台中市民眾醫療保健需求評估

An Assessment of Health Care Needs in the Catchment Area of a Medical Center

目的：評估台中市民的健康狀態及其醫療保健需求。方法：採橫斷式調查研究法，以系統隨機抽樣法選取年滿18歲以上的成年台中市民進行電話調查，調查內容包括個人基本資料、個人就醫行為、整體健康需求及訊息需求。結果：有效樣本數為588人，完訪率為88.3%。調查結果顯示：55.8%的民眾在前一年曾作過各種型態的健康檢查；慢性病盛行率前三名分別為高血壓(12.6%)、慢性肝炎(9.7%)、痛風(9.0%)；43.5%的民眾有戒菸需求，28.9%的民眾有減重需求；民眾的醫療保健知識來源主要以接受電視節目介紹，而超過八成民眾認為醫護人員應在就診時提供醫療保健的相關知識及訊息。結論：醫院是提供民眾醫療服務及健康諮詢的重要媒介，除了應該定期對社區民眾進行健康觀念及衛生政策宣導之外，也應該根據不同區域性的疾病盛行率差異來擬定經營及管理策略。區域性流行病學調查可以提供許多寶貴資訊給予醫院管理者及衛生單位，並能夠針對服務區域盛行率較高的特定疾病趨勢，有效整合醫療資源（人力及物力），且將醫療服務的精神落實於社區醫療工作。

Objective: The aim of this study was to survey and to evaluate the health care requirements of the population of Taichung City. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The participants were residents over the age of 18 in Taichung City. A structured questionnaire included information about personal data, medical care-seeking behaviors, overall health, and information needs. Results: A total of 588 valid samples were obtained by systematic random sampling. Our results indicated that 55.8% of respondents had received health examinations in the previous year. The most prevalent major chronic diseases were hypertension, chronic hepatitis (hepatitis B and C), and gout. Smoking was the most common health problem. Most respondents received their health information from TV programs. More than 80% noted that the nursing staff ought to provide them with information about medical care when they sought diagnosis or treatment in the hospital. In addition to medical services, people would like to obtain more health care information from the medical staff. Conclusion: Hospitals play a critical role in medical services and consultations for the public. The managers of hospitals and hygiene bureaus should consider how to provide regular health care educations and plan management strategies based on a regional epidemiological survey. Such a survey could also help them to distribute medical resources within the local community.