-
Advertisement
Mental health
OpinionLetters

Letters | Use telehealth to help Hong Kong youth handle mental health issues

  • Telehealth services can be a more effective way for the government to support mental health among the city’s students

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Telehealth services are being discussed for the elderly in Hong Kong but could also be a boon to youth looking for mental health support. Photo: Shutterstock
Letters
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification.
We refer to the letter “With Hong Kong schools shut, here’s how parents can help children cope with pandemic-related stress” (February 21). We believe school suspensions have had overwhelmingly negative consequences for Hong Kong’s children, leading to increased levels of stress and anxiety. In a study, 64 per cent of surveyed children reported experiencing negative feelings during the school suspensions and 60 per cent said they felt unhappy owing to lack of social contact with their friends as a result of studying from home. Moreover, a survey released in late January showed that 32 per cent of young people wanted mental health support.

As university students ourselves, we are concerned as to whether the government has properly planned for the impact of its pandemic containment measures on young people who are the future of our society. Although we learned from the Education Bureau about its dedicated website which has a few videos containing advice on Covid-19 and e-resources such as posters and pamphlets, some of these resources have not been updated since 2019.

Advertisement
While updating the website could be useful to a certain extent, we argue that a more effective, hands-on approach should be adopted to support the mental health of schoolchildren. One resource which the government should consider is telehealth.

Since zero-Covid measures are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, adopting telehealth should be both an immediate and longer-term strategy for the Education Bureau. A clinical research study conducted in the United States in 2020 suggests telehealth can be useful in delivering psychiatry and mental health support services for children.

Advertisement

In Hong Kong, telemedicine is being weighed as an option for the elderly. However, as children tend to be more familiar with technology than the elderly, telehealth services would be particularly appropriate for this age group. Also, teachers can make use of telehealth channels to contact educational social workers or professional medical staff about the students they are concerned for.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x