Macau residents’ significant gaps in health awareness

A recent study reveals a concerning gap in health awareness among residents of Macau and Hong Kong compared to their peers in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The Health Awareness Study conducted by Prudential Hong Kong Limited indicates that while GBA residents scored an average of 83.2 for health awareness, Hong Kong residents scored 79.8, with Macau residents slightly lower at 79.4.

According to the report, one-third of Hong Kong residents struggle to convert their health awareness into actionable steps, with 20% rating their health awareness as medium to low.

The study highlights that across the GBA, health awareness correlates closely with a proactive attitude towards putting in effort to stay healthy. This proactive approach drives mainland GBA residents to exercise regularly (91%), while those in Hong Kong prioritize maintaining a good body shape (80%),” the report noted.

While 82% of GBA respondents acknowledged the importance of social connections for mental health, only 67% of Hong Kong residents engaged in regular social gatherings.

Candy Au Yeung, Chief Customer Operations and Health Officer at Prudential, emphasized the need for tangible actions to improve health habits, noting that only 72% of respondents reported taking concrete steps towards better health.

The survey also shows that those with lower household incomes and those who are single are less health conscious, scoring just 80.5 and 79.5 respectively compared to the overall average of 83.2. LV