weekly
Written by: Huang Shunyang
2021-01-07 18:00
Last update date: 2021-01-07 18:00
Everyone expects physical health, and mental health is an indispensable part of it.
According to estimates by the Hospital Authority, one out of every seven citizens in Hong Kong suffers from a common mental disorder or disease; however, whenever mental illness or mental problems are mentioned, many people avoid talking about them, and even keep away from patients. What's more, even if you have mental problems, you usually don't seek medical treatment.
Why is the public's low desire for help?
Is there any deficiency in mental health education?
Between May and August last year, Tung Wah College and the Hong Kong Mental Health Organization conducted online questionnaire surveys with 516 citizens aged 18 or above to understand their mental condition and seeking help during the epidemic. Nearly 45% of the respondents were interviewed. Be 35 years old or younger.
The survey found that nearly 50% of respondents have symptoms of anxiety or depression. It is worth noting that less than 20% of those who are willing to actively seek help after being aware of the relevant symptoms.
Even if they ask for help, they are mainly family members (60%) and friends (24%). Only about 20% of the respondents ask for help from general practitioners.
Tung Wah College Vice President (Academic) Lin Deming once said at a press conference that these figures not only reflect the low desire of Hong Kong people to ask for help, but the primary medical system also fails to function when the public needs it. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen mental health at the primary medical level. Services, while strengthening public education and promotion.
Stigma hinders help
When Lin Deming was interviewed by "Hong Kong 01", he specifically mentioned that the interviewees had low awareness of seeking help, reflecting the lack of "mental health literacy" in society, which involved three levels of recognition, cognitive and attitude:
.
Recognition ability: the ability of individuals and groups to recognize mental health problems;
.
Cognitive ability: awareness of the crisis that constitutes a mental health problem, understanding of the cause, and the ability to self-regulate and seek professional help;
.
Attitudes: Individuals, groups, and society's perceptions of mental health problems and seeking help for them.
"Hong Kong's overall mental health cognitive ability has always been low. People often don't understand their mental status, can't recognize symptoms early, and don't know they have mental health risks." He said that patients often need help without knowing it, and their family members often do not know it. Can detect.
On the other hand, the social atmosphere of friendly treatment of mental patients can encourage patients to seek medical treatment as soon as possible, but Hong Kong people have not taken off their colored glasses for many years.
"There is a problem of stigmatization of people at high risk (mental health problems) in society. Hong Kong people often say, "It's a green mountain out of the sky", which makes patients afraid to admit it; even if they know that their family members have mental problems, they will not seek help. Because family ugliness can’t go out.” Lin Deming took a cold as an example, saying that patients don’t mind explaining to others, and they will wear masks to protect themselves and others. However, the general public avoids patients with mental illnesses that can also be cured, which is obviously wrong.
However, if the general public has a cold, they can seek medical treatment in clinics everywhere, but if there is a mental health or emotional problem, they do not know which phone to call or which clinic to go to.
Why is this happening?
What does the SAR Government, which has the most resources and should be committed to promoting the mental health of its citizens, do?
One out of every seven citizens in Hong Kong suffers from a common mental disorder or disease. However, people often avoid talking about mental problems.
Photo by Ou Jia Le
Mental health literacy's recognition ability, cognitive ability and attitude derive numerous problems.
As early as ten years ago, the government had opened 24 comprehensive mental health community centers in the community to provide community support for people recovering from mental health, people suspected of having mental health problems, and their families.
The Hong Kong government has reviewed mental health policies. The Mental Health Review Committee led by the Secretary for Food and Health was established in May 2013. After four years of research, the "Mental Health Review Report" was published in April 2017, and 40 items were proposed. Suggested measures include formulating long-term mental health promotion strategies, strengthening general psychiatric services, exploring the feasibility of public-private collaboration, and establishing a permanent advisory committee.
In terms of public education and promotion, the Department of Health launched a three-year territory-wide sexual mental health promotion program "Good Mood@HK" in January 2016 to popularize mental health knowledge; now the program has been "Shall We Talk" Plan to succeed.
It is a pity that the public generally do not have a deep understanding of the plan, and only stay on TV commercials and posters posted at MTR stations. This makes people doubt the effectiveness of these promotion plans. The plan website is mainly to provide information, and the activities in recent years have not been widely known. Can it break the social phenomenon that has long neglected mental health?
Lin Deming never forgets to add: "In fact, the government has been actively investing resources to establish a platform to emphasize the importance of mental health to the society through the media." As an educator, he feels that primary and secondary schools and even colleges and universities play a very important role in mental health education. Role: "(The school) teaches students preventive mental health knowledge and cultivates their cognitive abilities during their growth stage. Even if there are signs of mental health problems, students can know the way to seek help."
In recent years, the Department of Health has cooperated with the Education Bureau to launch the "Good Mood@School" project, which has funded more than 400 schools through the "Quality Education Fund". Universities have also launched a series of projects related to healthy school campaigns.
Lin Deming is concerned about how to maintain mental health after entering the workplace from campus?
Lin Deming, Vice President (Academic) of Donghua University, provided by interviewee
Most companies don't pay attention
Hong Kong has long been rated as the city with the longest working hours in the world. Hong Kong people work under a lot of pressure, and some people have serious mental distress. The sudden epidemic has made it difficult for many citizens to adapt.
In fact, preventive mental health education is needed at any stage of life. Therefore, relevant education needs to penetrate the workplace and the community to gradually break the stigma of mental health problems.
"Workplace mental health (workplace mental health) is very common abroad, but in Hong Kong it very much depends on whether the company is willing to take this responsibility." Lin Deming pointed out that Hong Kong's workplace mental health started relatively late. In recent years, the government has promoted and promoted it. Most companies don't take it seriously, and their understanding of "occupational health responsibility" often sheds light on "occupational safety and health." Only a small number of companies are willing to take responsibility.
In fact, the Department of Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Bureau started the "Good Mood@健康工作间" project as early as 2016, through the provision of "attendance-style" workplace mental health workshops, lectures, consultation services for individual institutions, and mental health first aid training A series of activities such as certificate-based courses and health courses (see table) promote mental health, healthy diet and regular physical activity.
As of the end of November last year, 1,953 organizations participated in the plan.
However, many projects have limited participation quotas, few times and short time, and institutions must participate at their own expense when they are full.
Take the "attendance-style" workshop as an example. Each organization has only one free opportunity to participate in two years. The number of places and the number of people is also limited. If the limit is exceeded, a lottery decision or self-funded participation is required; as for the basic mental health first aid training course, each The institution can send up to three people to enroll in two years. The actual effectiveness and the number of beneficiaries are doubtful.
The government also launched a new round of the "Mental Health Workplace Charter" (hereinafter referred to as the "Charter") in November 2019, advocating the establishment of a positive working environment, cultivating mental health awareness, and establishing a friendly working environment for people with mental health problems.
Organizations that promise to complete the tasks of promoting mental health in the workplace, such as holding family gatherings and exchange activities for employees, mental health seminars, etc., can be awarded the title of "Mental Health Friendly Organization".
However, the signing of the "Chart" is voluntary and non-binding. For one thing, there is no guarantee that the company will implement the promised project. Secondly, only 472 organizations have signed it, including government agencies. The level of participation is low and the effectiveness is hard to say.
"If employers don't understand that paying attention to employees' health is an obligation of the company and cannot see the benefits behind it, small and medium-sized enterprises that lack resources or companies that value immediate returns are naturally unwilling to participate."
However, Lin Deming believes that these interventional projects should not be enforced. It always requires companies to truly consider their employees in order to be effective: "It's not that employees can see the results after listening to lectures and participating in workshops. This is a long-term investment."
In addition to workplaces and campuses, the government also needs to establish a territory-wide mental health promotion plan.
Avoid falling into a vicious circle
Lin Deming believes that the current community-level mental health education in Hong Kong is dominated by non-governmental organizations, and there is still a lack of a comprehensive and systematic universal mental health plan, as well as scientific evaluation tools to review the effectiveness of the measures.
He suggested that the government refer to the "forty-five up" follow-up mental health survey carried out by Australia, collect data to grasp the actual effect of mental health policies on the whole generation, and continue to reflect, revise and implement more complete policies.
Mental health cognitive ability may cause many mild cases to fail to be treated early and worsen into serious illnesses. First, it takes longer to recover. Second, it will increase the medical burden and waiting time, forming a vicious circle.
Lin Deming suggested that the government should refer to overseas practices and speed up the implementation of Mental Health First Aid education courses to infiltrate mental health education to different age groups.
The curriculum was first advocated by the University of Melbourne, Australia. At first, it was only for adults, and then gradually extended to all ages, offering courses on campus, workplace, and community.
The course is designed to improve the overall mental health cognitive ability of the society, to help individuals and groups to identify mental health risks and signs. Before serious diseases are formed, they will be involved in listening, encouraging and referral, and the corresponding experts will be used as early as possible. For diagnosis, such as clinical depression patients who need medication, they should be referred to psychologists and psychiatrists for medication as soon as possible.
Lin Deming reiterated: "If the government does not improve the cognitive ability of society's overall mental health from the source, the vicious circle will only become more serious."
The above is excerpted from the 246th issue of "Hong Kong 01" Weekly Report (January 4, 2021) "The lack of mental health education, Hong Kong people are mentally ill without knowing it". If you want to read the full text, please
click here to
sample the weekly newsletter and browse more in-depth reports.
Highlights of the 247 issue of "Hong Kong 01" Weekly News:
The Roman-style cistern is in danger of being demolished, and the government's conservation thinking needs to be updated
Do not deepen the conflicts and negative emotions between the two places, Li Zhiying's bail dispute
The court has already judged the case in accordance with the law. Political operation still needs to be eliminated to clarify the "12 Hong Kongers"
The lack of mental health education Hong Kong people are mentally ill and don’t know it
"Hegemony" costs the U.S. to fall into the "dollar trap"
What is the role of the central bank's digital currency landing in Hong Kong?
"Post-New Crown" Geopolitical New Frontier Powers Betting on Biomedical Development
"Cell meat" is approved to be listed next step, artificial breast milk?
01 Weekly report in-depth report on the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law, demonstrations against new coronary pneumonia, mental health