The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
 
     The Research Grants Council (RGC) will present its third public lecture this year under the theme "Stress Management and Mental Health" on September 2 (Sunday) at the Hong Kong Central Library.
 
     The RGC has invited the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education) of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Professor of Mental Health of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Samson Tse, and the Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Wing Yun-kwok, to share their research findings and knowledge with the public. Details are as follows:
 
Time: 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library
Language: Cantonese
Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     Mental health problem affects not only the physical health and living quality of the individuals concerned, but also their family and caregivers. Professor Tse will deliver a talk entitled "Coping with stress: From lived experience to lifestyle change", using bipolar disorder as an example, to illustrate the challenges and needs of both service users and family caregivers. He will also discuss how peer support workers make use of their life experience to help change the lifestyles of service users and their family caregivers, reduce their stress levels and facilitate service users’ recovery.
 
     Sleep is essential and indispensable for the health and growth of an individual. Although sleep problems are common, they are often neglected or ignored. Sleep deprivation in school-aged children and adolescents is an emerging epidemic across the world, and 10 per cent to 30 per cent of adults and the elderly also suffer from chronic insomnia. Professor Wing will deliver a lecture entitled "Sleeping well for better mental health", focusing on the magnitude of sleep deprivation and insomnia among schoolchildren, adults and the elderly, the associated negative consequences and the effectiveness of various sleep interventions. The relationship between sleep and mental health and some possible suggestions for the future development of sleep intervention will also be discussed.
 
     RGC public lectures aim to arouse public interest in local research developments. Since 2009, the RGC has invited numerous leading scholars to speak at these lectures. For enquiries, please call 2524 3987 or visit the University Grants Committee webpage (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/lectures/lectures.html).

Ends/Monday, August 27, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:00

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