Thematic Household Survey Report No. 78 published
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This publication contains key findings of the Thematic Household Survey conducted during December 2022 to April 2023. The survey collected information on various topics, including the utilisation of health services, medical benefits provided by employers/companies, coverage of individually purchased medical insurance and views on organ donation of Hong Kong residents.
In view of the emergence of the COVID-19 epidemic in Hong Kong since early 2020, the services throughput and the utilisation across a wide range of health services have been affected to different extents. As such, relevant figures of the present survey should be interpreted with care when compared to the results of similar surveys conducted in the past.
Findings of the present survey revealed that some 982 800 persons had consulted a doctor during the 30 days before enumeration, constituting 14.2% of total population covered in the survey. While 79.6% of them had consulted practitioners of Western medicine during that period, 24.3% had consulted practitioners of Chinese medicine, including practitioners of Chinese medicine (general practice), bone-setters and acupuncturists.
Among persons who had been infected with COVID-19 at least three months prior to the time of enumeration, some 526 800 persons (18.4%) had selected symptoms for more than two months that could not be explained by an alternative diagnosis of the doctor. The selected symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction, headache, chest pain, joint pain, etc. About two-thirds of them considered that these symptoms had not affected their everyday functioning or had affected their everyday functioning but the impact was acceptable, while the remaining one-third considered that these symptoms had adversely affected their everyday functioning.
Some 3 453 500 persons were entitled to medical benefits provided by employers/companies or were covered by individually purchased medical insurance or had both kinds of medical protection, constituting 49.7% of total population covered in the survey. Among them, 1 147 000 persons (33.2%) were entitled to medical benefits from employers/companies only, including 345 900 persons entitled to medical benefits provided by Civil Service / Hospital Authority only. While another 1 261 200 persons (36.5%) were covered by individually purchased medical insurance only, the remaining 1 045 300 persons (30.3%) had both kinds of medical protection.
Among some 4 503 400 persons aged 18 to 64 covered in the survey, some 1 032 100 persons (22.9%) were willing to donate their organs after death whereas about 769 800 persons (17.1%) were not willing to do so; and 60% of them had not yet decided/considered to do so or did not answer questions on organ donation.
Other information
The survey successfully enumerated target respondents in some 10 000 households in accordance with a scientific sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.
Detailed findings of the survey, together with the population coverage and concepts/definitions of key terms, are presented in the publication. Users can download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?scode=453&pcode=B1130201).
Enquiries about the survey findings can be directed to the Social Surveys Section (2) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 0592 or email: thematic@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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