The Study of the Relationship between Swimmer?s Self-Reported Health and Specialization

[[abstract]]For the purpose of health promotion, swimming is an effective sport to combine leisure, fitness, weight loss, and increasing the function of physical fitness. Taiwan is surrounded by the sea with long and hot summer; swimming becomes an importantly recreational sport for Taiwanese. Most of past swimming researches were the participant motivation, participant attitude, special illness influenced by swimming, and consumer behavior and satisfactions. Few researches were focused on the relationships between swimmers? health and specializations. The objective of this research was to realize the relationship between swimmer?s self-reported health and specialization by Short Form 36 (SF-36). Four hundred and twenty-five people were selected in this cross-sectional, descriptive study by using a structured questionnaire. Four hundred and seven valid data were used to analyze as the results, the valid corresponding rate was 95.76%. The surveys were conducted during the period of March to April 2009. The results of this study were the followings: 1. Most surveyed swimmers were assessed as the middle specialization; the percentage was 53.1%, 36.6% and 10.3% of the surveyed ones were graded as the middle level, new and the highest level of specialization, separately. 2. The swimmer?s physical functioning (PF), mental health (MH), vitality (VT) and general health (GH) were positively related to their specialization. 3. To take exercise to promote health, to maintain or promote physical fitness and to relax stress were the top three swimmer?s motivations. 4. No time, lack of companions and swimming pool far away from home were the top three swimmer?s constraints. According to the results of this research, we can encourage people to participate swimming to improve their health