Heartbreaking data on teen girls

Adelyn Lau

Hong Kong's suicide rate remained high last year - 13.6 deaths per 100,000 population - with a significant rise observed among teenage girls but a decline in elderly women, according to the Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of the University of Hong Kong.

On World Suicide Prevention Day yesterday, center director Paul Yip Siu-fai said the overall suicide rate, based on Coroner's Court data, remained comparatively high. The rate was 13.7 in 2022.

Fluctuations were observed across various age groups, particularly among the elderly and teenagers, he added. Alarmingly, there was a considerable surge among teens aged under 15, particularly among girls, with the rate rising from 0.9 in 2022 to 2.9 in 2023.

"Rising suicidal trend among youngsters is not a Hong Kong-specific problem," said Yip, adding New York, Tokyo and Singapore face the same issue. He called for comprehensive societal support to create a campus environment centered on well-being, allowing students to learn in a pleasant atmosphere rather than focusing solely on academic achievement.

Yip also urged schools to actively engage with the Education Bureau's "4RS Mental Health Charter" - rest, relaxation, relationship and resilience - by organizing related activities.

While 81 percent of teens who committed suicide had no recorded psychiatric problems, he said the public usually "medicalizes" the issue.

Regarding cases of those aged below 15, the center saw a growing number in cases reported amid the resumption of face-to-face classes in February 2023.

The situation is getting intense among females, whose suicide rate rose from 0.5 in 2022 to 4.2 in 2023, or an eightfold uptick.

The trend among teens may be due to the mental health post-pandemic, as some have struggled to adapt to the school environment and rebuild their social support networks, said Lisa Ho Sin-hang, the center's training consultant and clinical psychologist.

She said the rising suicide rate among females under 15 could also be linked to the onset of puberty and hormonal changes.

Teenage girls may experience greater emotional instability due to the pressures of readjusting to school life, Ho added.

Additionally, 72 percent of teens committed suicide at home, while Kwun Tong and Kowloon City were identified as hotspots, according to the center.

On the flip side, the report indicated a 25.9 percent decrease in suicides among women over 60 in 2023, which might be linked to the elderly reengaging with society and participating in community activities post-pandemic, said Justin Leung Wing-tong, program manager at Suicide Prevention Services.

adelyn.lau@singtaonewscorp.com