For a better approach to mental well-being, Hong Kong society needs to work together
Paul Yip hopes the next chief executive will use innovative methods and community resources to address mental health concerns in a shared society ideal
Mental health is one of the major public concerns in our city. The first-ever Hong Kong Mental Morbidity Survey, which interviewed more than 5,700 people aged 16-75 between 2010 and 2013, found that nearly one in seven suffered from common mental disorders, such as anxiety or depression.
The Asia-Pacific Mental Health and Integration Index, published last October, ranked Hong Kong seventh among 15 regional peers in having an effective mental health policy. And the city has less than five psychiatrists serving every 100,000 people, far below the median rate in other high-income economies.
With a rapidly ageing society, we need to invest in every part of the system – from medical services to social care. These should be adequately funded, supported and working well to meet the demand.
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Staff shortages must be addressed and care better integrated. We need real and urgent investment in heath and social care, and a long-term sustainable plan to protect the population.
Protesters including members of the Alliance of Ex-mentally Ill of Hong Kong demonstrate at the Equal Opportunities Commission against derogatory remarks made by University of Science and Technology professor Francis Lui and columnist Chris Wat about the mentally disabled, last May. Lui criticised localist activists for having “a personality disorder”, while Wat called a pro-independence party a “group of mentally ill people”. Photo: Nora Tam
The mental well-being of our schoolchildren is one of our major concerns. We should employ the power of government as a force for good to transform the way we deal with mental health problems across all levels of society – not just limited to medical health services, but in our classrooms, at work and in our communities.
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The Education Bureau should create space and nurture student’s resilience, as well as recognise their talent, instead of only caring about academic achievements.
Students of the Chinese YMCA Primary School in Tin Shui Wai attend a talk on brain health in July 2014. Photo: May Tse
