Health Bureau warns of mental health risks in young residents – Macau Business

The Health Bureau has indicated it has encouraged local subsidized associations to participate directly in the promotion of mental health care in schools and continued to raise public awareness of suicidal attitudes and enabling the public to identify people with suicidal thoughts.

The statement comes after the death of a 16-year-old female student reported on September 1, who is believed to have jumped from the Iao Hang building at Avenida do Ouvidor Arriaga.

The Health Bureau appeals to society and the public to pay attention to the mental health of young people and to pay more attention and listen more to young people in their daily lives, pay attention to their opinions or emotions, to attitudes that they can be aggressive and can lead to suicide, so listening to them can allow them to express themselves and help to prevent any incidents, the department noted.

Health authorities cited World Health Organisation data that estimates between 10 to 20 per cent of young people worldwide have mental health problems, with suicide the fourth leading cause of death among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years.

In order to prevent suicide among young people, one of the most important measures is the early assessment and diagnosis of high-risk groups and patients, and timely access to health care as it can significantly reduce the occurrence of adverse situations, as well as increase the advantages of youth development, socialization and learning, the department added.

A rise in suicide cases in Macau was apparent last year, with local authorities attributing the rise to the psychological and economic factors caused by Covid-19, with a total of 66 suicides reported, of which 50 involved local residents.

The number of suicides reported in the first three months of 2021 has decreased by 44 per cent year-on-year, with some 10 deaths reported.

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Health Bureau warns of mental health risks in young residents - Macau Business