According to statistics published in 1995, Taitung County's mortality rates per 100,000 residents-irrespective of the cause of death-were considerably higher than other parts of Taiwan. Taitung also topped the lists in another unfortunate category: the incidence of malignant tumors. Even in recent years, 600 county patients enter the late stages of cancer annually, and their mean residual life expectancy is more than 10 years less than that of Taipei City residents.
以台東縣而言，根據 1995 年的統計顯示，該縣每 10 萬人口死亡率（無論是哪一項死因）比台灣地區高出很多，罹患惡性腫瘤的人口比率竄升速度亦是全台之冠，如今每年平均仍有 600 位癌末病人，平均餘命則比台北市民少了 10 年以上。