Who we are
While Hong Kong has historically attracted refugees, the city is enacting politics of exclusion which differently affects refugees’ overall health and wellbeing. There are nearly 15,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong, many of whom are trapped in a limbo, shaped by poor living conditions, loss of livelihoods, enduring uncertainty, and deteriorating health status.
The H.E.A.R. team relies on participatory approaches to facilitate co-learning about refugees’ health and lived experiences in Hong Kong, while promoting long-term partnership.
Research Projects
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1. Healthcare needs, service utilization, and disease burden
A convergent parallel mixed-method study on the healthcare needs, service utilization, and disease burden among refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong. Direct Grant for Research of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Ref No: 2022.016). 01/06/2023-30/06/2024.
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2. "H.E.A.R."
A photovoice project about immobility and hope among young refugees in Hong Kong. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sustainable Development Goals Action Fund. 01/08/2025-28/02/2026.
A photo exhibition was co-designed with refugee youth, visit the photo exhibition: Two Steps Forward, Five Steps Back!
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3. "Engaging the Unheeded"
A Multi-Method Exploration of the Social, Legal, and Moral Determinants of Health for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Hong Kong. General Research Fund (RGC Ref No. 14624925). 01/01/2026-31/12/2028.
Team Members
Prof Dong Dong
Dr. Dong Dong is an Assistant Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her interdisciplinary research is driven by considerations of justice, equity, and intersectionality in global health contexts.
Prof Gary Ka-ki Chung
Research team member of H.E.A.R.
Dr. Elena Nichini
Dr. Elena Nichini holds a PhD in anthropology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
Dr. Saba Asim
Dr. Saba Asim is a medical doctor and holds a PhD in Public Health at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Ms Zoe Honglin Zhu
Honglin Zhu holds a Master of Public Health degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is currently a research assistant at the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care at CUHK.