Local health officials will monitor the mental health of 2,000 randomly selected residents in each of Shanghai's 19 districts this month in order to get a better grasp of the prevalence of mental problems in the city.

　　The selected residents, who will be divided into three groups according to their age, will be interviewed and asked to fill out questionnaires about their mental health, according to Yao Xinwei, vice director of the Shanghai Mental Health Center.

　　"It is estimated that 5 to 10 percent of the people should be transferred to medical facilities for diagnoses and further psychological testing," Yao said.

　　Officials said the project is part of a long-term plan to investigate mental disorders, offer help in neighborhoods and promote education about mental health problems to the public.

　　"It is part of a plan under the Ministry of Health, which ordered that 60 mental health monitoring centers be set up within this year in 30 provinces and municipalities," Yao said.

　　The ministry had called on Shanghai to set up two monitoring centers, but local officials decided that wasn't enough.

　　"Since two centers can't reflect local people's psychological status, we decided to promote the project to the entire city."

　　Shanghai is the first city or province in the country to launch the project.

　　Health experts said the public still has little understanding or awareness of mental health problems, which often results in people delaying treatment.

　　"The monitoring centers can dig out hidden patients and provide early treatment," said Bao Zhongliang, secretary general of the Shanghai Psychosocial Rehabilitation Association.

　　"Mental disorders have already developed into a widespread and serious problem. But, many people don't know they are sick and shy away from treatment."

　　A recent survey of students in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, indicated that 13 percent of students in primary and middle schools and 30 percent of university students have some sort of mental disorder, but less than 1 percent of them have sought professional help.

　　About 90,000 local residents have received treatment for mental problems in the city, but health experts estimate that about 5 percent of the city's population - about 1 million people - suffer from various mental disorders.

　　A trail survey conducted in four local subdistricts earlier this year found that 4.6 percent of local children have some mental health problems. The survey also suggested that 15 percent of adults have problems with depression and anxiety and 15 percent of the elderly suffer from deterioration of cognitive functions, such as memory loss.