Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia are major age-related neurodegenerative disorders imposing a growing public health burden in aging societies such as Korea, yet long-term national evidence on incidence and sociodemographic disparities remains limited. We conducted a nationwide population-based study using the National Health Insurance Service database from 2003 to 2023. Age-standardized and age-specific incidence rates were calculated, and temporal changes were assessed using joinpoint segmented regression with policy-relevant breakpoints. PD incidence declined modestly but significantly from 16.6 in 2003 to 11.4 per 100,000 person-years in 2023 (AAPC: −2.1, 95% CI: −2.7, −1.5). In contrast, dementia incidence increased sharply from 41.9 to 171.6 per 100,000 person-years between 2003 and 2012, followed by a sustained decline after 2018 to 112.7 in 2023; however, the overall trend showed a significant increase (AAPC: 5.2, 95% CI: 3.7, 6.5). Incidence of both conditions peaked among individuals in their 70s and 80s. Dementia disproportionately affected women, rural residents, and medical aid recipients. Age-related declines in disease-free survival were greater for dementia, with the lowest survival observed among medical aid recipients and rural residents. These findings indicate an uneven population-level burden of neurodegenerative diseases and the need for equitable health system strategies amid ongoing population aging.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Korean Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment (grant no. B0080120004996) and Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (grant no. RS-2025–02183090). The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, data collection, data analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
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Acharya, S.R., Kim, S.Y., Koo, M.J. et al. Longitudinal changes in national incidence of Parkinson’s disease and dementia in Korea: insights from the national health insurance database, 2003–2023. npj Parkinsons Dis. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-026-01395-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-026-01395-8
