Gender and age disparity in health-related behaviors and behavioral patterns based on a national survey of Taiwan

Article

Abstract

Background: This is a population-based study based on the 2002 National Survey of Taiwan on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Health Promotion. Purpose: The objective of this study is to examine health-related behaviors and behavioral patterns among different gender and age groups. Method: A total of 26,755 participants were interviewed, resulting in a response rate of 81.9%. Factor analysis with orthogonal rotation was applied to identify the underlying factor structure for the health-related behaviors, including cigarette smoking, betel nut chewing, alcohol drinking, intake of fruits or vegetables, prevention service utilization, physical activity, and tooth brushing. Results: Protective and risk behavioral patterns were selected consistently among various gender and age subgroups. These two behavior patterns were negatively associated with each other. In younger age groups (age < 55), a risk behavioral pattern was more dominant than a protective behavioral pattern. In the older age group (age ≥ 55), the pattern order was reversed. Conclusion: An effective health intervention program should be based on behavioral patterns instead of an individual behavior. Gender and age play an important role in the behavioral patterns and need to be taken into consideration when designing intervention programs.

Key words

health behavior risk behavior age gender factor analysis 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Andrews, J. O., & Heath, J. (2003). Women and the global tobacco epidemic: Nurses call to action.International Nursing Review, 50(4), 215–228.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Bureau of Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly. (1996).Annual report of tobacco, alcohol consumption investigation in Taiwan area. Taipei: Bureau of Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly, Taiwan Provincial Government.Google Scholar
  3. Bell, N. S., Amoroso, P. J., Yore, M. M., Smith, G. S., & Jones, B. H. (2000). Self-reported risk-taking behaviors and hospitalization for motor vehicle injury among active duty army personnel.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 18(Suppl. 3), 85–95.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Bureau of Health Promotion. (2004a).2002 National survey on knowledge, attitude, and practice of health promotion report. Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan.Google Scholar
  5. Bureau of Health Promotion. (2004b).2002 National survey on knowledge, attitude, and practice of health promotion: Sampling design and parent substance parameter estimate. Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan.Google Scholar
  6. Chen, K. T., Chen, C. J., Fagot-Campagna, A., & Narayan, K. M. (2001). Tobacco, betel quid, alcohol, and illicit drug use among 13- to 35-year-olds in I-Lan, rural Taiwan: Prevalence and risk factors.American Journal of Public Health, 91(7), 1130- 1134PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Cohen, B., Evers, S., Manske, S., Bercovitz, K., & Edward, H. G. (2003). Smoking, physical activity and breakfast consumption among secondary school students in a southwestern Ontario community.Canadian Journal of Public Health, 94(1), 41–44.Google Scholar
  8. Emmons, K. M., Marcus, B. H., Linnan, L., Rossi, J. S., & Abrams, D. B. (1994). Mechanisms in multiple risk factor interventions: Smoking, physical activity, and dietary fat intake among manufacturing workers. Working Well Research Group.Preventive Medicine, 23(4), 481–489.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Ensminger, M. E. (1990). Sexual activity and problem behaviors among black, urban adolescents.Child Development, 61 (6), 2032–2046.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Ford, E. S., Merritt, R. K., Heath, G. W., Powell, K. E., Washburn, R. A., Kriska, A., et al. (1991). Physical activity behaviors in lower and higher socioeconomic status populations.American Journal of Epidemiology, 133(12), 1246–1256.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  11. Fredman, L., Sexton, M., Cui, Y., Althuis, M., Wehren, L., Hornbeck, P., et al. (1999). Cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and screening mammography among women ages 50 and older.Preventive Medicine, 28(4), 407–417.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Friedman, G. D., Tekawa, I., Klatsky, A. L., Sidney, S., & Armstrong, M. A. (1991). Alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking: An exploration of the association in middle-aged men and women.Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 27(3), 283–290.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Harris, D. M., & Guten, S. (1979). Health-protective behavior: An exploratory study.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 20(1), 17–29.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Hatcher, L. (1994).A step-by-step approach to using the SAS system for factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc.Google Scholar
  15. Hays, R., Stacy, A. W., & DiMatteo, M. R. (1984). Covariation among health-related behaviors.Addictive Behaviors, 9(3), 315–318.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Hsu, C. C., Lord, Y Z., Tseng, T. S., & Chen, T. (2006). The impact of market opening on change of smoking status in Taiwan: Findings from a secular smoking rates analysis.International Quarterly of Community Health Education 25(3), 271–281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Kann, L., Kinchen, S. A., Williams, B. I., Ross, J. G., Lowry, R., Grunbaum, J. A., et al. (2000). Youth risk behavior surveillance-United States, 1999.MMWR CDC Surveill Summ, 49(5), 1–32.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  18. Kannas, L. (1982). The dimensions of health behaviour among young men in Finland.International Journal of Health Education, 24(3), 146–155.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. Kelishadi, R., Ardalan, G., Gheiratmand, R., Majdzadeh, R., Delavari, A., Heshmat, R., et al. (2006). Smoking behavior and its influencing factors in a national-representative sample of Iranian adolescents: CASPIAN study.Preventive Medicine, 42(6), 423–426.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Ko, Y. C., Lee, C. H., Chen, M. J., Huang, C. C., Chang, W. Y., Lin, H. J., et al. (1997). Risk factors for primary lung cancer among non-smoking women in Taiwan.International Journal of Epidemiology, 26(1), 24–31.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Koong, S. L., Serdula, M. K., Williamson, D. F., Malison, M. D., & Davis, R. M. (1991). Smoking prevalence in the United States and Taipei City, Taiwan.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 7(3), 161–165.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  22. Krantz, S. R., Lynch, D. A., & Russell, J. M. (2002). Gender-specific profiles of self-reported adolescent HIV risk behaviors.Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 13(6), 25–33.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Krick, J. P., & Sobal, J. (1990). Relationships between health protective behaviors.Journal of Community Health, 15(1), 19–34.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Kulbok, P. A., & Cox, C. L. (2002). Dimensions of adolescent health behavior.Journal of Adolescence Health, 31(5), 394–400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Lee, K. W., Kuo, W. R., Tsai, S. M., Wu, D. C., Wang, W M., Fang, F. M., et al. (2005). Different impact from betel quid, alcohol and cigarette: Risk factors for pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer.International Journal of Cancer, 117(5), 831–836.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Li, M. D., Cheng, R., Ma, J. Z., & Swan, G. E. (2003). A metaanalysis of estimated genetic and environmental effects on smoking behavior in male and female adult twins.Addiction, 98( 1), 23–31.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Liang, W., Shediac-Rizkallah, M. C., Celentano, D. D., & Rohde, C. (1999). A population-based study of age and gender differences in patterns of health-related behaviors.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 17(1), 8–17.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Liao, D. L., Yang, J. Y., Lee, S. M., Chen, H., & Tsai, S. J. (2002). Smoking in chronic schizophrenic inpatients in Taiwan.Neuropsychobiology, 45 (4), 172–175.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. Mackay, J., & Amos, A. (2003). Women and tobacco.Respirology, 8(2), 123–130.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Mulder, M., Ranchor, A. V., Sanderman, R., Bouma, J., & van den Heuvel, W J. (1998). The stability of lifestyle behaviour.International Journal of Epidemiology, 27(2), 199–207.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Norman, R. M. (1985). Studies of the interrelationships amongst health behaviours.Canadian Journal of Public Health, 76(6), 407–410.Google Scholar
  32. Nutbeam, D., Aar, L., & Catford, J. (1989). Understanding children's health behaviour: The implications for health promotion for young people.Social Science and Medicine, 29(3), 317–325.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. Oksuz, E., & Malhan, S. (2005). Socioeconomic factors and health risk behaviors among university students in Turkey: Questionnaire study.Croatian Medical Journal, 46(1), 66–73.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  34. Rummel, R. (1967). Understanding factor analysis.Journal of Conflict Resolution, 11,444–479.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Skaff, M. M., Finney, J. W., & Moos, R. H. (1999). Gender differences in problem drinking and depression: Different “vulnerabilities? ”American Journal of Community Psychology, 27(1), 25–54.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Sobal, J., Revicki, D., & DeForge, B. R. (1992). Patterns of interrelations among health-promotion behaviors.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 8(6), 351–359.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  37. Stephens, T. (1986). Health practices and health status: Evidence from the Canada Health Survey.American Journal ofPreventive Medicine, 2(4), 209–215.Google Scholar
  38. Swanson, J. M., Dibble, S. L., & Trocki, K. (1995). A description of the gender differences in risk behaviors in young adults with genital herpes.Public Health Nursing, 12(2), 99–108.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Tapp, J. T., & Goldenthal, P. (1982). A factor analytic study of health habits.Preventive Medicine, 11(6), 724–728.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. Togo, P., Heitmann, B. L., Sorensen, T. I., & Osler, M. (2003). Consistency of food intake factors by different dietary assessment methods and population groups.The British Journal of Nutrition, 90(3), 667–678.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Togo, P., Osler, M., Sorensen, T. I., & Heitmann, B. L. (2004). A longitudinal study of food intake patterns and obesity in adult Danish men and women.International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorder, 28(4), 583–593.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Ungemack, J. A. (1994). Patterns of personal health practice: men and women in the United States.American Journal ofPreventive Medicine, 10 (1), 38–44.Google Scholar
  43. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000).Healthy people 2010: Understanding and improving health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
  44. Yuan, J. M., Ross, R. K., Wang, X. L., Gao, Y T, Henderson, B. E., & Yu, M. C. (1996). Morbidity and mortality in relation to cigarette smoking in Shanghai, China: A prospective male cohort study.Journal of the American Medical Association, 275 (21), 1646–1650.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© International Society of Behavioral Medicine 2008

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Division of Preventive Medicine, School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamUSA
  2. 2.Medical Statistics Section, School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamUSA

Personalised recommendations