Summary: | 碩士 === 長庚大學 === 醫務管理學研究所 === 95 === Abstract
Objective:This was a prime study on smoking behavior and its association with self-rated health and health care utilization among middle-aged and older Taiwanese.
Methods:The present data were derived from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey of subjects aged 45 years or older in Taiwan, and the claims data from the Bureau of National Health Insurance in 2002.
Results:A total of 5251 subjects were included in this study. The smoking rate was 21% and the ex-smoker rate was 6%. After adjusting for the relevant confounding variables, current smokers and persons who had quit smoking less than 15 years prior to the survey were more likely to rate their health as fair and poor. No significant associations between smoking status and odds of inpatient care and emergency care were observed.
Conclusions:The results of this study suggest that public health campaigns to encourage smoking cessation should emphasize improvements in self-rated health.
Key Words: smoking, self-rated health, health care utilization
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