Hong Kong protests leaving journalists, property management staff with higher rates of anxiety and depression, study finds

Almost a third of all journalists and property management staff surveyed had signs of mental health issues

The Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists said it is due to the ongoing social unrest, and urged the government to provide more support services

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Riot police officer aims pepper spray at journalists during an anti-government protest. A new survey found journalists and property managers’ mental health was impacted by the unrest. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 12:59pm, 4 Jan 2020Updated: 9:22am, 10 Jan 2020

Months of protests and escalating violence in Hong Kong have taken a toll on the mental health of journalists, property management staff and the wider public, according to a new study.

The survey of 784 people from October to December, conducted by the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists to understand the impact of the ongoing unrest, found that journalists and property managers were more likely to exhibit signs of depression and anxiety.

Of the 134 respondents from the “vulnerable group” – journalists and property management staff, who were more likely to be exposed to social unrest – 29.8 per cent showed signs of depression and 28 per cent had symptoms of anxiety.

“Their ratios of having such problems were much higher than ordinary people,” said Dr Phyllis Chan Kwok-ling, the college’s vice-president of general affairs.

Journalists duck as police fire a water cannon at anti-government protesters. Photo: May Tse

Of the 118 members of the public surveyed, 22.3 per cent showed signs of depression and 25.9 per cent exhibited anxiety.