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PRESS RELEASE: World Mental Health Day #HowOkayAreYouCampaign

10/10/2019
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World Mental Health Day 2019:

Mind Hong Kong launches #HowOkayAreYou campaign

  • Recent research that shows 61% of Hongkongers are considered to have “poor mental well-being and unsatisfactory mental health”
  • Campaign asks Hongkongers to make a pledge to become part of the solution by asking #HowOkayAreYou, along with launching a digital guide on How to Ask and a new localised langauge around mental health in the form of WhatsApp Stickers

#HowOkayAreYou #你有幾OK #mindhk

(Hong Kong, 9 October 2019) Mind Hong Kong (Mind HK) launches #HowOkayAreYou campaign on World Mental Health Day 2019 (10 October) with the objective of inspiring Hongkongers to confront the stigma and make a pledge to change their behaviour around mental health. The campaign encourages people to talk more openly and honestly about their feelings and emotions, with a dedicated website offering a digital guide on “How to Ask” and a new language for having important conversations – in the form of WhatsApp Stickers created by local Hong Kong illustrators.

Po Wan Cheng, COO of Mind HK, said: “The first step to reducing stigma around mental health is to increase the conversation around it. The #HowOkayAreYou campaign aims to inspire people in Hong Kong to engage with each other about their mental well-being and reduce the stigma around the topic of mental health. Informed by local culture and behaviour, the campaign provides tools that help people approach what many in Hong Kong feel is a difficult conversation. By understanding the channels that Hongkongers most commonly use to communicate, and their preferred language for difficult conversations, the campaign is relatable and easy to incorporate into everyday living.”

Research: Hong Kong’s Mental Health

The campaign is a response to the continued declining trend of mental well-being in Hong Kong. “It has been a very difficult time for Hong Kong over the last few months, however Hong Kong’s mental health problem has been recognised by the professional community as an issue for several years. We hope this campaign helps us make a positive step in the right direction,” said Po Wan.

Research conducted using the World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5) was commissioned by Mind HK in partnership with Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI) in September 2019. The survey found that 61% of respondents showed signs of “poor mental well-being, suggesting further assessment for depression is recommended”.

The results are a significant drop from previous studies undertaken in Hong Kong, with average WHO-5 well-being scores of 57.78 in 2015, 56.31 in 2016, 59.75 in 2017 and 50.2 in 2018 to 44.6 in 2019. Within the “poor” mental well-being group, past studies showed this accounted for 29% in 2015, 32% in 2016, 26% in 2017, and 48% in 2018, compared to 61% today.

The #HowOkayAreYou Campaign

Mind HK’s campaign flips the script on an age-old question. When asked, ‘how are you’, the common response from Hongkongers is ‘okay’, no matter how they honestly feel. By asking #HowOkayAreYou, people are encouraged to reflect on their feelings and likely to respond more honestly. Hongkongers can participate in the movement by visiting the website www.howokayareyou.com.

To encourage community-wide change, Mind HK ask Hongkongers to make a pledge to change their behaviour around mental health:

“I pledge to ask #HowOkayAreYou and join Mind HK’s movement to confront the stigma surrounding mental health by having honest conversations about the way I feel and asking others how they feel”.

New user friendly and bi-lingual resources include videos such as “Spotting the signs” and a How to Ask Digital Guide which empowers people with a new approach and confidence to check in on each other such as tips on how to start the conversation.

A New Vocabulary: #HowOkayAreYou WhatsApp Sticker Collections

The heart of the #HowOkayAreYou campaign is a new language around Mental Health in the form of WhatsApp stickers. WhatsApp is one of the most common modes of communication in Hong Kong, and WhatsApp stickers are a popular way to engage with eachother to express feelings and emotions. Working with eight local illustrators, Mind HK launches a series of WhatsApp sticker collections. This relatable, comfortable and localized approach equips people to shift away from the standard answer of ‘okay’ by offering a vocabulary that not only identifies how they feel but also offers responses that Hongkongers can use to check in more honestly with family, friends and colleagues.

Join the #HowOkayAreYou movement

To get involved in the campaign, visit www.howokayareyou.com (will be live on 10 October), following and like Mind HK’s social media pages and share the message with the hashtags #HowOkayAreYou, #你有幾OK. Help Mind HK confront the stigma around mental health and ask someone today, #HowOkayAreYou.

-END-

 

Join the conversation on:

Online Guide: www.howokayareyou.com

Mind HK Website: www.mind.org.hk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HongKongMind

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindhongkong

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mindhongkong

High-resolution images can be downloaded here:

Link: gallery.sinclaircomms.com Password: talkofthetown

 

About Mind Hong Kong:

Mind HK, established as established as Mind Mental Health Hong Kong Limited,” is a registered S88 charity (91/16471) committed to improving awareness and understanding of mental health in Hong Kong. They collaborate with other local and international mental health charities and provide online support and training programmes, based on global best practice, to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem and equip them with the resources they need. Through collaborative research, Mind HK is leading the way in understanding mental health problems in the city and providing its population with the right support and resources.

Anyone in Hong Kong who needs help with their mental health can be assured that they are entitled to the full support of Mind HK irrespective of their gender, race, background or beliefs. To be effective and credible, Mind HK operate as a neutral and impartial humanitarian charity without any political affiliations or other conflicts of interest. The work we do, especially our research, is dedicated to improving the health of vulnerable groups and maintaining the best mental health possible for all of Hong Kong. We hope that anyone reporting or commenting on our work will respect and support our independence and neutrality.

More about Mind HK’s commissioned WHO-5 Research

The World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5) is one of the world’s most widely used questionnaires in assessing psychological well-being. It is a “short and generic global rating scale measuring subjective well-being” within the time frame of the last two weeks (Topp C.W., et.al, 2015). In order to avoid symptom-related language, the five-question survey uses non-invasive, positively phrased questions and is assessed using a Likert scale.

The study was conducted from 16 September to 19 September 2019. The target population was Hong Kong citizens aged 18 or above who speak Cantonese; telephone interviews to gather information (528 fixed network and 520 mobile phone number samples) was.used on 1,048 randomly selected adult respondents. Demographic variables collected include gender, age, education level and economic activity status. The raw data collected was weighted and adjusted accordingly to ensure the sample is representative.

The WHO-5 scale is as follows:

  • • Scores of 52 and below out of 100 indicate poor well-being and is an indication for further evaluation and testing for depression.

A public poll will be conducted in 2020 to monitor changes in well-being and the mental health of all. A 10% difference in WHO-5 scores indicates a significant change (John Ware, 1995).

Key research findings:

  • • The average well-being score for Hong Kong is 44.6 out of 100 (scores below 52 are considered poor mental well-being and unsatisfactory mental health)
  • • 61% of respondents showed signs of “poor mental well-being, suggesting further assessment for depression is recommended”.
  • • Women have significanty lower mental well-being than men. The average for women scored 42.48 and men 47.17
  • • 55% reported feeling cheerful and in good spirits less than half of the time or less within the two weeks prior to the study
  • • 61% have reported feeling calm or relaxed less than half of the time or less within the two weeks prior to the study
  • • 14% of participants responded to not feeling cheerful or calm at any point within the two weeks prior to the study
  • • 26% of respondents scored below the clinical depression cut-off score of 28 and are at higher risk of having or developing clinical depression. It is recommended for them to seek further evaluation or support.
  • • The average score is significantly lower than previous year (approx. 11% lower than 2018) showing that talking about mental health problem is more critical than ever.

Media Contacts: For information or interviews, please contact Sinclair

Nikki McLucas | [email protected] | (852) 6895 0534

Annabel Lee | [email protected] | (852) 9829 1206

 

For emergency support please contact the below services:

Samaritans 24-hour hotline (Multi-lingual): (852) 2896 0000

Samaritan Befrienders 24-hour hotline (Cantonese only): 2389 2222

Suicide Prevention Services 24-hour hotline (Catonese only): (852) 2382 0000

More crisis support services can be found here: mind.org.hk/find-help-now

More non-urgent support services can be found here: https://www.mind.org.hk/community-directory/

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

PRESS RELEASE: World Mental Health Day #HowOkayAreYouCampaign

World Mental Health Day 2019:

Mind Hong Kong launches #HowOkayAreYou campaign

  • Recent research that shows 61% of Hongkongers are considered to have “poor mental well-being and unsatisfactory mental health”

  • Campaign asks Hongkongers to make a pledge to become part of the solution by asking #HowOkayAreYou, along with launching a digital guide on How to Ask and a new localised langauge around mental health in the form of WhatsApp Stickers

#HowOkayAreYou #你有幾OK #mindhk

(Hong Kong, 9 October 2019) Mind Hong Kong (Mind HK) launches #HowOkayAreYou campaign on World Mental Health Day 2019 (10 October) with the objective of inspiring Hongkongers to confront the stigma and make a pledge to change their behaviour around mental health. The campaign encourages people to talk more openly and honestly about their feelings and emotions, with a dedicated website offering a digital guide on “How to Ask” and a new language for having important conversations – in the form of WhatsApp Stickers created by local Hong Kong illustrators.

Po Wan Cheng, COO of Mind HK, said: “The first step to reducing stigma around mental health is to increase the conversation around it. The #HowOkayAreYou campaign aims to inspire people in Hong Kong to engage with each other about their mental well-being and reduce the stigma around the topic of mental health. Informed by local culture and behaviour, the campaign provides tools that help people approach what many in Hong Kong feel is a difficult conversation. By understanding the channels that Hongkongers most commonly use to communicate, and their preferred language for difficult conversations, the campaign is relatable and easy to incorporate into everyday living.”

Research: Hong Kong’s Mental Health

The campaign is a response to the continued declining trend of mental well-being in Hong Kong. “It has been a very difficult time for Hong Kong over the last few months, however Hong Kong’s mental health problem has been recognised by the professional community as an issue for several years. We hope this campaign helps us make a positive step in the right direction,” said Po Wan.

Research conducted using the World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5) was commissioned by Mind HK in partnership with Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI) in September 2019. The survey found that 61% of respondents showed signs of “poor mental well-being, suggesting further assessment for depression is recommended”.

The results are a significant drop from previous studies undertaken in Hong Kong, with average WHO-5 well-being scores of 57.78 in 2015, 56.31 in 2016, 59.75 in 2017 and 50.2 in 2018 to 44.6 in 2019. Within the “poor” mental well-being group, past studies showed this accounted for 29% in 2015, 32% in 2016, 26% in 2017, and 48% in 2018, compared to 61% today.

The #HowOkayAreYou Campaign

Mind HK’s campaign flips the script on an age-old question. When asked, ‘how are you’, the common response from Hongkongers is ‘okay’, no matter how they honestly feel. By asking #HowOkayAreYou, people are encouraged to reflect on their feelings and likely to respond more honestly. Hongkongers can participate in the movement by visiting the website www.howokayareyou.com.

To encourage community-wide change, Mind HK ask Hongkongers to make a pledge to change their behaviour around mental health:

“I pledge to ask #HowOkayAreYou and join Mind HK’s movement to confront the stigma surrounding mental health by having honest conversations about the way I feel and asking others how they feel”.

New user friendly and bi-lingual resources include videos such as “Spotting the signs” and a How to Ask Digital Guide which empowers people with a new approach and confidence to check in on each other such as tips on how to start the conversation.

A New Vocabulary: #HowOkayAreYou WhatsApp Sticker Collections

The heart of the #HowOkayAreYou campaign is a new language around Mental Health in the form of WhatsApp stickers. WhatsApp is one of the most common modes of communication in Hong Kong, and WhatsApp stickers are a popular way to engage with eachother to express feelings and emotions. Working with eight local illustrators, Mind HK launches a series of WhatsApp sticker collections. This relatable, comfortable and localized approach equips people to shift away from the standard answer of ‘okay’ by offering a vocabulary that not only identifies how they feel but also offers responses that Hongkongers can use to check in more honestly with family, friends and colleagues.

Join the #HowOkayAreYou movement

To get involved in the campaign, visit www.howokayareyou.com (will be live on 10 October), following and like Mind HK’s social media pages and share the message with the hashtags #HowOkayAreYou, #你有幾OK. Help Mind HK confront the stigma around mental health and ask someone today, #HowOkayAreYou.

-END-

 

Join the conversation on:

Online Guide: www.howokayareyou.com

Mind HK Website: www.mind.org.hk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HongKongMind

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindhongkong

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mindhongkong

High-resolution images can be downloaded here:

Link: gallery.sinclaircomms.com Password: talkofthetown

 

About Mind Hong Kong:

Mind HK, established as established as Mind Mental Health Hong Kong Limited,” is a registered S88 charity (91/16471) committed to improving awareness and understanding of mental health in Hong Kong. They collaborate with other local and international mental health charities and provide online support and training programmes, based on global best practice, to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem and equip them with the resources they need. Through collaborative research, Mind HK is leading the way in understanding mental health problems in the city and providing its population with the right support and resources.

Anyone in Hong Kong who needs help with their mental health can be assured that they are entitled to the full support of Mind HK irrespective of their gender, race, background or beliefs. To be effective and credible, Mind HK operate as a neutral and impartial humanitarian charity without any political affiliations or other conflicts of interest. The work we do, especially our research, is dedicated to improving the health of vulnerable groups and maintaining the best mental health possible for all of Hong Kong. We hope that anyone reporting or commenting on our work will respect and support our independence and neutrality.

More about Mind HK’s commissioned WHO-5 Research

The World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5) is one of the world’s most widely used questionnaires in assessing psychological well-being. It is a “short and generic global rating scale measuring subjective well-being” within the time frame of the last two weeks (Topp C.W., et.al, 2015). In order to avoid symptom-related language, the five-question survey uses non-invasive, positively phrased questions and is assessed using a Likert scale.

The study was conducted from 16 September to 19 September 2019. The target population was Hong Kong citizens aged 18 or above who speak Cantonese; telephone interviews to gather information (528 fixed network and 520 mobile phone number samples) was.used on 1,048 randomly selected adult respondents. Demographic variables collected include gender, age, education level and economic activity status. The raw data collected was weighted and adjusted accordingly to ensure the sample is representative.

The WHO-5 scale is as follows:

  • • Scores of 52 and below out of 100 indicate poor well-being and is an indication for further evaluation and testing for depression.

A public poll will be conducted in 2020 to monitor changes in well-being and the mental health of all. A 10% difference in WHO-5 scores indicates a significant change (John Ware, 1995).

Key research findings:

  • • The average well-being score for Hong Kong is 44.6 out of 100 (scores below 52 are considered poor mental well-being and unsatisfactory mental health)

  • • 61% of respondents showed signs of “poor mental well-being, suggesting further assessment for depression is recommended”.

  • • Women have significanty lower mental well-being than men. The average for women scored 42.48 and men 47.17

  • • 55% reported feeling cheerful and in good spirits less than half of the time or less within the two weeks prior to the study

  • • 61% have reported feeling calm or relaxed less than half of the time or less within the two weeks prior to the study

  • • 14% of participants responded to not feeling cheerful or calm at any point within the two weeks prior to the study

  • • 26% of respondents scored below the clinical depression cut-off score of 28 and are at higher risk of having or developing clinical depression. It is recommended for them to seek further evaluation or support.

  • • The average score is significantly lower than previous year (approx. 11% lower than 2018) showing that talking about mental health problem is more critical than ever.

Media Contacts: For information or interviews, please contact Sinclair

Nikki McLucas | [email protected] | (852) 6895 0534

Annabel Lee | [email protected] | (852) 9829 1206

 

For emergency support please contact the below services:

Samaritans 24-hour hotline (Multi-lingual): (852) 2896 0000

Samaritan Befrienders 24-hour hotline (Cantonese only): 2389 2222

Suicide Prevention Services 24-hour hotline (Catonese only): (852) 2382 0000

More crisis support services can be found here: mind.org.hk/find-help-now

More non-urgent support services can be found here: https://www.mind.org.hk/community-directory/