- Online poll in July by HK.WeCARE yields average index score of 5.88 on scale of 10, down from last year’s 6.59
- Researcher says time needed to ‘repair damage caused’, with people ‘rushed to return to normality’
Hongkongers are not as happy as they were a decade ago, a survey has found. Photo: May TseHongkongers’ happiness levels have plunged to a decade low, according to a survey by an advocacy group which suggests residents are struggling with a “post-traumatic situation” in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a July online poll conducted by HK.WeCARE – a concern group under Wofoo Social Enterprises – on more than 1,200 respondents, the average score out of 10 on a general happiness index was 5.88, down from last year’s 6.59.
“Although the pandemic has ended, it takes time to repair the damage that was caused globally,” said Professor Simon Lam Ching, an adviser to the group and associate dean of Tung Wah College’s nursing school.
“There was a lot of tolerance during Covid – people could get seven days of sick leave without producing a certificate, they can work from home if needed, and there were many subsidies to help people survive the hardest times … But all these are gone now, and people are rushed to return to normality, which can be overwhelming and stressful.”
The survey involved 1,283 people and comprised 74 questions on social well-being, satisfaction with external factors, self-rated health and depressive symptoms, among other categories.
More than half of respondents were found to have moderate to severe levels of depressive symptoms, with 10 per cent feeling down, depressed or hopeless almost daily.
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The self-rated mental health status of carers was particularly alarming, at only 5.53 out of 10, compared with 6.08 among others.
Those taking care of the elderly and children with chronic illnesses or special needs scored the lowest among all carers, at 5.31.
Respondents also reported a lower satisfaction score with the external environment compared with the previous year. They were most unhappy with government policies and the sociopolitical situation, with that category yielding a score of less than 4.3.
Social welfare lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen, also the co-chairman of the group, called on authorities to resolve social conflicts, apart from splashing cash to boost the economy.
“I hope the government can listen to voices of different people and strive to reach a consensus among various parties, that would be helpful in fostering a healthy social atmosphere and improve people’s mental health,” he said.
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“Good mental health is also crucial to productivity at work … It would be great if companies could devise more carer-friendly policies, for example more leave and flexible hours.”
He warned that a recent emigration wave had also led to an increase in high-risk families with elderly or disabled people looking after each other under one roof. Tik called for stronger community support for such households, especially on the emotional front.