Children’s Health Analysis Among Transnational Marriage in Taiwan

Abstract

Transnational marriage has gradually become a new social phenomenon in Taiwan and it is well known that children’s health is strongly associated with mother. Therefore, it is worth to concern the topic of children’s health of foreign female spouses in Taiwan. This study was to examine the influence of foreign mothers, native fathers, and family factors on children’s health among transnational marriage in Taiwan. A cross-sectional data design was applied to data to investigate whether father/mother socioeconomic factors was associated significantly to children’s health. Subject data was obtained from the Survey of Foreign and Mainland Chinese Spouses’ Living Demand in Taiwan, a study conducted in 2008 that encompassed observations on 12,952 foreign wives of Taiwanese men. A multinomial logistic model was used to determine the impact of foreign mothers, native fathers and family factors on children’s health among transnational marriage in Taiwan. After controlling for potentially confounding variables, the age and health status of foreign mothers and native fathers showed significant effects on poor health for children’s health. However, the influence of native fathers was more important than foreign mothers regardless of any kinds of poor health. In terms of family factors, when other factors were excluded, the empirical results indicated income gradient in children’s health. A relatively better health child among the higher household income compared to their lower household income peers. In particularly, this study further indicated that income variable showed significance only for the children’ health of “not so good, but do not influence daily life,” and for the children’ health of “poor health, need family support or developmental delay,” income variable lost significance in Taiwan. The belief confirmed that foreign mothers, native fathers and family factors were associated significantly to children’s health in Taiwan. The findings suggested that socioeconomic factors revealed strong and significant influences on the children’s health. Research results should be useful in developing welfare strategies targeting children’s health and household characteristics for the target group.