These findings identified that chronic diseases and healthcare utilization correlated strongly with self-rated health for widowed older adults. Therefore, self-rated health may be used as a screening tool by the National Health Insurance System in Taiwan, and the results may be referenced by public health officials who are responsible for developing welfare strategies to promote healthy aging among the widowed in Taiwan.

The study confirmed that widowhood, chronic disease, and physical function were strongly associated with mortality hazard in older people. Therefore, greater attention should be paid to these factors to reduce elderly mortality risk. Research results should be useful in developing welfare strategies for this group.

The purpose of this study was to use survival analysis to examine the influence of living arrangements and health care utilizations on total mortality among the middle aged and elderly in Taiwan. A panel data design was applied to data to investigate whether living arrangements and health care utilizations were associated significantly to survival rates in the middle aged and elderly. Subject data was obtained from the Survey of Health and Living Status of the Middle Aged and Elderly in Taiwan, a study conducted in 1996 that encompassed observations on 2,462 individuals 50 years of age and older. Survey data was linked to 1996-2003 national death registry data. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the relationship between mortality rate and age, gender, living arrangements and health care conditions. Principal empirical results confirmed that, after controlling for potentially confounding variables, the relatively younger elderly had a higher survival rate during the period 1996 to 2003. Females also had a longer life span than males in the same period. In addition, when other factors were excluded, this paper highlights that the middle aged and elderly living with their spouse and children enjoyed a significantly higher survival rate than those who lived alone. Furthermore, the findings showed that purchase of medicine (Chinese and/or Western) was positively correlated with survival rate and a lower survival rate for those with longer hospital stays and higher numbers of clinic visits. Findings suggest that living arrangements and health care utilization variables have strong and significant influences on the mortality rates for the middle aged and elderly. Research results should be useful in developing welfare strategies targeting living arrangement and health care services for the target group.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of chronic disease, physical function, and lifestyle on health transitions among the middle-aged and older persons in Taiwan. A longitudinal design was applied to investigate whether chronic disease, physical function, and lifestyle were associated significantly with health transition in this population. Data on participants were obtained from the Survey of Health and Living Status of the Middle Aged and Elderly in Taiwan, a study initially conducted in 1999 that encompassed observations on 2,130 individuals 53 years and older. Data were collected again in 2003 to capture the health transition. A binary probit model was used to determine relationships between health transition and sociodemographic factors, chronic disease, physical functional ability, and lifestyle conditions by gender. Principal empirical results confirmed that, after controlling for potentially confounding variables, those participants who were relatively younger and had higher education levels were more likely to maintain good health during the study period (1999-2003) for both men and women. In addition, when other factors were excluded, this article identified stroke as the ailment most strongly associated with continuing good health. Similarly, activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living demonstrated significant and negative effects on continuing good health regardless of gender. However, lifestyle rendered interesting and plausible findings. Smoking showed a significant influence on health transition for women but an insignificant influence on such for men. Regular exercise showed significance for both men and women. Findings suggest that chronic disease, physical functional ability, and lifestyle variables have strong and significant influences on health transition for the middle-aged and older persons. Research results should be useful in developing strategies that target disease care services and lifestyles for the target group.

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This paper investigates the factors influencing unpaid leave or furlough in Taiwan. The data used is from the First Social Image Survey in 2009, which focused on work situation, cross-strait relations, interpersonal trust, institutional trust, and other related issues. The sample ages are from 19 to 89. The method used is probit modelling for examining the influences on unpaid leave. The main empirical results find that older workers, people with highest educational attainment, widows and widowers, middle class workers, and workers living in eastern areas are less likely to take unpaid leave from the labour market. In particular, male Mainlander workers are more likely to take unpaid leave. Moreover, female workers with highest educational attainment, widowed, and of middle class are less likely to take unpaid leave. Finally, workers with high earnings are less likely to take unpaid leave, but female workers with high family income and female workers who are divorced or separated have a higher probability of unpaid leave.

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