ABSTRACT
Background: The health-promoting lifestyle of postpartum women is an important issue, but few studies have been undertaken to examine the role of cultural difference.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to better understand the health-promoting lifestyles of postnatal mothers in Taiwan in terms of differences between ethnic Han Taiwanese and indigenous women and of factors predicting health-promoting lifestyles in the two groups.
Methods: For this cross-sectional comparative study, data on postnatal health-promoting behaviors, as measured using the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP), were collected from 314 mothers during their sixth postpartum week. HPLP scores of ethnic Han Taiwanese mothers living in Kaohsiung City, and indigenous women living in Pingtung County were then compared.
Results: Han Taiwanese and indigenous mothers differed significantly in terms of age, education, employment status, socioeconomic status, type of family, and primary postnatal helper. Han Taiwanese had better original scores in overall health-promoting lifestyle, self-actualization, stress management, nutrition, and interpersonal support. However, these differences did not achieve statistical significance when subjected to analysis of covariance. Indigenous participants had significantly higher scores in terms of health responsibility and exercise than Han Taiwanese women. Significant predictors of higher HPLP score in the Han Taiwanese group included employment status and breast-feeding, which together accounted for 8.2% of total variance. In the indigenous group, significant predictors of higher HPLP score included more years of education and middle socioeconomic status, which together accounted for 22.0% of total variance.
Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Results showed significant differences in the health responsibility and exercise subscales and significant differences in key predictors between the Han Taiwanese and the indigenous groups. Findings support the role of culture as a significant factor affecting the health-promoting lifestyle of postnatal women in Taiwan. Nurses should be aware of cultural mores and influences when delivering healthcare to postpartum mothers of different ethnic groups to maximize postnatal care efficacy.