Page 55 - 2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

04 ｜ Health Care

(5) To ensure equitable oral health care for the entire year, oral health surveys were completed for 6
population, a national oral health monitoring residential facilities, and oral care counseling
survey was conducted. The caries prevalence sessions were provided to 108 facilities.
among 5-year-old children decreased from
79.32% in 2011 to 65.43% in 2018. The Chapter 2 Mental Health and
decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth Psychiatric Care
index among 12-year-old students decreased
from 3.31 in 2000 to 2.01 in 2020. Section 1 Mental Health Promotion
2. Enhancing Dental Services and Care for Person 1. MOHW's "Wellbeing" mental health learning
with Special Needs platform is a source of related learning resources
(1) The Integrated Dental Care Program for People and contains information on professional mental
with Special Needs was conducted, with seven health counseling services across Taiwan. In 2023,
demonstration centers (including National Taiwan the website received a total of 432,565 visitors.
University Hospital, Shuang Ho Hospital, Chung 2. To facilitate better wellbeing and mental health for
Shan Medical University Hospital, National the public, in 2023, the MOHW collaborated with 22
Cheng Kung University Hospital, Kaohsiung local departments of health to provide psychological
Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, counseling for 31,266 callers.
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University 3. The 1925 hotline (homonymous with "still love
Hospital, Mennonite Christian Hospital,) and me" in Chinese) offers 24-hour free psychological
25 hospitals were subsidized in 2023, with an counseling services. In 2023, it assisted a total
average of approximately 4,695 patients served of 114,138 individuals, providing psychological
each month. support and the necessary mental health resources
(2) Throughout the nation, 94 designated hospitals to 19,597 individuals with suicidal thoughts. It also
were appointed to provide special dental successfully intervened in 1,066 cases involving
outpatient clinics for individuals with disabilities, individuals preparing or attempting suicide.
in accordance with the "Regulations on the 4. The MOHW continued to implement reporting of
Management of Special Clinics for Persons with all suicide-related cases, arranged outreach visits,
Disabilities." helped people with risk of suicide. In 2023, a total
(3) To integrate oral care services for patients 47,733 reports were received, and caring visits were
with conditions such as stroke, tracheostomy, conducted for 327,209 individuals.
nasogastric tube or head and neck surgery, 5. In 2023,the number of suicide deaths was 3,898,
whereby 5 hospitals were guided to include oral with a standardized mortality rate of 12.7 per
care assessment in their discharge preparations. 100,000 population, as shown in Figure 4-3. The
This initiative aimed to enhance the patients' long-term trend has been declining since the peak
ability to practice oral care and skills upon back in 2006, and it has been out of the top ten leading
to the community. Additionally, 5 hospitals causes of death for 14 consecutive years since
established comprehensive care teams for oral 2010. Overall, the standardized suicide rate in
cancer patients, developing quality indicators Taiwan has decreased from over 13 per 100,000
and care standard operating procedures to population, which indicated a high prevalence
enhance the integrity of professional care. region, to a moderately high prevalence region. We

(4) In 2023, a study was conducted to assess the will continue to strengthen the preventive policies,
oral health status of residents in our country's such as enhancing the social safety net.
residential facilities. The study aimed to explore 6. According to the United Nations' "2024 World
their oral care needs and the level of oral health Happiness Report," which assesses various
knowledge among caregivers. During the indicators such as life evaluations, positive

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