Interdisciplinary Seminar:
Education for Health
Convener: Eliane Didier, France

Exploration of Health Status and Health Behaviors among Single Women in Taiwan
Yu-Hsiang Liu, International Member, Taiwan; with Man-Hua Shen, Shih-Ming Kuo & Ya-Lie Ku

According to Ministry of Interior Statistics (2003), the number of divorced women in Taiwan and the Kaoshiung area doubled in the 10 years from 1993 to 2003. A literature review of 90 articles discussing single parent families indicated that 50% of single parents face problems. Among studies of single parents, no studies were found that deal with single women’s health. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to explore the health status and health behavior among single women.

This pilot study examined 21 single women in the Warmlife Women s Group of Kaohsiung during August, 2004. It found that of the women who experienced illness or menopausal syndromes a significant number did not seek outside care, with some feeling that their health care was influenced by their single status. Among preventative measures, cervical examinations were more frequent than breast self-examination or mammograms, with some women not recognizing themselves in the risk group for breast cancer.

In conclusion, the health status of the 21 single women could be characterized as overweight and moving into menopause. The majority did not exercises or engage in physical activities. Few smoked or used alcohol. The follow-up plan for this pilot study is to further survey the health status and health behaviors of single women and to identify their major problems in these two areas. With the information gained, health care professionals will be able to design health education programs for single women that will modify their risky or inappropriate health behaviors and gradually improve their health.

The authors of this paper, to be presented by Yu-Hsiang Liu, an Instructor of Maternal-Child Nursing at Fooyin University, Taiwan, are university colleagues. Man-Hua Shen is an Instructor of Maternal-Child Nursing, Shih-Ming Kuo is an Instructor of Science Education and Ya-Lie Ku an Instructor of Community Health Nursing and Board Member of Kaohsiung Women Awakening Association