"Are You Feeling Heartache?"... Gangdong-gu Supports Free Mental Health Screening at Local Clinics

Promotion of the '2025 Saengmyeong-eum Stethoscope Project'

Gangdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) announced on the 10th that it will promote the ‘2025 Saengmyeong-eum Stethoscope Project’ in collaboration with primary medical institutions in the district to care for the mental health of its residents.

According to statistics from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the lifetime prevalence of experiencing depression at least once is 7.7%, making depression a common illness that can affect anyone. Additionally, the rate of suicidal thoughts among adults who frequently experience depressive feelings is 16.8%, which is more than 10 times higher than those who do not experience depressive feelings (1.6%).

In response, the district is promoting the ‘Saengmyeong-eum Stethoscope Project’ in cooperation with primary medical institutions to detect and intervene early in high-risk groups for depression and suicide. Residents experiencing depressive symptoms can visit nearby local clinics or hospitals to receive free depression health surveys (PHQ-9) and suicide behavior questionnaires (SBQ-R).

For residents identified as having a high risk of suicide and who wish to receive counseling services, the Gangdong-gu Public Health Center provides in-depth counseling with dedicated suicide prevention personnel.

If the in-depth counseling determines a high risk of suicide requiring continuous management, the district supports linkage with various community welfare resources such as psychiatric medical institutions, Gangdong-gu Mental Health Welfare Center, Gangdong-gu Public Health Center’s Life Keeper Care Service, mental health checkups, and the National Mental Investment Support Project.

First implemented in 2021, the ‘Saengmyeong-eum Stethoscope Project’ currently involves 41 local clinics and hospitals including Nomin Gwan Family Medicine Clinic, Myeongseong Yonsei Internal Medicine Clinic, Mombareun Korean Medicine Clinic, and Areumdaun Neurology Clinic. Last year, 1,190 residents participated, playing a vital role in protecting the mental health of the community.