North Korean arrivals’ medical service usage in South Korea, 2015–2019

This study retrospectively reviews the medical service usage data of North Korean arrivals collected from 2015 to 2019. The purpose of this study is to understand the medical use status of North Korean arrivals and to design health policies for them. We reviewed 32,653 medical records of North Korean arrivals who visited the National Medical Center as outpatients and inpatients during a 5-year period. Among 1453 patients with an average age of 46.7 years, we found that among the treated patients, there were many women in their 40s and 50s who complained of psychiatric disorders. The most frequently visited department was psychiatry. The most frequently diagnosed disorder was unspecified depression. 88% of patients utilized Medical Care assistance type 1, which means that they are medical aid beneficiaries because they are usually in difficult economic circumstances. Medical examination and treatment fees of North Korean arrivals increased in general, and older patients paid more. Among North Korean arrivals, middle-aged women and mentally ill patients showed high medical needs. This study recommends that the government provide policy support to North Korean arrivals for professional psychiatric treatment and improvement of medical access. We also expect these results to be applied to the health problems of other refugees.