초록 열기/닫기 버튼
한국은 1945년 남과 북으로 분단된 이후 독립적인경제적 성장을 이루면서 사회 제반 시설에 차이를 보이고 있고 의료 환경에서도 예외는 아니다. 남북은 같은인종으로 유전적 조건이 유사하고, 기후 및 지리적 조건에 크게 차이가 없음에도 불구하고 건강 실태 조사에서 차이를 보이고 있다. 또한 한국은 단일민족 국가임을 강조했던 과거와는 달리 놀라운 속도로 다문화 국가의 반열에 올라서고 있다. 탈북여성 및 결혼이주여성은대부분은 낮은 사회경제적 위치에 처해 있으며 의료 취약 계층으로 분류할 수 있다. 하지만 보건 의료 시스템과 사회적 인식이 인구 구조 변화의 속도를 따라가지못하는 실정이다. 본 연구는 탈북여성 및 결혼이주여성의 건강 상태를파악하기 위한 기초 조사이다. 향후 더 많은 대상과 더욱 체계적인 연구 틀을 만들어 조사한다면 탈북여성 및결혼이주여성의 건강과 관련한 유의한 통계자료 마련과더불어 이를 바탕으로 한 효율적인 탈북여성 및 결혼이주여성의 건강 지원사업의 방향을 제시하는데 도움이될 것이다.
Purpose: This study attempts to understand the current health conditions of the North Koreanwomen defectors and the marriage immigrant women by conducting medical examinations to themin order to prepare better healthcare programs for the women. Methods: From July 2011 to February 2013, complimentary medical examinations were conductedfor eight times to the North Korean women defectors and the marriage immigrant women underthe support of International Aid Korea (IAK) and seven obstetrics and gynecology hospitals andclinics. The number of total examinee was 219 composed of 138 North Korean women defectorsand 81 marriage immigrant women. The study items included routine gynecological examinations,BMD (bone mineral density), test of hemoglobin level, hepatitis B antigen/antibody, Pap. smear,and sexually transmitted infections (syphilis, HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomonas, HPV). Results: Anemia was diagnosed for 32.8% of the North Korean women defectors and 67% of themarriage immigrant women. The hepatitis B antigen positive rate was 11.8% for the North Koreanwomen defectors and 6.7% for the marriage immigrant women while the hepatitis B antibody positiverate was 80.3% for the North Korean women defectors and 67% for the marriage immigrantwomen. In the result of BMD, 48.6% of the North Korean women defectors and 46.9% of the marriageimmigrant women had osteopenia or osteoporosis. The result of Pap smear revealed abnormalfindings of 4.1% for the North Korean women defectors and 4.3% for the marriage immigrantwomen. HPV positive rate was 29.1% for the North Korean women defectors and 22.4% for themarriage immigrant women. In the tests for sexually transmitted infection, 4.5% of the NorthKorean women and 8.2% of the marriage immigrant women were positive to chlamydia and 4.5%of the North Korean women defectors and 2% of the marriage immigrant women were positive totrichomonas. Conclusion: There are 18,776 North Korean women defectors and 206,369 marriage immigrantwomen who are living in South Korea. Most of them are socially and economically disadvantagedand belong to vulnerable class who are in a lack of access to appropriate medical care. This was a fundamental study to understand the current health conditions of the North Korean women defectorsand the marriage immigrant women. Further studies with larger population and more developedresearch frameworks will provide not only meaningful health statistics of the North Koreanwomen defectors and the marriage immigrant women, but also give better direction for effectivehealth support programs for the underprivileged women.
