Prenatal Examination Utilization and Its Determinants for Immigrant Women in Taiwan: An Exploratory Study

台灣新移民婦女產前檢查服務利用與其影響因素之探討

李麗君(Li-Chun Lee)；尹祚芊(Teresa J. C. Yin)；于漱(Shu Yu)

女性移民 ； 懷孕婦女 ； 產前檢查 ； 健康服務利用 ； female immigrants ； pregnant women ； prenatal examination ； utilization of health services

The Journal of Nursing Research

17卷1期（2009 / 03 / 01）

73 - 82

英文

本研究目的為瞭解移入台灣之外籍婦女產前健康照護利用情形及其影響因素。本研究為橫斷式研究，針對居住於台灣北部地區101名之越南籍孕婦，以問卷為工具，採面對面訪談方式進行資料收集。主要研究結果顯示研究對象之年齡相當年輕（平均值±標準差＝23.3±3.15歲）；平均來台時間僅約一年（平均值±標準差＝13.3±9.48個月）。由本研究可知移入之外籍婦女接受產前檢查的比率相當高，懷孕後接受第一次產檢的時問是在第10.8週(SD=4.37)，大部份的婦女(83.2%)完全依全民健保的時程接受產檢產前檢查的場所以區域醫院(356%)、婦產科診所(356%)為最多、其次是醫學中心(15.8%)、地區醫院(12.9%)，家人意見（尤其是來自於先生與婆婆）是主要選擇產前檢查地點的原因。另本研究發現受訪者的一般語言能力得分為95（SD=2.05，總分介於4-16分），屬中低程度；但卻僅有99%(n=10)的婦女曾接受過翻譯服務。至於影響產前檢查利用的因素方面：生活適應程度與對於產前檢查重要性的認知與產前照護利用呈現顯著的正相關；反之，孤單感則會負向的影響此利用情形。由本研究發現建議：針對外籍婦女，需在婚前健康檢查與產前健康照護中提供協助其在台灣生活適應，藉由心理支持降低其負向情緒，以及加強其對產檢重要性的認知，以使其得到更適當與完整的產前照護，並進而提升產前照護的品質。

The purpose of this study was to understand and explore determinants of prenatal examination utilization by pregnant immigrant women in Taiwan. This cross-sectional study surveyed 101 pregnant Vietnamese women living in northern Taiwan. Data collection employed face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Main findings included that participants were relatively young (M ± SD = 23.3 ± 3.15 years old) and that length of residency in Taiwan averaged just over 1 year (M ± SD = 13.3 ± 9.48 months). Results also indicated the prenatal examination rate for this target group to be relatively high. First prenatal examinations were conducted, on average, 10.8 weeks into pregnancy (SD = 4.37 weeks). Most participants (83.2%) received prenatal examinations in accordance with the recommended schedule. Regional hospitals (35.6%) and local obstetrics clinics (35.6%) were the most frequently chosen locations for prenatal examinations followed by medical centers (15.8%) and district hospitals (12.9%). Participant spouses and/or mother-in-laws heavily influenced the decision regarding where to conduct prenatal examinations. The average general language ability score was 9.5 (SD = 2.05, range = 4-16), indicating a low to moderate average language ability. However, only 9.9% (n = 10) of participants utilized translation services offered by the hospital. In terms of factors influencing utilization of the prenatal examination service, this study identified significantly positive relationships between utilization and the variables life adaptation and perceived importance of the examination. In contrast, results showed loneliness to be negatively related to prenatal examination utilization. On the basis of these results, we suggest that more accessible information on the prenatal examination service needs to be provided to improve adaptation by immigrant women to life in Taiwan and that psychiatric support be offered to help reduce the feelings of depression felt by these women. The importance of prenatal examination to enable women to acquire more appropriate and comprehensive prenatal care and to improve prenatal care quality should be emphasized.

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