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Towards a More Inclusive Hong Kong:
An Academic Study on Mental Health Policy for Ethnic Minority Elderly
Background
Despite the pressing need, academic research on the mental health focusing on ethnic minority elderly in Hong Kong is scarce. A couple of key challenges are evident: the underutilization of scientific theories in this field, and the difficulty in obtaining a representative sample of this population. Consequently, the conduction of effective social interventions and policies remains limited due to a lack of robust scientific evidence.
In response to this critical research gap, our project emerges as a high-quality academic initiative aiming to harness leading theories, measurement tools, and sampling methods to conduct a large-scale survey alongside in-depth interviews. The objective is to investigate the mental health status as well as the risk and resilience factors among ethnic minority elderly in Hong Kong. This project aims not only to fill the existing knowledge gap but also contribute to the well-being of ethnic minority elderly in our society. Furthermore, the insights from this academic endeavor will guide and elevate our design and implementation of our community projects.
Our Vision
Gain Scientific Insights into the Mental Health of Ethnic Minorities in Hong Kong
Through scientific surveys and interviews, we will collect representative data to assess and compare the mental health of elderly individuals from Chinese and South Asian backgrounds, including Indian, Nepalese, and Pakistani populations. We will also investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health, aiming to identify effective strategies to mitigate the pandemic’s negative effects and promote better mental health outcomes for these communities.
Offer Guideline for Social Policies to Strengthen the Ethnic Minority Communities
Our study aims to analyze and identify the specific social support needs among elderly individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds. We aim to propose suitable social support measures derived from their close social networks and the broader living community. These innovative recommendations will be integrated into the policy-making process in Hong Kong and the services provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Scientific Methods for Data Collection
Our project aims to reach out to 900 elderly individuals in Hong Kong (among whom at least 300 will be from ethnic minority groups). We have secured support from the Hong Kong government’s Census and Statistics Department for sampling. To ensure the research’s rigor, we will use a mixed-method approach, including random stratified sampling surveys, Respondent Driven Sampling surveys, and qualitative research methods. These methods will help us collect diverse and reliable data for our study.
The Hong Kong Elderly Well-being Survey (HKEWS)
One core component of this project is the Hong Kong Elderly Well-being Survey. This survey focuses on four major issues concerning elderly (age 65+) in Hong Kong among diversity, well-being, COVID-19 and elderly care.
For more information in our survey, please email to: hkews@ust.hk
