目標:本研究以社會脈絡觀點,探討嚼食檳榔計程車司機的健康生活型態。方法:研究者到計程車司機的排班點與休息處,藉由深度訪談、輔以觀察法,對44位嚼食檳榔的司機收集相關資料。結果:研究發現參與研究的嚼檳榔計程車司機都有抽菸,有些會每天習慣性的喝酒;檳榔、菸通常是司機工作上的「適應品」包括提神、陪伴、抒壓與穩定情緒。工作開始的儀式性作用等;酒則為工作後的放鬆品。大多數受訪司機們雖重視健康,卻幾乎不考慮戒除使用成癮物質,但是他們會從事一些正向的健康行為,以及藉由「緩衝」負向健康行為減輕對身體的傷害,來維持健康。結論:司機們雖在其工作環境脈絡下,容易形成抽菸、嚼檳榔,甚至喝酒的生活型態,但是他們也會做一些「正向」健康行為;司機們對於行為與健康之間的關係,並非一個個分開來評估,而是將他們所從事的正向、負向健康相關行為一起做整體不同的加權考量,顯見人們的生活型態是折衝於社會結構脈絡與個人行動之間所做的選擇組合。
Objectives: This study discussed the health lifestyles of areca quid-chewing taxi drivers from the viewpoint of social context. Methods: The author visited taxi resting areas and waiting lines to collect data from 44 areca quid-chewing taxi drivers through in-depth interviews and observation. Results: All the taxi drivers participating in this study smoked and some were in the habit of drinking alcohol: areca quid and cigarettes for those taxi drivers were ”adaptors” of work that brought them more energy, helped kill time while waiting for clients, eased pressure when stuck its truck in traffic jams, and played a ritual function for getting started; alcohol was used for relaxation after work. Although most of the interviewees appreciated the value of maintaining good health, they did not consider quitting the use of addictive substances. Nevertheless, they engaged in some actions that had positive effects on their health, such as exercising, taking liver-protective supplements, going for medical check-ups, drinking tea, doing meditation, and going for massages. Additionally, they also maintained their health by ”buffering” their negative health behaviors in order to ease damage to the body. Conclusions: Although the interviewees had developed the habit of smoking, areca quid-chewing, or even drinking under the environmental context of their work, they did take some actions that had ”positive” effects on their health: the taxi drivers did not evaluate the individual effects of their various behaviors on their health, rather they took their positive and negative health behaviors into account collectively and generated weighted assessments. The results of this study clearly showed that one's lifestyle is a compromise between social structure context and individual actions and it is on this basis that people make choices.