Almost 30 per cent of people from South Asian and Southeast Asian backgrounds were at “high-risk” of developing a mental health disorder such as depression, anxiety or insomnia, a survey has found. Many respondents cited the cost of professional help and “language and cultural barriers” as reasons they would not seek help.
A total of 273 Hong Kong residents of South Asian and Southeast Asian ethnicity were interviewed from January to August last year by the Hong Kong Christian Service(HKCS), the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) psychiatry department, and the department of social work at the University of Hong Kong (HKU).
The survey found that 22.8 per cent of respondents were at high risk of depression, 13.6 were at high risk of anxiety, and 12.2 per cent were at high risk of insomnia, according to results published on Thursday. Sleep quality was measured because of the impact that poor sleep has on mental health, a presentation shown at Thursday’s press conference showed.
Overall, 28.6 per cent were at high risk of developing at least one disorder, the survey found.
Respondents were also asked about potential barriers to them seeking professional mental health care, with nearly 70 per cent saying that the cost would put them off. Additionally, 56 per cent said that “language and cultural barriers” were possible obstacles, while 37 per cent said they simply did not know where to seek help.
More than 40 per cent responded that they considered mental health issues to be “shameful,” and a similar number believed that such problems would go away on their own.
Working men, whether in full-time employment or self-employed, were more affected by these obstacles, researchers found, making them less likely to seek help and putting them at greater risk of developing mental health issues.
In light of their findings, the researchers recommended that employers participate in the voluntary Employee Assistance Programme, provided by the HKCS, which offers services to staff. They also suggested the government and relevant organisations improve ethnic minorities’ understanding of mental health services available through Hong Kong’s public health care system, while also improving those services and recruiting more ethnic minority frontline staff.
“Cultural diversity and sensitivity is about recognising and respecting the differences and protecting the rights of the underprivileged,” Paul Wong, associate professor and clinical psychologist from HKU’s social work department said in a statement released on Thursday.
“When social service providers have cultural diversity and sensitivity, it helps avoid prejudices or stereotypes, making the service more friendly.”
Mental health in Hong Kong was forced front of mind last June after two women were fatally stabbed in a shopping mall in an apparently random attack. Following their deaths, the government put forward “enhanced measures” to improve mental health support in the city.
However, access to mental health professionals has proved an issue, with public psychiatry services in such high demand that appointments last around five minutes.
There are, however, various other service providers and platforms, including one launched by CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine, called Salamat.
“The multi-lingual online platform caters for the specific needs of ethnic minorities,” assistant professor from CUHK’s psychiatry department Steven Chau said in a statement. Users are screened and then, if they consent, referred to other organisations for follow-up services.
| 💡If you are in need of support, please call: The Samaritans 2896 0000 (24-hour, multilingual), Suicide Prevention Centre 2382 0000 or the government mental health hotline on 18111. The Hong Kong Society of Counselling and Psychology provides a WhatsApp hotline in English and Chinese: 6218 1084. See also: HKFP’s comprehensive guide to mental health services in Hong Kong. |
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