Controlling the Chronic Infectious Diseases in Taiwan from the Perspective of Scientific Knowledge and Policy－a Case Study of Hansen''s Disease

• Main Authors: Shu I, 易樜
• Other Authors: 周桂田
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/35016123619831257708

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 國家發展研究所 === 97 === The imagination which full of metaphor, stigma and moral has been enchasing with Hansen’s disease over a long periods, as a result of lacking the understanding of Hansen’s disease in the early stages, then the imagination bring suffering and nightmare to this disease patients. In Taiwan, depending on different time of demarcation, it has diverse methods and intentions to control the chronic infectious disease just like Hansen’s disease. It which carrying out the policy of controlling disease should expanded with scientific knowledge, but in fact the situation to control Hansen’s disease has no relation between scientific knowledge and policy in Taiwan. The expert and elite who decide the policy, seem not depend on scientific knowledge to assess the risk. Although the policy of compulsory isolation which control Hansen’s disease has abolished, but it still has many legislations and regulations which display prejudice and misunderstanding against Hansen’s disease. The medical knowledge dispute is also the key point connect Hansen’s disease and legislations. We should orientate Hansen’s disease properly, expelled it from the list of statutory infectious disease and abolish the unjust clause in law, it is just the way to let multitude have no dread and misunderstanding anymore. This thesis will discuss the relationship between the policy of controlling Hansen’s disease and the contemporary scientific knowledge since 1895, reflect on medical knowledge dispute of Hansen’s disease, unjust clause in law and risk assessment of taking care of old patients at present. The government should recognize the mistake in the past public health policy, and provide help to the old patients who had ever suffered from the policy of compulsory isolation. And it would be the best when administering the risk communication which decided the policy has no sphere and subject. If the expert and the technical bureaucrat can learn how to listen to more voice and demand when they hold the public forum, then the risk communication will have the proper and equitable effect, and that’s the way to let multitude have happiness.