Amid the third wave of COVID-19, the pandemic remains a hot topic in family e-chat groups. The frequency and reliability of information sent can affect the quality of family communication. To this end, the Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project team conducted research and presented such findings on the “Relationship between Information Sharing and Family Well-being during the COVID-19 Outbreak” at this press conference.
Professor Lam Tai-hing, BBS, JP, Principal Investigator of the Project and Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health, Chair Professor of Community Medicine of School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, HKU said the research showed that topics of family e-chat group communications are closely related to the quality of family communications, family harmony and family happiness. The Project’s Co-Investigator and Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Dr Kelvin Wang Man-ping, also recommended the public send more proactive and positive messages to family members amid the pandemic. Dr. Wang furthered reminded us to disseminate positive energy such as care and support in their family e-chat groups, which is conducive to greater quality of family communications, family harmony and family happiness.
Representatives from two partnering social welfare organisations also attended the press conference in sharing with members of the public how the applications of ICT assist Integrated Family Service Centres/ Integrated Service Centres in delivering substantial services during the pandemic outbreak, allowing family members to not only stay emotionally connected together, but also letting the social service sectors reach out to the previously unreachable groups of service users. With the help of innovative family-friendly programmes, the centres’ family services could be more widely promoted.
The Project team will continue to encourage social welfare organisations and members of the public to make good use of ICT for family communications in fostering family well-being. In order to further promote family electronic communication skills and tips among the public, the Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project team will keep up with its endeavours in developing different family-friendly mobile games, which are readily available for free downloading on various platforms including our Family Portal, for strengthening family connections and communications with the use of ICT.
For more research findings, please click here to read the article.
