Despite improvements in nutritional status, iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remains a debilitating nutritional problem worldwide. We estimate annual IDA prevalence rates by sex and age and the trends therein in Korea. We also calculate the health expenditures of IDA and its co-morbidities by analyzing claims data in the National Health Information Database from 2002 to 2013. All analyses were performed based on diagnosis codes of IDA (D50, D50.0, D50.8, and D50.9) regardless of whether IDA was the principal or a coexisting disease. Trends in IDA prevalence rates were evaluated by calculating annual percent changes (APCs) in prevalence. The health expenditures of IDA were calculated based on the direct medical costs (outpatient and hospitalization costs, pharmaceutical costs) and direct non-medical costs (travel costs). The overall IDA prevalence in both sexes increased approximately 2.3-fold from 2002 to 2013; the APC was +7.6%. In females, the prevalence of IDA was highest in aged 30-39 and 40-49 years. The APC was highest in those aged <10 years (+18.2%), followed by those aged ≥80 (+14.7%) and 70-79 (+9.8%) years. In males, the prevalence rates were highest in aged <10 years, followed by those aged ≥60 years. The APC was highest in those aged <10 years (+19.1%), followed by those aged ≥80 years (+10.5%). The total health expenditures increased 2.8-fold during 12 years. Diseases of the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract were the most prevalent co-morbidities in both males and females. The annual prevalence of IDA continues to rise in association with adverse health expenditures and co-morbidities in spite of improvements in nutritional status. Most importantly, infants and young children, the elderly, and females aged 30-49 years are at highest risk of IDA. A national, prospective, and well-organized effort to improve iron status and to manage IDA is required.
Keywords: anemia; comorbidity; epidemiology; health expenditures; iron-deficiency; malnutrition.