The purpose of this survey is to compare the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes among different ethnic groups, age levels, gender, and geographic areas. In addition, we try to find the factors influencing the prevalence of
hypertension and diabetes among different ethnic groups. Hopefully, our findings can provide strategies and mark high-risk groups to promote health.
The data sources, which were collected by Bureau of Health Promotion, were interviewees aged 12 and older drawn from National Health Interview Survey in Year 2001. The sample sizes of Taiwan area, deducting people who live in off- shore island areas and mountain areas, are 18,040 people, with 94.2% completed interviews. Meanwhile, enlarged samples drawn from remote mountains areas are 1,574 people, with complete interviews rate of 90.7%. This study also employed SPSS software (Ver.10.0) to precede descriptive analyses and binary logistic regression. The research findings were shown as follows.
1. Regarding the prevalence of hypertension, the prevalence rate in mountains areas (18.0%) is higher than that in Taiwan areas (10.7%). Adding ethnic factors, the data showed that hypertension prevalence of the indigenous People in
mountainous region is highest (19.2%), followed by the mainlanders (14.7%), Han Chinese (12.3%), Indigenous People in the Plain (11.1%), Taiwanese (10.5%), and Ha-kka (9.3%). The prevalence of male (11.0%) is higher than that of female (10.7%) in Taiwan area, while the reverse situation showed in mountains areas (i.e. male 16.0% vs. female 20.1%). In terms of age, people with aged 65 and above have higher prevalence than other age groups. In addition, after controlling demographic factors for Taiwan areas, regression analysis showed the
hypertension prevalence among people living without partners, people without preventive physical exams for the past one year, people with full access to health care while in need for the past six months, and people who living in a town or village were respective 1.344times, 1.364times, 1.277 times, 1.191 times, and 1.211 times, than that among people living with partners, people with any preventive physical exam for the past one year, people without seeking health care while in need for the past six months, and people who living in a county. For the mountains areas, after controlling demographic factors, regression analysis showed the hypertension prevalence among aboriginal group, and people without preventive physical exams for the past one year, were 0.362 times and 1.46 times than that among Han Chinese group, and people with any preventive physical exam for the past one year.
The ethnic factor associated with hypertension prevalence, in our study, is only founded in the mountains areas.
2. Regarding the prevalence of diabetes, the prevalence rate in Taiwan areas (4.4%) is higher than that in mountains areas (4.1%).Adding ethnic factors, the data showed that diabetes prevalence of the mainlander is highest (5.4%), followed by the Han Chinese (4.7%), Taiwanese (4.5%), indigenous People in mountainous region Indigenous (3.9%),People in the Plain (3.1%) and Ha-kka (3.1%).The prevalence of male (4.5%) is higher than that of female (4.3%) in Taiwan area, while the reverse situation showed in mountain areas (i.e. male 3.3%
vs. female 4.9%). In terms of age, people with age 65 and above have higher prevalence than other age groups. In addition, after controlling demographic factors for Taiwan areas, regression analysis showed the diabetes prevalence of people who have middle level of monthly income (i.e., NTD$10,000?income?
NTD$40,000) is 1.251 times of the people who have monthly low income (i.e., income?NTD$10,000). In mountains areas, only the age factor was associated with diabetes prevalence from the regression analysis. At last, the ethnic factor is not associated with diabetes prevalence either in Taiwan areas or the mountains areas.
The suggestions are as follow?
1. What strategy: based on the finding that people without preventive physical exams for the past one year have higher prevalence of either hypertension or diabetes, we suggest the health authority continuously propagates health education to promote preventive physical exams.
2. Who: based on the scarcity of health resources, the study helps to identify the high risk groups with either hypertension or diabetes shown in the following:
(1).High risk groups for hypertension:
a. In Taiwan areas, people who live in a town or a village , people who are aged, people who have no living partners, people who have no any preventive physical exam for the past one year, and people who have full access to health care while in need for the past six months, are our target population.
b. In remote mountains areas, people who are aged, people who are Han Chinese group, and people who have no any preventive physical exam for the past one year, are our target population.
(2) High risk groups for diabetes:
a.: In Taiwan areas, people who live in a town or a village, people who are aged, and people who have middle levels of monthly income, are our target population.
b.: In remote mountains areas, people who are aged are our target population.
