The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63872

Tzu-I Tsai, MPH and Donald Morisky, ScD. Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles E. Young Drive South, CHS 26-070, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, 310-6147796, titsai@ucla.edu

In Taiwan, there are ten indigenous tribes that consist about 420,000 that contribute to 1.87% of total population. Residing in remote areas, ecological disadvantages and being minority have resulted in numerous health care inequities. These include, having life expectancy 10 years less than that of Taiwan general populations, higher level of co-morbidities (i.e depression, alcoholism, infectious diseases) and the lower quality of life. The experience of illness and health has been found to be strongly correlated with sociocultural and behavioral factors. No report has been specifically undertaken to synthesize the health determinants among Taiwan indigenous populations. In this article, we review the literatures pertaining to the behavior, lifestyles, and sociocultural determinants of health among Taiwan indigenous populations, as well organize these findings into a multisystemic perspective. Factors from the individual, family/community, and sociocultural systems of influence are discussed. Several methodological problems that limit the literature's current scope, and consider implications of the adoption of a cultural sensitive framework for future research endeavors are also included.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
• 1.Understand the current ecological and sociocultural environments, as well health problems and needs among Taiwan indigenous populations.
• 2.Consider social and cultural constructs pertinent to the health care utilization and health outcome among Taiwan indigenous groups.
• 3.Outline a cultural sensitive research framework to assess health care needs and health policy among Taiwan indigenous populations.

Keywords: International Health, Ethnic Minorities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.