One in 10 Hong Kong primary pupils suffer from serious depression, survey shows
Alarming survey by the Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service predicts that more than 33,000 schoolchildren may be suffering from ‘major depressive disorder’
About one in 10 primary schoolchildren in Hong Kong have symptoms of serious depression and should be given medical treatment, according to a survey of more than 1,300 pupils released on Sunday.
The survey by the Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service also found that 21.7 per cent of the schoolchildren polled complained of constant stress, up 5.5 percentage points from a similar poll last year and also a three-year high.
The agency advised parents to care more for their children, help them broaden their social circles, and teach them how to deal with bullying and say no to bullies in school.
The poll was conducted between January and March this year and covered 1,301 Primary Three to Primary Six pupils in 14 schools. The pupils were asked a set of questions about their school and family life, and the researchers measured their risks of suffering from anxiety and depression.
Half of 3,441 Hong Kong students polled show signs of depression
According to the findings, about 9.7 per cent of the pupils were found to feel down and lose interest in activities most of the time, on most days of the week – two of the major symptoms of having “major depressive disorder”.