Hong Kong recorded 1,138 suicides last year, the highest number since 2003, with the rate for men aged 30 to 49 jumping sharply in a 12-month period, an NGO said on Saturday.
The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong released the findings of its analysis of the Coroner's Court's data, which showed a 4% rise in the number of deaths from suicide compared with 2023. It urged society to maintain its focus on mental health and called for enhanced preventive efforts and support services.
Heymans Wong Hon-chi, the organisation's chairman, said the suicide rate hit 15.1 per 100,000 people last year, the highest since 2003, adding that there were about 3.12 suicide deaths per day in Hong Kong on average.
He said the suicide rate among men aged 30 to 39 rose from 19.05 in 2023 to 24.38 last year. The rate for men aged 40 to 49 increased from 22.06 to 27.46.
"Men generally pay close attention to the economy and their employment prospects. We all know that the overall economic situation last year was not at its best or most ideal," Wong said.
"Men in this particular age group often carry many burdens. Other than their career achievements, they are often caregivers or the major breadwinners for their families, which intensifies their stress."
Wong said his organisation provided anonymous or online support, and encouraged people to seek help when necessary.
"Suicide and challenges do not necessarily have to be connected. We truly hope to help individuals decouple these two things," he said.
"Economic problems are not easy to solve, but I believe most problems in life are temporary. If you can go through it, you will find hope … We hope to walk alongside those in need during their most difficult times."
In 2024, there were 762 suicides involving men and 376 by women. About 37.5% of the deaths involved unemployed people, 28.13% concerned blue-collar workers and 13.13% were retirees.
The organisation's hotline handled 17,342 cases, including 11,939 requests for help, in 2024.
Wong said people aged 50 to 59 accounted for 19.52 per cent of the requests for help, the highest among all age groups.
The age group had the second-lowest suicide rate last year and the NGO would look into whether the hotline had helped reduce the figure.
For cases in which the group provided intervention, the ratio of men to women was 35 to 65, Wong said.
"It was the opposite to the ratio of men to women who committed suicide. This shows that when men encounter certain difficulties, they prefer not revealing them to others," he said.
"This also aligns with the World Health Organization saying the biggest challenge to preventing suicide was the related shame. Very often, those who have suicidal thoughts or failed suicide attempts do not wish to seek help."
Wai Choi-kei, who is in charge of the organisation's Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre, said fewer middle-aged people seeking help was another worrying sign.
Wai said that out of 558 cases handled by the centre in the first half of this year, 200 involved men, with 41 cases related to financial issues.
She said among the 41 cases, more than 70% involved middle-aged men, which indicated they bore a heavy burden amid the challenging economic environment and might experience negative thoughts.
"I urge anyone experiencing a suicide crisis or having such thoughts to seek help as early as possible," she said.
The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong released the findings of its analysis of the Coroner's Court's data, which showed a 4% rise in the number of deaths from suicide compared with 2023. It urged society to maintain its focus on mental health and called for enhanced preventive efforts and support services.
Heymans Wong Hon-chi, the organisation's chairman, said the suicide rate hit 15.1 per 100,000 people last year, the highest since 2003, adding that there were about 3.12 suicide deaths per day in Hong Kong on average.
He said the suicide rate among men aged 30 to 39 rose from 19.05 in 2023 to 24.38 last year. The rate for men aged 40 to 49 increased from 22.06 to 27.46.
"Men generally pay close attention to the economy and their employment prospects. We all know that the overall economic situation last year was not at its best or most ideal," Wong said.
"Men in this particular age group often carry many burdens. Other than their career achievements, they are often caregivers or the major breadwinners for their families, which intensifies their stress."
Wong said his organisation provided anonymous or online support, and encouraged people to seek help when necessary.
"Suicide and challenges do not necessarily have to be connected. We truly hope to help individuals decouple these two things," he said.
"Economic problems are not easy to solve, but I believe most problems in life are temporary. If you can go through it, you will find hope … We hope to walk alongside those in need during their most difficult times."
In 2024, there were 762 suicides involving men and 376 by women. About 37.5% of the deaths involved unemployed people, 28.13% concerned blue-collar workers and 13.13% were retirees.
The organisation's hotline handled 17,342 cases, including 11,939 requests for help, in 2024.
Wong said people aged 50 to 59 accounted for 19.52 per cent of the requests for help, the highest among all age groups.
The age group had the second-lowest suicide rate last year and the NGO would look into whether the hotline had helped reduce the figure.
For cases in which the group provided intervention, the ratio of men to women was 35 to 65, Wong said.
"It was the opposite to the ratio of men to women who committed suicide. This shows that when men encounter certain difficulties, they prefer not revealing them to others," he said.
"This also aligns with the World Health Organization saying the biggest challenge to preventing suicide was the related shame. Very often, those who have suicidal thoughts or failed suicide attempts do not wish to seek help."
Wai Choi-kei, who is in charge of the organisation's Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre, said fewer middle-aged people seeking help was another worrying sign.
Wai said that out of 558 cases handled by the centre in the first half of this year, 200 involved men, with 41 cases related to financial issues.
She said among the 41 cases, more than 70% involved middle-aged men, which indicated they bore a heavy burden amid the challenging economic environment and might experience negative thoughts.
"I urge anyone experiencing a suicide crisis or having such thoughts to seek help as early as possible," she said.
