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02 Chronic Disease Management
Research & Development

Chronic disease management research & development has commenced to develop disease prevention and management technologies in preparation for an aging population. The purpose of the research & development activities is to manage dementia, respiratory allergic diseases, and chronic diseases such as cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Introduction

  • Chronic disease management research & development has commenced to develop disease prevention and management technologies in preparation for an aging population. The purpose of the research & development activities is to manage dementia, respiratory allergic diseases, and chronic diseases such as cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Background

  • Growing burden due to continuous increase of chronic diseases
    • Deaths from chronic diseases (noninfectious diseases) accounts for 81% of total deaths
    • Seven out of 10 causes of death are chronic diseases
    • Medical expenses for noninfectious diseases amount to 3.8 billion won, accounting for 80% of total medical expenses
  • Burden of chronic diseases is expected to grow due to an aging population
    • Population aged 65 and over: 12.7% in 2014 → 25% in 2030
    • Medical costs for the elderly topped 1.8 billion won, accounting for 35.5% of total medical costs.

Overview

  • Investigation and analysis on the risk factors of chronic diseases
  • Development of the illness index of chronic diseases and securement of a foundation for treatment technologies

Details

  • Research on cardiovascular diseases
    With a rapidly aging population, the incidence of chronic diseases and socioeconomic burden are growing in Korea. Through our research & development activities for chronic disease management, we have been conducting a follow-up study on the population of the elderly in urban and rural areas and producing evidential data for prevention and management of diseases from which many aged people are suffering including cardiovascular diseases. In addition, we have been conducting a forward-looking follow-up study on patients with heart failure and acute heart failure in order to product evidential data for secondary prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases. We aim to contribute to the establishment of policies for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases through various research activities.
  • Research on diabetes and obesity
    As a result of a survey conducted by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), about 415million people were found to have diabetes in 2015 and that number is expected to increase to 642million in 2040. In Korea, it was found that about 13.7% of the adult population have diabetes (National Health & Nutrition Survey, 2014). Moreover, we have been operating the childhood obesity and metabolic disease cohort and the extremely overweight cohort, developing prevention and management indexes based on clinical/epidemiologic data, and analyzing interventional management indexes. Through various research activities, we are trying to prevent diseases in the early stages, using early diagnosis factors of obesity, diabetes, and complications. In order to contribute to preventing and managing diabetes and obesity in a suitable way for Korean people, we have been establishing a foundation for translational and clinical researches and producing scientific data for the prevention of metabolic diseases by developing target substances preventing such diseases and using clinical and genetic information.
  • Research on dementia (Example)
    As the life expectancy is globally increasing, many countries are suffering from the growing incidence of dementia. Currently about 35 million people worldwide are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease which is one of the most common types of dementia. The number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to reach 100 million in 2050. As of 2015, Korea has 650,000 patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and its socioeconomic costs are about 12 billion won. The risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease are attributed to genetic and environmental factors and lifestyles and its causes are known to be accumulated amyloid beta and phosphorylation of tau protein. Through research & development activities on chronic disease management, we are trying to contribute to healthy aging by developing new tools for early diagnosis, prevention, and management of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Research on respiratory and allergic diseases
    The incidence of chronic respiratory and allergic diseases such as asthma and COPD is steadily growing at home and abroad and the socioeconomic costs for such diseases are significantly increasing. As chronic respiratory and allergic diseases occur due to a variety of factors including environmental, genetic, and immunologic factors, such diseases are difficult to be diagnosed and cured and degrade the quality of life. The diseases are a huge issue in public health. To resolve this issue, we have been studying the aspects and properties of chronic respiratory and allergic diseases, developing biomarkers, and conducting research on preventive and interventional technology. Through various research, we contribute to national research and establishment of policies by producing scientific data required for disease prevention and management.

Figure. Division of Cardiovascular and Rare Diseases

Governance

  • Risk factor (Diagnosis)
  • Prevention/ Diagnosis algorithm (Prevention)
  • Predictive Screening (Prevention)
  • Diagnosis treatmet (Treatment)

Intervention Research

  • Development of the repeutical technique
  • Biomarker
  • Risk factors

Biomedical informatics

  • Analytical tools
  • Semantic Integration
  • Information Standard
  • Data access/management

Epidemiological

  • Longitudinal prospective Alzheimer’s disease cohort studies

Clinical application

  • Clinical criteria for diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
  • Standardization of mental state examination
  • Dementia patient cohort
Dementia network to Preventing dementia and improving diagnosis
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