Press releases
Hong Kong Family Welfare Society released “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index” 2024: Family Wellbeing Index is similar with 2022 and at the “avergae” level
(2024-05-08)Hong Kong Family Welfare Society released
“Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index” 2024:
Family Wellbeing Index is similar with 2022 and at the “avergae” level
Family wellbeing of rich families shows a downward trend;
26% of Hong Kong population are “Old and Sole Carers” with attention to this situation is required
Hong Kong Family Welfare Society (HKFWS) is committed to enhance the wellbeing of families, announced the first “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index” measurement tool in 2020, to raise public awareness of family wellbeing. “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index” is the first socially relevant and culturally appropriate measurement tool in Hong Kong to assess the wellbeing of Hong Kong families, providing a significant reference for Hong Kong families, the government and stakeholders in promoting family wellbeing.
The research was conducted in January of 2024, through random telephone survey by using fixed network or mobile device and successfully invited 2,014 Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above living with their families to answer the “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index" questionnaire with 26 questions in six domains: (1) family solidarity, (2) family resources, (3) family health, (4) social connection, (5) social resources and (6) work-life balance. To respond to the needs of carers and provide appropriate support, this research also specifically studied the wellbeing of the families with carer.
HKFWS today (8 May) announced the results of “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index” 2024 with the highlights as follows:
1. The overall score of “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index”2024 is 6.06 points, which is similar with 2022 and the decline is not significant
(Note: Scale points are from 0 to 10. Higher score represents higher level of family wellbeing. According to the sample scores, the research team defines four levels of family wellbeing: 7.5 scores or above as “good”, 6 to <7.5 scores as "average", 5 to <6 scores as "below average", and 5 scores or below as "poor".)
- The score of “Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index”2024 compared to 2022, droped from 6.10 in 2022 to 6.06 in 2024, a decline of 0.04 points. The decline is less than the 0.21 point between 2019 and 2022.
- The scores for Hong Kong families in the domains that concerned the situation within the family are higher than the domains that concerned the family’s interaction with the outside world. Among the six categories, “Family Health” has declined significantly compared to 2022, while “Family Resources” has shown a notable increase. “Social Connections” has consistently scored the lowest among six domains in all three surveys.
2. The gap in the family wellbeing index between poor and wealthy families has narrowed compared to 2022, while the family wellbeing level of families with higher monthly incomes has shown a declining trend
Although in the last two surveys, household income had a positive impact on family wellbeing index, this survey found that the family wellbeing level of higher monthly incomes family (HK$30,000 or above) has continued to decline.
3. The family wellbeing index of the families with carer has a significant impact and the situation of “Old and Sole Carers” requires attention
The family wellbeing index of the families with carer is 5.81, which is significantly lower than 6.24 of the families without carer. Among the surveyed sole carers, about 40% are over 60 years old, and about 15% are 70 years old or above. Based on this data, the estimated number of “Old and Sole Carer” in Hong Kong is over 260,000. With population aging, this issue will become more serious, and the situation requires attention. Furthermore, in families with carers, over 10% of the families have carers who have moved overseas and nearly 50% of the carers said their pressure has increased at different levels after their family members moved overseas.
The survey found that families with more than one carer jointly providing care support have higher level of family wellbeing compared to those with a single carer. The finding reflecting a situation with family support and shared responsibilities, the carers can have personal time to relax and their pressure will also be relatively less.
Based on the above results, HKFWS has the following three recommendations:
1. Promote “family health” by using the family as a unit
The survey shows “family health” has declined significantly compared to 2022, including “physical health” and “mental health”. HKFWS proposes to promote “family health” by using the family as a unit. For example, using the model of psychotherapy and primary care services, it is recommended to provide health care services targeting the whole family unit, including weight and nutrition management, in order to improve the overall health of the family.
2. Increase the channels for public to participant social affairs, thereby enhancing the “social connection” of Hong Kong families
The government has actively strengthened the connection between families and society by organising diverse activities over the past two years. However, the degree of family’s participation and contribution to the society is relatively low. HKFWS recommends providing more channels for participation in social affairs institutionally, to allow public to understand and identify effective channels for participating in social affairs and increasing the level for participation, in order to enhancing their social connection.
Furthermore, HKFWS also proposes that the government conduct surveys and research to gain a deeper understanding of the barriers and challenges faced by families in participating in and contributing to society. In order to developcorresponding policies and measures, it can promote a community support network and improve the current situation. In addition, developing more “family-centric” community facilities, leisure and public areas, not only helps to promote the physical and mental health of families but can also increase the level of family participation and the sense of belonging in society, in turn, to enhance the social connection of Hong Kong Families.
3. Focus resources to support the estimated 260,000 “Old and Sole Carers”
Based on this survey data, it is estimated that there are around 260,000 “Old and Sole Carers” in Hong Kong. HKFWS recommends that the government should focus resources to provide appropriate services targeted “Old and Sole Carers”. The government’s top priority should be to allocate resources, such as utilising big data analysis to help identify and connect with isolated and high-risk carers. In the meantime, government should also establish dedicated outreach service teams to proactively reach out and support high-risk individuals.
In addition to assisting the “Old and Sole Carers” themselves, it is also necessary to strengthen the collaboration among their family members. Using the concept of “family-carer partners”, a team-based approach should be adopted, where family members share the responsibilities to jointly taking care of their family members.
If you would like to learn more about the Hong Kong Family Wellbeing Index, please scan the QR code below.
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