The Effects of Township-level Characteristics on Teenage Birth Rates in Taiwan: A Longitudinal Study

• Main Authors: Wei-Wei Hung, 洪瑋薇
• Other Authors: 莊媖智
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/97672780289119548442

碩士 === 臺北醫學大學 === 公共衛生學研究所 === 97 === This study has two main purposes. First, this study explored the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between township-level factors and teenage birth rates from 1980 to 2005 in Taiwan. Second, the study examined the relationships between township-level factors and the 5- and the 10-year change rates of teenage births. The data came from Taiwan Demography, the City and County Statistics, and Census. The study used a pooled ecological study design with repeated measures of township-level characteristics every 5 years from 1980 to 2005 (N=2154). This study calculated spearman correlation coefficients and used multivariate analyses with repeated measurements, and used time-lagged models to analyze the data. The findings of this study are as follows: 1.In the cross-sectional models, the townships with lower population density, a lower percentage of physicians, a lower level of college education, a higher percentage of elderly, and a higher percentage of aborigines were associated with higher teenage birth rates. 2.In the time-lagged models, after controlling current teenage birth rates, a lower population density, a lower level of college education, a higher elderly concentration, a higher percentage of aborigines predicted 5-year teenage birth rates. The same results were also found in the 10-year time-lagged models. The rates of divorced and residential mobility were significantly associated with teen birth rates in the 5-year and 10-year time-lagged models, but not in the cross-sectional models. The percentage of physicians was only significant in the cross-sectional models. 3.The townships with a lower level of urbanization had higher teenage birth rates than those with a higher level of urbanization. In addition, urbanization also served as a modifier in the relationships between township-level characteristics and teenage birth rates. 4.With regards to the change rates of teen births, in the townships where teenage birth rates were increasing within 5- and 10-year time spans, the predictive characteristics were different from the townships where teenage birth rates were decreasing within 5- and 10-year time spans. These findings suggest that social structural characteristics have more significant effects on teenage birth rates than other characteristics. The policy makers should understand that socioeconomic characteristics of a place and rural-urban difference can be influential factors of teenage birth rates. The future policy should focus on improving regional equity and fulfilling regional needs.