Hong Kong’s estimated suicide rate rose last year. Who was most at risk and why?

Hong Kong’s estimated suicide rate increased last year, with men aged between 25 and 39 emerging as the most vulnerable group, according to the latest data from a local university, with experts attributing the rise in male victims to the city’s sluggish economy.

Figures published by the Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on Wednesday showed that the estimated suicide rate in 2024 stood at 14.1 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 13.5 in 2023.

It noted there had been a significant increase in the suicide rate among men aged 25 to 39, rising from 17.9 in 2023 to 23 in 2024.

Paul Yip Siu-fai, the centre’s director and chair professor of population health at HKU’s social work and social administration department, said most of the male victims in the demographic were unmarried, unemployed and had financial issues.

According to the centre’s figures, only 7.9 per cent of the male population aged 25 to 39 were unemployed. Among last year’s estimated suicides from the demographic, 43.4 per cent were jobless.

“From the figures, we can see that unemployment can elevate the risk of suicide. If the economy is not good and the unemployment rate is high, it could increase the overall risk of suicide,” Yip said.