Changes in Health Behaviors among Adults: A Look through the Korean Health Panel Survey 2010~2018

Abstract

Health behavior is a key determinant of health. Unlike other health determinants, including genetic and environmental factors, health behaviors are modifiable at the individual level in a way to prevent chronic ailments and promote health. The Korean Health Panel Survey, ongoing since 2008 to explore health care use and a diverse array of factors that affect health care use, has produced its First Phase (2008~2018) data from a sample of 8,000 households drawn from the 2005 Census. An additional 2,500 households were added to the sample in 2012 to secure its representativeness and to make up for attrition. This study describes the 9-year longitudinal tracking (2010~2018) of trends in the health behaviors of adults aged 18 and older (4,353 women and 3,364 men) and discusses what implications it has for policy.