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A survey by the Department of Health has found that some 2.8 percent of Hong Kong students have planned to commit suicide in the past 12 months, with a higher percentage among secondary students.
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The figure came after the department assessed 233,000 primary school pupils and 97,000 secondary school students, looking at their growth, vision, hearing, psychosocial health and behavior.
According to self-administered questionnaires collected from the students, 2.8 percent of them reported thinking about committing suicide in the last academic year, while 1.3 percent – or almost 4,300 – said they had attempted to take their own lives.
The department said healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, clinical psychologists in the Student Health Service Centres and Special Assessment Centres have paid additional attention to students' emotions and mental health needs, and provided individual health counseling and advice to students.
The Adolescent Health Programme team of the Student Health Service also visited 279 secondary schools in the last academic year in the form of an outreach service to promote psychosocial and mental well-being of students, helping them to build basic life skills and resilience to life stresses.
Meanwhile, the health assessment found that 20.5 percent of secondary school students were overweight, as were 19.5 percent of primary school pupils.
Students’ eyesight were found to be deteriorating in recent years, especially among lower-grade primary pupils. The department’s assessment found that 15 percent of primary one students had to wear corrective lenses, a four percent increase from the 2019/20 school year.
The department suggested that the Covid-19 epidemic had increased students’ risk of being overweight and led to their deteriorated vision.
"During the Covid-19 epidemic, class suspension, online classes, decreased outdoor physical activity, together with increased screen time, all imposed higher risks of overweight or obesity and deteriorated vision," the department said, calling on students to enroll in its annual health assessment service.
If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, help is available. Dial 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or 2382 2007 for Suicide Prevention Services.
You can also call Suicide Prevention Services at 2382 0000 or CEASE Crisis Centre of Tung Wah Groups of Hospitals at 18281.
The government hotline 18111 can provide support for people with mental health needs and render immediate mental health support and referral services.
