Suicide among children and teens hit ten-year high last year, but overall figures decline β NGO
The suicide rate among Hong Kong children and teens hit a 10-year high last year, an NGO has said, as it urged the government to expand its existing suicide prevention mechanism for students.
The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong (SBHK)Β said at a Thursday press conference that Hong Kong saw 1,019 suicide cases in 2025, citing figures from the Coronerβs Court.
The overall suicide rate dropped from 15.1 per 100,000 people in 2024 to 13.57 β the lowest rate since 2020, SBHK said.
However, cases among those aged 0 to 19 surged to 47 last year β a 30 per cent increase compared to 2024 figures. It means that the city saw a suicide rate of 4.72 per 100,000 among children and teens β the highest in a decade.
228 crisis cases in 2025
The suicide prevention group saw 228 crisis cases among children and teens in 2025. Of those, males outnumbered females by two to one.
The primary issues cited by the cases involved family (29.4 per cent), mental health (20.2 per cent), and interpersonal relationships (17.1 per cent).
David Cheng, chief executive of SBHK, said at the press conference that the NGO would strengthen its services for family and youth in the future.
He also urged the government to include suicide prevention NGOs such as SBHK in the βThree-tier School-based Emergency Mechanismβ to provide better support for children and youth at risk of suicide.
The Hong Kong government introduced a mechanism in late 2023 at local schools to assist with the early identification of students with mental health issues. Appropriate referrals can then be made for affected students.
Suicide among elderly people
| π‘If you are in need of support, please call: The Samaritans 2896 0000 (24-hour, multilingual), Suicide Prevention Centre 2382 0000 or the govβt mental health hotline on 18111. The Hong Kong Society of Counselling and Psychology provides a WhatsApp hotline in English and Chinese: 6218 1084. See also: HKFPβs mental health services guide. |
In 2025, a total of 257 suicides were recorded among elderly people aged 70 or above, representing a suicide rate of 21.1 per 100,000 people, SBHK said.
While the elderly suicide rate saw the lowest level in nearly a decade, the group still accounts for the highest number of deaths among all age groups.
The NGO said that Hong Kongβs overall suicide rate of 13.57 remains above the international average, urging people to pay attention to the emotions of people around them, and provide support.
According to a World Health Organization report published in 2025, the global age-standardised suicide rate is 8.9 per 100,000 people.