XN000022-1981-10-12 — Page 6

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INDUSTRIAL ISATION AND MENTAL HEALTH IN HK

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INTENSIVE INDUSTRIALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WHILE IMPROVING PEOPLE'S GENERAL LIVING STANDARD, HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT AN INCREASE OF NEUROSIS AND MENTAL ILL HEALTH.

THIS WAS POINTED OUT BY DR K.L. THONG, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, WHEN HE ADDRESSED LOCAL AND OVERSEAS DELEGATES AT THE OPENING OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS CONGRESS THIS MORNING.

HE SAID HONG KONG, LIKE MANY OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE IR STATE OF RAPID DEVELOPMENT, IS FEELING THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIAL ISATION AND URBANISATION.

+WITH OUR EXTRAORDINARY DENSITY IN POPULATION, IT IS INEVITABLE THAT THE EFFECTS OF OVER-CROWDEDNESS AND POLLUTION MUST MAKE THEMSELVES FELT, HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT IN AN INTENSELY COMPETITIVE SOCIETY, TOGETHER WITH THE BREAKDOWN OF THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY STRUCTURE AND KINSHIP, PEOPLE TEND TO BE MORE IMPERSONAL AND INDIVIDUALISTIC.

+THE HIGH PRESSURE OF ORDINARY LIVING, TOGETHER WITH A LACK OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, ARE PRE-DISPOSING FACTORS FOR AN INCREASE IN NEUROSIS AND MENTAL ILL HEALTH, HE SAID.

DR THONG SAID THAT THE CARE AND PLACEMENT OF THE AGED IS BECOMING A MAJOR PROBLEM.

+ IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STANDARD OF LIVING AND MEDICAL CARE HAVE MARKEDLY INCREASED LIFE EXPECTANCY AND THE ELDERLY CONSTITUTE A GROWING PROPORTION OF THE GENERAL POPULATION.

+FURTHERMORE, RAPID SOCIAL CHANGES AND HIGH DENSITY ARE ERODING THE TRADITIONAL VIRTUES OF RESPECT AND TOLERANCE OF THE AGED, MORE OF WHOM HAVE TO RELY ON PUBLIC SUPPORT,+ HE SAID.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE YOUNG SECTOR OF THE POPULATION ALSO IMPOSED GREATER STRAIN ON SOCIETY.

THIS IS BECAUSE MORE YOUNGSTERS ARE FACING FRUSTRATION AND DISENCHANTMENT RESULTING FROM FAILURE TO ACHIEVE THE IR ASPIRATIONS WHICH ARE OFTEN SET AT AN UNREALISTICALLY HIGH LEVEL, HE SAID.

→TOGETHER WITH THE DECLINING INFLUENCE FROM THE FAMILY AND THE WIDENING OF THE GENERATION GAP, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN INCREASE IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN MANY OF THE TERRITORIES OF THIS REGION, HE SAID.

THE SITUATION WAS AGGRAVATED BY UNDUE AND SUDDEN INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, GIVING RISE TO MAL-ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND DIFFERENCE IN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS.

DR THONG TOLD THE CONGRESS THAT THIS SITUATION POINTED TO THE NEED FOR THE MODERN PSYCHIATRISTS TO BE AWARE OF THE RISING PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY IN THE POPULATION AND THE WIDER RANGE OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS SO THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO RENDER BETTER QUALITY CARE FOR THE IR PATIENTS.

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