Hong Kong happiness declines, survey shows, with quality of life sinking and ‘alarming’ results for mental health amid protest crisis

Results of annual poll lower than last year, with scores falling for quality of life categories, governance and the political and social situation

More troubling: around 18.5 per cent of respondents exhibited moderately severe to severe symptoms of depression

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Hong Kong happiness declines amid ‘alarming’ mental health issues, survey finds. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 8:00am, 11 Oct 2019Updated: 9:30am, 11 Oct 2019

About 40 per cent of Hongkongers showed symptoms of depression, according to a survey of the city’s happiness levels and mental health.

The findings came a day after another survey sponsored by the government also found Hongkongers’ mental health has deteriorated to its worst level in eight years.

The results of the annual poll, presented on Thursday by non-profit group HK.WeCare, showed this year’s happiness index to be 6.15, a drop of 0.39 from last year. On a scale of one to 10, about 48 per cent of those surveyed gave a happiness score of seven or above, while 17 per cent gave a score of four or below.

Satisfaction scores for quality of life also fell from last year. Under that section, the average scores dropped by 1.47 on Hong Kong’s political and social situation, 0.62 on its economy, and declined by 1.59 on the city’s governance. Law and order, a new category this year, scored 4.06 out of 10.

The HK.WeCare General Happiness Index, conducted since 2015, is made up of five parts: happiness level, internal factors, external factors, happiness-increasing activity and depressive symptoms based on PHQ-9, a depression severity metric.

Under these circumstances, all scores will be lower

Dr Lam Ching, assistant professor at Polytechnic University’s School of Nursing

Dr Simon Lam Ching, an assistant professor at Polytechnic University’s School of Nursing, said the city’s ongoing protest movement contributed to the latest results.