The major causes of adolescent mortality and morbidity are not diseases, but preventable health risk behaviors such as intentional injuries, suicidal ideation or attempt. Recent researchers have shown that other health risk behaviours apart from depression and hopelessness also place the adolescents at risk of suicidal ideation and behaviour.

　　In 2001, a Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (YRBS) was conducted by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion amongst a total of 7,192 Hong Kong students from 16 primary schools and 18 secondary schools from school network of the Centre which composes schools of different academic levels in different geographical areas throughout the territory. The key findings include:

• The high risk factors which influenced the suicidal ideation include: Self-harm, early sexual experience, drug abuse, depression, gender (female), violence, satisfaction with life scale and exercise.
• The high risk factors which influenced the suicidal behaviour include: Self-harm, suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months, smoking, gender (female), violence in the past 30 days, violence in the past 12 months and depression.
• Regular exercise and life satisfaction are the protective factors which could trim down the problem of suicidal ideation and depression.

　　In 2003, the Centre conducted another related research. A total of 3,498 students, graded Form 1 to Form 6 from 17 secondary schools selected by random sampling, have participated in the study. The findings indicated that:

• 29.2% of the students had a feeling of depression and hopelessness in 2 consecutive weeks in the past 12 months and 11.4% of them considered their emotion problem influenced their daily life and social activities;
• 11.1% had suicidal ideation in the past 12 months;
• 9.1% thought about how to commit suicide in the past 12 months;
• 4.0% have attempted suicide few times in the past 12 months by wrist slitting or drug abuse.

　　The findings of another study demonstrated that satisfaction with life and perceived family relationships have direct or indirect effect on depression.

　　These findings suggest the need for a more supportive and positive environment especially at schools with strong psychosocial correlation with health compromising behaviours. The results of these studies would also alert the professionals working on youth and also family physicians by early identification of those adolescents at risk. As well, schools and communities can provide an important avenue for health education and health promotion programs that aim to reduce the youth risk behaviors. The concept of 'Health Promoting Schools' emphasizing holistic and school based approach would be beneficial for personal development of students. The Centre will continue its effort to dedicate to promote health via the 'Healthy Schools Programme' to enhance students' physical, mental and social health through a holistic approach.

return to press release index
return to homepage