[Issues on aboriginal health in Taiwan].

In recent years health professionals have been concerned about the health of aborigines which has been neglected for a long time. Health disparities are known to exist among aborigines and non-aborigines in the United States or other countries. In Taiwan, there are nine main aboriginal tribes consisting of approximately 330,000 people. In general, their health status, evaluated by life expectancy, mortality rates and the prevalence and incidence of various diseases amongst them, is worse than amongst the rest of the Taiwanese (general) population. Current investigations indicate that life expectancy for aborigines is on average 10 years less than that of the general population; 12.5 years less for men, 6 years less for women; approaching a standardized mortality ratio of 2 fold, that is 2.1 fold in men, 1.7 fold in women. Accidental injures, suicide, tuberculosis, liver cirrhosis, alcoholism, pneumonia, bronchitis, parasite infections are the most important sources of diseases. Hypertension, heart disease, some selected sites of cancer, nutrition and lack of adaptation are gradually becoming important new sources of disorders. Although aboriginal health has improved over the decades, the author estimates that their overall health status is 25-30 years behind that of the general population or of off-shore islanders. The extent of their development varies with tribes. It is necessary to study the cause of why aborigines die so young. It may be due to insufficient medical care for heart disease whose prevalence is relatively low among aborigines but resultant mortality is nevertheless high. However, insufficient medical care cannot explain the high incidence of a number of cancers and resultant mortality. All factors relating to the environment, agents, hosts and diseases should be taken into consideration, such culture, transportation, life style, health behavior etc, and compared to those of non-aborigines. A series of studies are proposed to address the specific, multi-dimensional health demands of the aborigines. The author suggests the development of prevention and intervention strategies designed to overcome difficulties and barriers to eliminate these disparities among the people of Taiwan.