTS: An increased SRB was detected among parents with higher social position before the mid 1980s. Since then, however, a greater SRB was found for the less educated and manual jobholders. The inverse social gradient for the SRB was most prominent in early 1990s, but the gap has narrowed since the late 1990s. The mother's socioeconomic position could be a sensitive indicator of the social variations in the sex ratio at birth. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the relationship of parental social position with the SRB were detected during the 1980-2004 in Korea. This Korean experience may well be explained by diffusion theory, suggesting there have been socioeconomic differences in the adoption and spread of sex-detection technology.

Summary

Citations

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Asian Population Studies.2022; 18(2): 169. CrossRef
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Matthias Schief, Sonja Vogt, Charles Efferson
Demography.2021; 58(5): 1737. CrossRef
Son Preference and Fertility Decisions: Evidence From Spatiotemporal Variation in Korea
Seik Kim, Sam-Ho Lee
Demography.2020; 57(3): 927. CrossRef
Effects of Socio-demographic Factors on the Decreasing Trend in the Sex Ratio at Birth in Korea, 1997-2017
Jisuk Bae
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.2020; 53(5): 371. CrossRef
Does the Mother or Father Determine the Offspring Sex Ratio? Investigating the Relationship between Maternal Digit Ratio and Offspring Sex Ratio
Tae Beom Kim, Jin Kyu Oh, Kwang Taek Kim, Sang Jin Yoon, Soo Woong Kim, Martin Voracek
PLOS ONE.2015; 10(11): e0143054. CrossRef
La masculinisation des naissances. État des lieux et des connaissances
Christophe Z. Guilmoto
Population.2015; Vol. 70(2): 201. CrossRef
Socioeconomic inequalities in health status in Korea
Kyunghee Jung-Choi, Yu-Mi Kim
Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2013; 56(3): 167. CrossRef
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Development and Change.2011; 42(5): 1269. CrossRef
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Population and Development Review.2009; 35(3): 519. CrossRef

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