Hong Kong's Top 10 Killers

In future, Hong Kong will have more age-related diseases, particularly dementia

Hong Kong people are living longer and dying from more age-related diseases.

The Health Department released figures that show the number of Hong Kong people killed by the top 10 diseases rose by 18 percent to 36,552 last year from 31,001 in 2003.

This is in line with the city's population growth which is now at 7.25 million, and the number of people aged 65 and over rose 19 percent to 978,000 last year.

Because of medical advances, people are suffering less from diabetes (356 last year, 783 in 2003), but age-related diseases like dementia have increased significantly (1,000 in 2013, 256 in 2003).

Cancer is still the number one killer, claiming 40 percent of deaths, followed by pneumonia and heart disease.

On the upside, fewer people are dying from cancer because it is detected earlier from regular health checks and treatments are more targeted than before, according to Dr Daniel Chua Tsin-tien, associate director of the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital's radiotherapy department.

He added that bad habits, pollution and lack of exercise also contribute to rising cancer cases.

Alzheimer's disease expert Wilfred Leung Chi-hang says while the number of those who died from dementia might seem low, the elderly died from its complications.

"More cases of dementia are expected as the city sees a longer life expectancy and an aging population," he said.

Dementia damages the brain's cognitive abilities, affecting thinking and reasoning, and in severe stages, the brain damage can lead to organ failure.

Leung says there is a shortage of facilities for the age-related syndrome, with only about 10 percent of suffers receiving specialist care.

He added there were only 30 day-care centres in Hong Kong, mostly self-financed, that offer treatment, but it costs about HK$6,000 a month so not many can afford it.

"We hope that the government can increase resources and support towards dementia patients," said Leung. "We hope that at least patients will be able to enjoy a better quality of life with their family in the early stages of the condition before it turns severe and [they become] unable to communicate."

While it's frightening to see cancer is still in the top spot, it's heartening to know other diseases are about the same or less. Dementia is another scary disease to have since no cure has been found and there are many different kinds of dementia.

The Hong Kong government is concerned about its growing aging population, but what it's doing to manage and prevent age-related diseases has yet to be seen...

Top 10 causes of death in 2013

1. Cancer

2. Pneumonia

3. Diseases of heart

4. Cerebrovascular diseases

5. Chronic lower respiratory diseases

6. External causes of morbidity and mortality

7. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis

8. Dementia

9. Septicaemia

10. Diabetes mellitus

Baby Boom or Bust?

How can Hong Kong have more babies? Anyone have any answers?

The Hong Kong government thinks throwing money at a problem -- any problem -- will solve it.

But we don't think it's going to work when it comes to making babies.

The government is concerned about the rapidly aging population and hopes to counteract it (a bit late now) with a baby boom.

There will soon be a four-month public consultation about the issue and among the ideas is a cash handout for couples who have children, and tax rebates for family-friendly companies.

A member of the steering committee on population policy is Paul Yip Siu-fai, a demographics expert at the University of Hong Kong. He says women in Hong Kong want to have a child, but that "it is social barriers that deter them from having one".

Other committee members said they would suggest financial incentives like the ones in Singapore and Canada: cash bonuses depending on how many children they had and government subsidies.

Another idea was for employers to pay for childcare services for their workers and paid parental leave for employees to visit their children's schools and improve access to reproductive treatment.

But are these really incentives to get women to bear children?

Some couples would like to have children, but not have their offspring grow up in a polluted and cramped environment, or start going to pre-school at the age of one-and-a-half, enroll them in six different activities after school and constantly worry if they are academically good enough to get into good schools and universities.

There is also the issue of couples wanting to make sure they have enough money to have a child in the first place, particularly if they have enough room in their flat or have the means to upgrade to a larger place with a growing child or children.

Definitely the work culture in Hong Kong has to change too, as maternity leave is about three months, whereas in Canada it's a year. These days people work later and later... when can they have time to spend with their child? It's much like having a dog. Why have a pet when you're not there most of the time?

The government has the wrong mindset if it thinks money will solve the issue here. It's much broader than that: It's the entire society and culture. Until the government takes the lead and forces reforms and ensures they are enforced, Hong Kong's birth rate will continue to fall, no matter how many financial incentives there are.