June 19th, 2019, Kim Ho
Two in five have had suicidal thoughts
Latest YouGov Omnibus research finds that a significant proportion of Hong Kongers have experienced mental health issues.
Three in ten (31%) admit that they’ve had some form of mental health issues in their lifetime. Women are more likely to state that they have had mental health issues than men (35% vs. 27%). University degree holders also appear more likely to have had mental health issues than non-degree holders (34% vs. 27%).
Two in five (41%) have experienced suicidal thoughts. While a third (33%) ‘rarely’ have them, 8% have them frequently. Women are more likely to have suicidal thoughts than men (47% vs. 33%), and younger Hong Kongers (aged 18 to 24) tend to experience this more than older Hong Kongers (aged 55 and above) (59% vs. 26%).
The most commonly experienced mental health issues are depression (61%) and anxiety (50%). However, only half (51%) of those with mental health issues go on to seek professional help. Men are more likely to seek help than women (54% vs. 48%).
The main barrier to getting professional help is cost (45%), followed by being unsure of where to get help (41%). Other reasons include concerns about time commitment (38%) and embarrassment or social stigma (34%).
Overall, Hong Kongers tend to treat mental health seriously. A large majority (92%) think that mental health should be taken as seriously as physical health. Almost nine in ten (87%) agree that mental health should be covered by insurance and the same amount think that employees ought to be entitled to medical leave for mental health issues.
Jake Gammon, Head of Omnibus APAC at YouGov Omnibus commented: “Many people with mental health issues suffer in silence, as seen by the significant amount of people who choose not to seek help. What is surprising is the significant amount of Hong Kongers who have struggled with their mental health. We hope this survey sheds light on the topic of mental health and how it affects people differently.”
***Results based on 816 Hong Kongers surveyed by YouGov Omnibus