London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Pandemic takes toll on family wellbeing

One in five families considers themselves unhappy, with mothers typically suffering from negative emotions more than fathers during a fifth wave when only the more intrepid dared venture outdoors, a survey has found.
However, parents with children generally enjoy a higher level of family happiness than those who were without and married couples are also generally happier than those who had yet to tie the knot.

The Hong Kong Family Happiness Index Survey – jointly conducted by the Lee Kum Kee Family Foundation, HKWeCare, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Tung Wah College – polled 1,633 people between March 21 and April 3 on their happiness levels and family life.

The general score was 6.98 on a zeroto-10 scale on the family happiness index, a drop from 7.26 last year. The personal happiness index too fell to 6.59 from 6.81.

PolyU’s associate vice president Daniel Shek Tan-lei said the results showed one in five households regarded themselves as an “unhappy family,” while one in four Hongkongers was personally unhappy.

Most affected by Covid were mothers, who scored 6.04 on negative impact of the epidemic, compared with 5.36 for fathers. Not only did they rate themselves lower on the happiness scale both in terms of family and personally, but moms also fared worse on the financial difficulties index.

Shek said this was because they usually had more than their fair share of increased household responsibilities and stress brought on by the pandemic.

Tung Wah College School of Nursing’s scholar Lam Ching said the fifth wave in particular has greatly impacted family ties.

“Nineteen percent of the respondents were feeling depressed while 14 percent showed symptoms of anxiety,” Shek said, adding more than 25 percent felt their mental state took a turn for the worse since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Work-from-home arrangements and the suspension of in-person classes led to family members – young and old – being stuck together under one roof for days. Shek described the phenomenon as a “double-edged sword” for relationships.

Shek said paying attention to family members’ mental states could be a good way of improving family solidarity.

Lam said people can develop closer bonds with family members and relatives through giving gifts, hugs and greetings.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×