Modern life is characterised by a fast-paced, stressful environment, which has led to a rise in mental health problems. It is crucial to recognise that mental health is an extremely important issue that directly impacts the overall well-being and development of both individuals and society as a whole. In view of this, City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and Peking University will join hands to conduct an expansive, nationwide study on mental health and behaviour in 2024.

Since 2020, the Department of Social Medicine and Health Education in the School of Public Health of Peking University has conducted studies on the mental health and behaviour of Chinese residents. More than 100 papers have been published based on the data collected, using a scientific approach to examine various facets of public mental health, including anxiety, depression, stress, personality and self-efficacy, as well as behaviours, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet and sleep.

For the 2024 study, CityU will expand the study area by including the concept of One Health (that is, the interdependence of the health of humans, animals and the environment) to explore topics such as how pets affect the mental health of humans. The study scope will also be expanded to include Hong Kong and Macao. The survey initially covered only 3,000 residents in 30 cities, but it will cover over 50,000 residents in more than 150 cities next year.

The launch ceremony was attended by Professor Vanessa Barrs, Dean of CityU’s Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, Professor Patrick Butaye, Head of CityU’s Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Professor Julia Beatty, Chair Professor of CityU’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, Professor Ming Wai-kit in CityU’s Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, and Mr Wu Yibo and Ms Liu Diyue, Project Leaders. Joining the ceremony online was Professor Sun Xinying, Vice Director of Peking University’s Department of Social Medicine and Health Education in the School of Public Health.

In her remarks at the ceremony, Professor Barrs pointed out that the mental health problem is a worldwide issue faced by today’s society. “The collaborative research aims to promote mental health and resilience and to better understand public health and mental health problems by adopting a scientific approach. It will serve as a bridge for knowledge and cultural exchange and lay a foundation for us to overcome geographical boundaries and work together to tackle current issues,” she said.

Professor Sun expressed her gratitude to CityU for its support for this expansive, multi-centre, repeated, nationwide research. With the joint efforts of CityU, she said she hoped that the research team could publish more papers in the fields of public health, nursing, management, communication and psychology. In addition, she hoped their research would attain groundbreaking achievements and have a strong influence on society to improve the mental health of Chinese residents.

Professor Butaye pointed out that mental health is critical to the quality of life and stability of society and that interdisciplinary, cross-geographical collaboration would help assess and follow up on current public health policies.

Professor Ming noted that each city has its own economic and cultural background, and that residents’ living habits vary from city to city. The research team will tackle the issue using a scientific approach and make suggestions on how to promote public health policies.

CityU is the first university in Hong Kong to introduce veterinary medicine and practice the pioneering concept of One Health, with the commitment to promote and engage in related interdisciplinary teaching and research activities to enhance human, animal and environment health. Since 2017, CityU has collaborated with Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, in the US, to establish Hong Kong’s first six-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine programme. The programme has received dual accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in the UK and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC), making it the sole programme in Asia to be accredited by two of the world’s major regulatory bodies for veterinary education.