Districts In Taiwan Research Articles

A new species of Codinaea (Chaetosphaeriaceae, Sordariomycetes) from Taiwan

Codinaea fecunda sp. nov. from decaying wood submerged in a freshwater stream in Fuxing District of Taiwan, is described and illustrated. It differs from other Codinaea species in having distinct tufts of long conidiophores that bear numerous phialides along the shafts. Its novelty is confirmed by phylogeny inferred by a concatenated dataset of the ITS, LSU, and TEF1-α sequences among the other 25 isolates of Codinaea species in the Chaetosphaeriaceae. A synopsis of the 79 Codinaea names in Index Fungorum is given, providing information regarding their nomenclatural changes, synonyms, and referencing articles.

Risk-based irrigation decision-making for the Shihmen Reservoir Irrigation District of Taiwan

Risk-based irrigation decision-making for the Shihmen Reservoir Irrigation District of Taiwan

A review of the different power system architecture at the district level and its analysis

The new power system at the station level is the phased product of the large-scale and high-proportion penetration development of wind and solar new energy. The source network load storage system with the station area as the smallest adjustable unit is constructed by using energy storage +. Different from the traditional substation area system, the architecture of the new power system at the substation area level becomes extremely complex due to the change of access terminal attributes, interaction relationship and various business types. In order to systematically describe the new power system architecture at the station district level, this paper first combs and summarizes the relevant literature at home and abroad, and summarizes the literature related to the current substation District, wind and new energy access and energy storage system regulation. Secondly, from the perspectives of demand differences, common functional requirements and non functional requirements, the requirements of station area level new power system under different application scenarios are classified and analyzed in detail. Then, a new power system for different scenarios is designed, which is divided into local equipment layer, edge control layer, station management layer and centralized control layer from bottom to top, and the functions of each layer are described in detail. Taking Zhangjiajie scenery storage and charging comprehensive energy demonstration project as an example, this paper expounds the ways of terminal data access, transmission and visualization under the framework of Taiwan district level new power system, so as to provide reference for the networking of other similar projects. Finally, the research contents of this paper are summarized, and the contents that need further research in the future are prospected.

Trend in seroprevalence of HTLV-1/2 in Taiwanese blood donors-A 10-year follow-up.

This study evaluated the Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) screening policy impact on the HTLV seroprevalence from 2009 to 2018 as well as the differences between administrative districts in terms of prevalence distribution in Taiwan. Since February 1996, the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation (TBSF) had conducted HTLV screening of blood donors. The HTLV seroprevalence was 0.032% in 1999. This cross-sectional study included donors' data collected from blood donation centres across Taiwan from 2009 to 2018. Enzyme immunoassay and Western blot assay were used for screening and confirmation of HTLV infections. In this study, the researchers calculated the trends in the HTLV rates of first-time and repeat donors across time as well as the HTLV prevalence distribution across the 22 administrative districts of Taiwan. Amongst 17 977 429 employed blood donations, 739 HTLV-seropositive donations (4.11 per 100 000 donations) were identified. The HTLV-positive donors were aged between 17 and 64 years, with a median age of 49 years. The overall seropositivity rates of first-time and repeat donors were 34.36/100 000 and 1.27/100 000. HTLV seroprevalence in first-time blood donors significantly decreased by 57% (crude odds ratio [95% confidence interval] (crude OR [95% CI]) = 0.43 [0.28-0.64]) within 10 years. A slight decline was also identified in repeat donors (crude OR [95% CI] = 0.73 [0.4-1.32]). Donors from different districts showed significantly varied prevalence. Most districts with high prevalence are situated in eastern Taiwan, for both donation types. Older blood donors were more likely to be infected with HTLV than younger ones in first time and repeat donors. Middle age donors (50-65 years) had an 18.47-39.65 greater risk than those aged <20 years. Significant higher risk of female was observed in both donation types. Amongst different age groups, first-time female donors increase 1.31-1.88 times infection risk and female in repeat donor group had 1.55-3.43 times greater risk. Over years of implementation of the HTLV blood donor screening policy by the TBSF, the HTLV seroprevalence of first-time donors has decreased consistently. Moreover, the HTLV seroprevalence of repeat donors has dropped considerably. This implies that the screening policy provides continued benefit. Females and older blood donors were more likely infected with HTLV than males and younger blood donors. The influence of age on infection was greater amongst first-time donors than amongst repeat donors. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure public safety.

Simulation and Estimation of the Inter-Source Category and/or Inter-Pollutant Emission Offset Ratios for a Heavy Industry City

Kao-Ping Air Basin (KPAB) is a heavy industrial area, and also the first and only air quality total quantity control district in Taiwan. Pollutant emission offsetting is an important tool to reduce pollution source emissions and improve air quality in the total quantity control district. In this study, an air quality model was employed to evaluate the sensitivity of SOX, NOX, and primary PM2.5 emissions from point, mobile, and fugitive sources on PM2.5 concentrations in KPAB. The findings show that the emission offset ratios of mobile PM2.5-to-point PM2.5 and fugitive PM2.5-to-point PM2.5 were both greater than one in urban areas (1.3 and 2.0, respectively) and both less than one in non-urban areas. The offset ratios of point SOX-to-point PM2.5 and point NOX-to-point PM2.5 were significantly greater than one, especially those in urban areas (20 and 60, respectively) were higher than those in non-urban areas by more than 2–4 times. No matter whether in urban or non-urban areas, the offset ratio of mobile NOX-to-point NOX was close to one, and the offset ratios of point NOX-to-point PM2.5 and mobile NOX-to-point PM2.5 were similar. The above findings were closely related to the proximity of point sources to densely populated urban areas in KPAB.

Class management in Taiwan’s Active Aging Learning Centers: demonstration of the relationship, interaction, and harmony in ethnic Chinese societies

ABSTRACT Active Aging Learning Centers (AALCs) are scattered across various townships and districts in Taiwan and attract students with diverse backgrounds. Therefore, cultivating positive learning environments at AALCs is crucial. Influenced by Confucianism, ethnic Chinese societies emphasize interpersonal relationships, and traditional Confucian principles and norms inform class management strategies in such societies. This study explored the management of classes offered at AALCs in Taiwan. A total of 24 teachers (8 men and 16 women with an average age of 52.75 years [range: 28–71 years]) were interviewed. The interview data were analyzed using the constant comparative method, and the following results were obtained. (1) The interviewees managed their classes by presenting themselves as professionals, actively learning about and giving attention to their students, establishing class norms, and tracking their students’ learning progress and adjusting their teaching methods accordingly. (2) The aforementioned methods enabled the interviewees to cultivate positive learning environments in which they and their students encouraged each other, learned together, and bonded emotionally, which promoted class cohesion. These findings suggest that class management at AALCs in Taiwan is based on the traditional Chinese conceptualizations of relationships, interactions, and interpersonal harmony and may serve as a reference for training AALC teachers in class management and promoting positive interpersonal interactions in and outside the classroom.

The RE-AIM Evaluation of the Evidence-Based Multiple Drug Treatment Program in Taiwan District

This study employs the RE-AIM based 360-degree feedback analysis to examine the scientific evidence-based drug treatment program implemented by the Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice, in Taiwan to ensure the program quality and effective resource allocation and to help improve the effectiveness of the treatment. Also, the study results were expected to strengthen the possibility of drug addicts successfully returning to society, achieving the goal of preventing recidivism and reshaping the meaningful life for drug offenders. Based on the outcomes of qualitative interviews, focus groups, pre- and post-measurement scores, case manager's work survey questionnaires, and official statistics analysis for the year 2020-2021, this study attempts to complete the goal through the RE-AIM model analysis. In terms of Reach dimension, the study finds that the proportion of drug-administering cases that completed professional treatment before release from prison has been increasing year by year; in terms of Effectiveness dimension, regardless of the scale scores, the subjective feelings of the clients encountered or the official statistics, we find that the positive impacts on the case (behavior change and self-understanding), and there is still room for improvement in reducing impulsive of drug offenders, curriculum design and recidivism rate; in terms of Adoption dimension, besides to practical workers, colleagues in other departments in the organization also intervened in the plan to some extent, but there is still room for improvement in the horizontal connection and integration of various units; in terms of Implementation dimension, the service and investment time of the first-line practitioners are in agreement with the core values of the Evidence-Based Drug Treatment Program; in terms of Maintenance dimension, data on recidivism out of prison shows that the treatment courses have continuous effects for the case intervention. Besides, it also indicates that the Agency of Corrections and Ministry of Justice will not only keep promoting this treatment program but also continue to improve it and see the "Scientific Evidence-based Drug Treatment program" as the organization's regular service. Finally, the research findings provided suggestions for curriculum planning, resource allocation, treatment execution, and practical work aids.

A Pilot Study to Explore the Improvements in Pulmonary and Cognitive Functions With a Kazoo Intervention Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in a Rural Community.

Dementia is a leading cause of disability and dependence in older adults worldwide. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the effect of using a kazoo instrument to improve pulmonary function and cognitive reserve in middle-aged and older adults in rural areas. This quasi-experimental study was conducted at two community care stations selected using cluster sampling from a rural district in southern Taiwan. We enrolled 85 middle-aged and older adults who were randomly assigned into self-learner and in-class groups. Both groups received a 6-month kazoo program. Cognitive and pulmonary function were compared before and after the intervention between the two groups. Significantly improved pulmonary function with regards to forced vital capacity (p < .05) was found in the self-learner group, and significantly improved maximum expiratory flow 75% (p < .001) was found in both groups. Mini-Mental State Examination scores significantly improved in the self-learner group (p < .01), but there was no significant change in the in-class group. Our results suggest that community care stations could consider implementing wind instrument programs such as a kazoo to enhance pulmonary function and cognitive reserve in middle-aged and older adults residing in rural areas.

Genome-wide association study reveals ethnicity-specific SNPs associated with ankylosing spondylitis in the Taiwanese population

BackgroundAnkylosing spondylitis (AS) is an autoimmune disease affecting mainly spine and sacroiliac joints and adjacent soft tissues. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) are used to evaluate genetic associations and to predict genetic risk factors that determine the biological basis of disease susceptibility.We aimed to explore the race-specific SNP susceptibility of AS in Taiwanese individuals and to investigate the association between HLA-B27 and AS susceptibility SNPs in Taiwan.MethodsGenotyping data were collected from a medical center participating in the Taiwan Precision Medicine Initiative (TPMI) in the northern district of Taiwan. We designed a case–control study to identify AS susceptibility SNPs through GWAS. We searched the genome browser to find the corresponding susceptibility genes and used the GTEx database to confirm the regulation of gene expression. A polygenic risk score approach was also applied to evaluate the genetic variants in the prediction of developing AS.ResultsThe results showed that the SNPs located on the sixth chromosome were related to higher susceptibility in the AS group. There was no overlap between our results and the susceptibility SNPs found in other races. The 12 tag SNPs located in the MHC region that were found through the linkage disequilibrium method had higher gene expression. Furthermore, Taiwanese people with HLA-B27 positivity had a higher proportion of minor alleles. This might be the reason that the AS prevalence is higher in Taiwan than in other countries. We developed AS polygenic risk score models with six different methods in which those with the top 10% polygenic risk had a fivefold increased risk of developing AS compared to the remaining group with low risk.ConclusionA total of 147 SNPs in the Taiwanese population were found to be statistically significantly associated with AS on the sixth pair of chromosomes and did not overlap with previously published sites in the GWAS Catalog. Whether those genes mapped by AS-associated SNPs are involved in AS and what the pathogenic mechanism of the mapped genes is remain to be further studied.

REAP-HP survey 2020: Comparing the real-world practice and expectation in Helicobacter pylori eradication of the Taiwanese gastroenterologists in 2015 and 2020.

REAP-HP study (Real-world practice and Expectation of Asia-Pacific physicians and patients in Helicobacter Pylori eradication) was the pioneer study investigating the expectation and preference of physicians across Asia-Pacific in H.pylori eradication in 2015. This study is the first follow-up study of REAP-HP in Taiwan. (1) To investigate the preference in regimens for the first-line anti-H.pylori therapy of Taiwanese gastroenterologist in 2020, (2) To survey the factor that cause the most concern when prescribing anti-H.pylori regimens in clinical practice, and (3) to compare REAP-HP survey data in 2020 and those surveyed in 2015 regarding the abovementioned end-points. A questionnaire for H.pylori eradication survey of physicians was distributed to the gastroenterologists who attended the Taiwan Digestive Disease Week 2020. Data of most commonly used first-line anti-H.pylori regimens and concerned factors when prescribing anti-H.pylori regimens between 2015 and 2020 were compared. A total of 258 physicians from different districts of Taiwan participated in the REAP-HP Survey in 2020. The top three most commonly used anti-H.pylori regimens in Taiwan in 2020 were 14-day standard triple therapy (36.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 30.9%-42.7%), 7-day standard triple therapy (17.8%; 95% CI: 13.1%-22.5%) and 14-day reverse hybrid therapy (14.7%; 95% CI: 10.4%-19.0%) respectively. The top two factors that cause the most concern during prescribing anti-H.pylori therapy were eradication rate (82.3%; 95% CI: 77.6%-87.0%) and side effect (10.4%; 95% CI: 6.7%-15.1%). In 2015, the top three most commonly used regimens in Taiwan were 7-day standard triple therapy (62%; 95% CI: 56.2%-67.8%), 14-day standard triple therapy (21%; 95% CI: 16.1%-25.9%) and 10-day sequential therapy (7%; 95% CI: 4%-10%). A remarkable difference of the most commonly used anti-H.pylori regimens between 2015 and 2020 existed (p < .001). The top two factors that cause the most concern during prescribing anti-H.pylori therapy in 2015 were eradication rate (84.1%) and side effect (7.0%). There were no differences in the factors that cause the most concern during prescribing anti-H.pylori regimens between 2015 and 2020. 14-day standard triple therapy has replaced 7-day standard triple therapy as the most commonly used first-line anti-H.pylori therapy among Taiwanese gastroenterologists in 2020. 14-day reverse hybrid therapy is on rise to the third place as the most commonly used anti-H.pylori regimen in Taiwan.

Geospatial epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in livestock, pets, and humans in China, 1984-2020.

Undercooked or raw meat containing cyst-stage bradyzoites and oocyst-contaminated pets are presumed to constitute a major source of human toxoplasmosis. As the geospatial epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in livestock, pets, and humans is rarely studied in China, we undertook a geospatial analysis using GIS visualization techniques. The present study retrieved information from the PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Baidu Scholar databases from 1984 up to 2020. All the data about the seroprevalence of T. gondii in livestock (sheep and goats, pigs, cattle and yaks), pets (cats, dogs), and humans in China were collected. Geospatial epidemiology of T. gondii infection in these hosts was performed using GIS. Results revealed that the estimated pooled seroprevalence of T. gondii was ranged from 3.98 to 43.02% in sheep and goats in China, 0.75 to 30.34% in cattle and yaks, 10.45 to 66.47% in pigs, 2.50 to 60.00% in cats, 0.56 to 27.65% in dogs, and 0.72 to 23.41% in humans. The higher seroprevalences of T. gondii were observed in sheep and goats in the districts of Chongqing, Zhejiang, and Beijing. The infection rates of T. gondii in cattle and yaks were higher in Guizhou, Zhejiang, and Chongqing. Also, the pigs from Chongqing and Guizhou were most severely infected with T. gondii. For cats, the districts of Shanxi, Hebei, and Yunnan had higher seroprevalences of T. gondii and, the infections among dogs were higher in Yunnan and Hebei as well. Furthermore, higher infection pressure of T. gondii exists in the districts of Taiwan and Tibet in humans. The geographical and spatial distribution of toxoplasmosis indicated that infection with T. gondii was widely spread in China, with a wide range of variations among the different hosts and regions in the country. Our results suggested that livestock and pets are not only a reservoir for the parasite but also a direct source of T. gondii infection for humans. It is important to control T. gondii infections in these animals that would reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis in humans.

Tracking and Controlling the Spatiotemporal Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in COVID-19 Reopenings.

Understanding why or how the emergence of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants has occurred and how to control them is crucial as regards the potential of global reopening. To explore and further understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of the B.1.1.7 spread in the 368 districts of Taiwan, a district‐level geographic prediction model of the risk of COVID‐19 symptom onset has been proposed. It has been found that, (a) the human mobility, epidemic alert measures, and vaccination rates all played an important role in the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of B.1.1.7 transmission; (b) for regions with high human mobility and low vaccination rates, the partial relaxation of entry quarantine measures for specific imported groups would, in fact, lead to a wide spread of B.1.1.7 with a consequent doubling of high‐onset‐risk areas and together with the overall onset risk, a further increase of more than 20% would occur; (c) compared with the closing of business places and public venues in all districts, both lockdown in those areas of high‐onset‐risk and the gathered control effects regarding other districts, the control of B.1.1.7 spread would be better enabled by an onset risk reduction of up to 91.36%. Additionally, an increase in the vaccination rate in each district by up to 5–10 times would further reduce the onset risk by 6.07%–62.22%.

Environmental Risk Perception and Preventive Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Central Taiwan.

Due to traffic and industrial and seasonal air pollution, wearing masks outside the home has long been a daily habit for many people in Taiwan. After the emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has an incubation period of up to 14 days, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing was advised to reduce exposure to this new environmental risk. This study investigates open and semi-open spaces in three districts in central Taiwan, using a non-participant observation method, with the aim of understanding people’s mask-wearing behavior. The results indicate that mask-wearing rates were higher in urban areas than in rural ones and among females than males. By age cohort, mask-wearing was most prevalent among young adults and middle-aged people and least prevalent among minors, with the elderly occupying a middle position. Masks were also more likely to be worn in semi-open spaces than in open ones. This study enriches our understanding of environmental risk perception of the pandemic and of public perceptions, which are vital to increasing the adoption of preventative measures.

Primary care staff’s willingness to participate in compassionate community network and palliative care and the barriers they face: a mixed methods study

ObjectivesCompassionate community models, successfully applied in several Western countries, have not been extensively promoted in Asian countries. This study explored primary care staff’s willingness to participate and factors associated with...

Constructing Sports Promotion Models for an Accessibility and Efficiency Analysis of City Governments

This study provides a systematic analysis of sports promotion efficiency in 22 administrative districts in Taiwan from 2011 to 2018. We first considered sports behavior and sports information promotion and connected the multiple intermediate products using network DEA, used the public performance and outputs to measure the total efficiency of sports promotion in the 22 administrative districts, and then established the final input–output indicators. The long-term tracking of sports promotion efficiency shows that, while Taipei and Taoyuan experienced upward trends, the other 20 administrative districts saw declining trends. We also used truncated regression to identify 14 environmental variables that affected the efficiency of sports promotion in the 22 administrative districts from 2016 to 2018, with the results showing that funding, satisfaction with life, and average BMI in each administrative district were significant factors, revealing the latest trends in and measurements of governance in terms of government accessibility.

Rural-urban Disparities in the Prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Taiwan: A Door-to-door Nationwide Study.

Screening or diagnosis for the elderly with dementia in rural regions might be delayed and underestimated due to limited utilization of healthcare resources. This study aimed to evaluate the disparities of prevalence and risk factors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia between urban and rural residence. In this nationwide door-to-door survey, 10,432 participants aged 65 years and more were selected through computerized random sampling from all administrative districts in Taiwan and were assessed using an in-person interview. We calculated the prevalence of MCI and dementia, with their risk factors examined using multivariable logistic regression. The prevalence of dementia in rural, suburban, and urban areas among the elderly was 8.69% (95% CI, 8.68-8.69), 6.63% (95% CI, 6.62-6.63), and 4.46% (95% CI, 4.46-4.47), respectively. A similar rural-suburban-urban gradient relationship on the dementia prevalence was observed in any age and sex group. The rural:urban ratio was higher in women than in men for both MCI and dementia. Urbanization remained to be an independent factor for both MCI and dementia after adjustment for age, gender, education, lifestyle, and health status. The beneficial effects of exercise on dementia were more evident in rural areas than in urban ones. Significantly higher prevalence of MCI and dementia were found in rural areas than in urban ones, especially for women. The odds of risk factors for MCI and dementia varied by urbanization status. Focus on the rural-urban inequality and the modification of associated factors specifically for different urbanization levels are needed.

Aging Population Policies and Insurance Systems in Mainland China and Taiwan District: How do Similar Cultural Roots Produce Different Policy Results?

ABSTRACT Long-term care (LTC) policies are urgently needed for required services, including workforce support and insurance planning. China has a large population and just recently entered an aging stage, whereas Taiwan is about to become a super-aged society. China and Taiwan have similar cultural context, sharing the same value of Chinese filial piety and living habits although they have distinct political systems. Results shows that there is no silver bullet that would solve the current shortage of an LTC workforce that would fill the gap between care recipients and licensed professionals or informal caregivers. It is clear that action is required in all the aspects of LTC reform. The Taiwan system is comparatively solid while China’s system is struggling despite well-planned policy making.

The epidemiological profile of chronic hepatitis C with advanced hepatic fibrosis regarding virus genotype in Taiwan: A nationwide study

This study aims at investigating the epidemiological profile of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) regarding hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype in Taiwan. A total of 29,087 CHC patients with advanced fibrosis who received direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) therapy under Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) during 2017-2018 were recruited. The HCV genotype distribution and its association with patients' demographic factors including age, gender, and geographical areas were examined. The most common genotypes were 1b (59.5%) and 2 (30.1%) with characteristics of older age (mean±standard deviation (SD): 66.5±10.7 years and 67.3±10.9 years) and female gender predominant (57.1% and 59.4%), which were associated with iatrogenic infection decades ago. Most of patients with genotype 1a (5.9%) and 6 (3.7%) infection were relatively younger (59.2±12.0 years and 60.0±13.8 years) and male gender predominant (59.1% and 61.1%), except Liujia and Liuying districts in southern Taiwan. The youngest group (53.2±11.8 years) and most male gender predominant (74.3%) was genotype 3 (0.37%). These genotypes with characteristics of being younger and male gender predominant were highly related to injection drug use in recent years. The number of genotype 4 patients were extremely rare (n=25) and efficacy of genotype-4-specific-DAA was significantly poorer than non-genotype-4-specific DAA (P value=0.0411). The significant differences in demographic characteristics among CHC patients with different HCV genotypes found in this study suggest HCV genotype was highly associated with transmission pattern and may be used as a reference for HCV control.

Street-block collapsed buildings assessment: A case study of Banqiao District, New Taipei City

After a large-scale earthquake, it induces a large number of building collapses and casualties, especially in urban areas. In order to make prevention and response plans before earthquakes, various earthquake loss estimation systems have been developed. The commonly used units of analysis in those systems include grid and village (or administrative district). However, grids are not consistent with streets/roads, making grid-based analyses impractical for evacuation and rescue road planning. As for village-based analyses, a unit covers large spaces and might fail to point out the precise location of collapsed buildings. Therefore, street block, which is a block surrounded by roads, is proposed by the authors as an alternative. To figure out the better analytical units, this study compared street-block-based analyses and village-based analyses. Banqiao District in Taiwan was used as a case to delineate the street blocks by roads with a width of 6 meters or above. Building collapse assessment under peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 400 Gal and 550 Gal demonstrates that street-block-based analyses outperform village-based analyses in terms of locating the collapsed buildings. Moreover, street blocks are readily available for planning evacuation or rescue roads for their consistence with the road network. Results of this study suggest that in urban areas, the higher-resolution spatial analyses of earthquake loss estimation can be made by street-block-based analyses.

Factors Influencing Residents’ Decision to Participate in Health Screening in Taiwan: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Chronic diseases have affected the health and quality of life of people in a vast number of countries. Critically, chronic diseases have been rapidly increasing worldwide and inflicting a heavy burden on society. As such, health screening has been applied to reduce individuals’ risks of developing chronic diseases and to initiate health promotion or disease prevention. However, the participant rate is low, especially for people living in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence people’s decisions to undergo health screening. Method: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken for 16 people aged between 30 - 60 years, and all interviewees had never attended health screening at our hospital despite being invited. Interviewees were from four districts in Taiwan: Anle District of Keelung City; and Ruifang, Gongliao, and Wanli Districts of New Taipei City. These districts were sampled to represent urban and rural areas, respectively, and people in these rural areas were suspected to have high risk of metabolic diseases, kidney and lung diseases or cancers. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and NVivo 11 was used for data management. Result: Six motivating factors or barriers were identified: 1) Health attitudes and beliefs about the benefits of participating in health screening; 2) expectation of health screening from the perspective of participants; 3) cost consideration; 4) impact of social influence on willingness to participate in health screening; 5) the experiences of health screening; and 6) practical motivations or barriers of undergoing health screening. Conclusion: Health attitudes and beliefs about the benefits of having a health screening, personal health expectations, and free health services were identified as the top three important factors that influence a resident’s decision to undergo health screening for chronic diseases in Taiwan.