台灣縣市兒童貧窮與死率之關係：1980-2009年

Region-specific child poverty and child mortality in Taiwan: 1980-2009

目標：本研究旨在描述過去30年來台灣縣市別兒童貧窮率的趨勢與差距，及縣市別的兒童貧窮率與五歲以下兒童死亡率之關係。方法：首先，我們採用「家庭收支調查」資料，計算1980-1989年，1990-1999年及2000-2009年三個時期的縣市別兒童貧窮率，並使用「中華民國台閩地區人口統計」計算縣市別五歲以下兒童死亡率。接著，我們以皮爾森相關分析，檢定三個時期的縣市兒童貧窮率與五歲以下兒童死亡率之關係，以及縣市兒童貧窮率改變率及兒童死亡率改變率的相關性。結果：1980年以來，台灣兒童貧窮率雖然呈現微幅下降，但縣市之間的兒童貧窮率差距卻從1980-1989年的18.2%增加為2000-2009年的21.6%。其次，縣市兒童貧窮率與五歲以下兒童死亡率呈顯著正相關，三個時期的相關係數依序為0.79（p＜0.001），0.64（p＜0.01）及0.83（p＜0.001），而兒童貧窮率改善幅度越大的縣市，五歲以下兒童死亡率下降幅度也越大（r=0.51, p=0.018）。結論：台灣各縣市之間的兒童貧窮率差距越來越大，且與縣市別兒童健康不平等息息相關。

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the trends and the differences in region-specific child poverty rates, and the relationship between region-specific child poverty rates and underfive mortality rates in Taiwan during the past 3 decades. Methods: City or county was defined as a region in this study. We measured region-specific child poverty rates during 3 time periods (1980-1989, 1990-1999, and 2000-2009) using data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey. Data on under-five mortality rates were obtained from the Taiwan-Fukien Demographic Fact Book. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the associations between child poverty and child mortality for each of three time periods. Results: The overall child poverty rate in Taiwan decreased slightly from 1980, but the difference in child poverty rates between the highest and lowest regions increased from 18.2% in 1980-1989 to 21.6% in 2000-2009. The association between child poverty and the under-five mortality rates was markedly positive; the correlation coefficient for the 3 time periods was 0.79 (p＜0.001), 0.64 (p＜0.01), and 0.83 (p＜0.001), respectively. Also, a greater decline in the child poverty rate was significantly related to a more rapid improvement in the under-five mortality rates (r=0.51, p=0.018). Conclusions: The regional difference in child poverty rates has been widening in Taiwan, and has contributed to inequality in child health.