Hong Kong records 22 teenage suicide attempts or deaths in 3 months, double the number in same period in 2022: university
- University analysis finds 20 of out 22 cases took place just after the start of new school year, with expert saying teens struggled to adapt after pandemic
- ‘The Covid-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts on youths’ personal growth and interpersonal relationships, both with classmates and teachers,’ scholar says
Almost two dozen Hong Kong teenagers attempted suicide or took their own lives in the past three months, double the number recorded for the same period last year, a city university has said.
Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, founding director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), on Tuesday said the surge in cases was due to students struggling to adapt to life after the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also called for schools and parents to take immediate action.
“The trend is rising and very worrying,” he said. “We have seen more cases, more impulsive [methods of suicide] and involving a younger population.”
A university analysis of media reports found 22 teenagers attempted suicide or killed themselves between August and October. A further breakdown of the data found 20 of the cases happened between September and October, just after the start of the school year.