目標:由全民健保門診資料探討台灣民眾的感冒求醫特性。方法:利用行政院衛生署所公佈的1999年與2000年「全民健康保險醫療統計年報」,擷取其性別、年齡別與疾病別門診人次、人數與費用等報表資料,再分別除以台灣地區的性別與年齡別人數,據以描述台灣地區民眾因感冒(包括上呼吸道感染與流行性感冒)使用健保門診的求醫特性,並進行討論。結果:1999年與2000年台灣地區民眾因感冒而使用健保西醫門診,其醫療費用分別佔健保西醫門診總費用的14.23%與14.30%,求醫人次佔總人次的27.92%與28.80%,平均每人每年因感冒使用西醫門診3.35次與3.42次。2000年曾因急性上呼吸道感染至健保西醫門診求醫者佔總人口的64.45%,其中14歲以下的兒童不但求醫的人口比例高,次數也最多;而女性急性上呼吸道感染門診求醫的人口比例與次數也較男性高。台灣地區民眾感冒的健保門診求醫人次有九成以上在診所。結論:台灣地區民眾的感冒門診求醫,無論就每人平均次數或是其所佔的門診人次比例而言,都高於美國與加拿大。由公共衛生的角度看來,或可由增進台灣地區感冒患者的自我照護能力與健康素養著手,並且積極預防感冒的發生,以降低台灣民眾非必要的感冒門診求醫。
Objectives: To explore the characteristics of outpatient care-seeking for colds and influenza in Taiwanese National Health Insurance (NHI). Methods: We obtained our data from the 1999and 2000 NHI annual reports to calculate the annual expenses and average outpatient visits for colds and influenza. Age and gender differences in the frequencies of outpatient visits of cold and influenza and the patients' preferences of outpatient services were explored. Results: In 1999 and 2000, Taiwanese people spent 14.23% and 14.30% of total NHI outpatient expenses on outpatient care for colds and influenza. The outpatient visits for cold and influenza accounted for 27.92% and 28.80% of total outpatient visits. Taiwanese people had an average of 3.35 and 3.42 outpatient visits per person in 1999 and 2000 for colds and influenza. Children under 14 years of age had the highest proportion of outpatient visits for their acute respiratory infections and were the most frequent users in such visits. Females also had a higher proportion of outpatient visits for acute respiratory infections and were more frequent users than males. More than 90% of Taiwanese patients preferred family clinics to hospitals for the care of their colds or influenza. Conclusions: or the outpatient visits for colds and influenza in Taiwan, the frequency of service utilization and the percentage in total outpatient visits were all higher than those in the US or Canada. In order to reduce unnecessary outpatients visits for colds and influenza in Taiwan, we suggest, from public health perspectives, to improve the general public's self-care ability and their health literacy, and also to prevent the colds and influenza epidemics.