The psychological well-being of the Chinese elderly living in old urban areas of Hong Kong: a social perspective.
Using the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) and the short form of the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), this study found that the Chinese elderly who live in old urban areas of Hong Kong are at risk of suffering from poor mental health because of their relatively deprived social conditions. It was also found that the respondent's scores in the GDS-15 correlated with their social conditions, including type of housing, availability of helpers, financial status and family support. However, Chinese elderly people often avoid seeking help because of the fear of being stigmatised. There is a need for more research in the future to study their needs and problems so that social work practitioners can be well informed and culturally competent to help this disadvantaged group.
Lam
C W
CW
Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. cwlam@hku.hk
Boey
K W
KW
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006723:Hong Kong; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*