Underscoring the Mental Health in the Philippines

Health Promotion Perspectives

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has subjected the mental health and wellbeing of Filipino children under drastic conditions. While children are more vulnerable to these detriments, there remains the absence of unified and comprehensive strategies in mitigating the deterioration of the mental health of Filipino children. Existing interventions focus on more general solutions that fail to acknowledge the circumstances that a Filipino child is subjected under. Moreover, these strategies also fail to address the multilayered issues faced by a lower middle-income country, such as the Philippines. As the mental well-being of Filipino children continues to be neglected, a subsequent and enduring mental health epidemic can only be expected for years to come.

Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2022

The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused the increase of reported mental health problems in the Philippines while the country struggles with mitigating the detrimental impacts of the corona virus disease 2019 pandemic. Filipino adults became one of the most vulnerable to experience the pandemic's negative psychological impact. Hence, concerns suddenly become a subject of discussion among the public in acknowledging the importance of mental health literacy. The researchers conducted this study to determine the level of mental health literacy (MHL) of Filipino adults amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The instrument by O'Connor and Casey: Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) was used to survey 130 respondents residing in Metro Manila. The results show that the respondents got a moderate MHL level (2.74). Among the six mental health literacy components, knowledge of self-help intervention (3.15), attitudes of recognition and help-seeking behavior (3.12), mental illness recognition (3.11), and knowledge and beliefs about the support available (2.96) were found at a moderate level while knowledge about risk factors and causes (2.24) and knowledge of mental health influences (2.45) were in marginal level. Socioeconomic status was a significant factor in the knowledge of the self-hep intervention (p=0.044, ≤0.05), knowledge, and beliefs about the support available (p=0.008, ≤0.05), attitudes of recognition and help-seeking behavior (p=0.007, ≤0.05), and knowledge about risk factors and causes (p=0.006, ≤0.05). The highest educational attainment was significant to mental illness recognition (p=0.015, ≤0.05), knowledge and beliefs about the support available (p=0.015, ≤0.05), and knowledge of mental health influences (p=0.009, ≤0.05).

The Normal Lights, 2019

To correct negative stigma and support mental health well-being, the Philippines enacted RA 11036 otherwise known as the Philippine Mental Health Law. Using exploratory qualitative method of research, this study mapped the perceived (a) source of mental health concerns, (b) hindrances in the promotion of mental health well-being and (c) activities to promote RA11036 in tertiary institutes. Participants of this study are 12 teachers and administrators which were identified using maximum variation sampling. Data were collected using one-on-one in-depth interview. Results revealed that there were six perceived sources of mental health issues in the institutes :self-acceptance, culture, financial status, technology, environment, and organizational crisis. Also, there were three hindrances in promoting the law: or unawareness, anxiety and inactivity of the implementers. Moreover, there were six perceived activities and solutions to support mental health law: peer counselling, trainings, ...

International Journal of Learning and Teaching

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of Philippine citizens. The authors propose the Integrative Behavioral Health (IBH) model to help facilitate the country’s eventual recovery from a health psychology perspective. Findings were integrated from a faculty consultation from a private university’s psychology department, a literature review, and a survey of students who are learning online. The survey results revealed that living with family members negatively correlated with readiness to learn online, r = -.37, p < .05. Further research is needed. Furthermore, combining themes gathered from the consultation, literature review, and variables used from the survey served as anchor words for the IBH model: 1. Emancipatory Education; 2) Filipino Psychology; 3) Contextualization; 4.) Philippine Mental Health Law; 5). Symptom Science; and 6) Social Determinants of Health (SDH). The constructs were implemented into an online health psychology course. The proposed curriculum...

Adolescent psychiatry, 2013

Background and Objectives: There has been very little research on child/adolescent mental health in the Philippines compared to other developing countries. The few reports that exist have been case studies, literature reviews, intervention research (particularly disaster mental health studies), and surveys and studies on Filipino immigrants in other countries. As part of the World Health Organization (WHO) Seven Nation Collaborative Study (2007), the Philippine study showed that 16% of children had mental disorders. Method: Drawing on population-based studies, this article explores the challenging issues of mental health care for youth in the Philippines and will also provide suggestions that can help in improving these challenges. Results: Unlike many other developing countries, the Philippines has a national health policy. Filipinos, both in their native and adoptive countries, greatly underutilize public outpatient mental health services compared to other Asian populations. Conclusions: Along with stigma, the adherence of traditional practices and healing methods remains a formidable barrier to the appropriate provision of care Furthermore, the onset of mental illness in childhood and adolescents can be missed without appropriate screening and services.

The Professional Counselor

The emergence and global spread of COVID-19 precipitated a massive public health crisis combined with multiple incidents of racial discrimination and violence toward Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Although East Asian communities are more frequently targeted for instances of pandemic-related racial discrimination, multiple disparities converge upon Filipino communities that affect their access to mental health care in light of COVID-19. This article empowers professional counselors to support the Filipino community by addressing three main areas: (a) describing how COVID-19 contributes to racial microaggressions and institutional racism toward Filipino communities; (b) underscoring how COVID-19 exacerbates exposure to stressors and disparities that influence help-seeking behaviors and utilization of counseling among Filipinos; and (c) outlining how professional counselors can promote racial socialization, outreach, and mental health equity with Filipino commu...

BMC Proceedings, 2020

Background and purpose Mental health has emerged as an important public health concern in recent years. With a high proportion of children and adolescents affected by mental disorders, it is important to ensure that they are provided with proper care and treatment. With the goal of sharing the activities and good practices on child and adolescent mental health promotion, care, and treatment in Japan and the Philippines, the National Center for Global Health and Medicine conducted a training program on the promotion of mental health focused on treatment and care in Japan and the Philippines in September and November 2019. Key highlights The training program comprised of a series of lectures, site visits, and round table discussions in Japan and the Philippines. The lectures and site visits focused on the current situation of child and adolescent psychiatry, diagnosis of childhood mental disorders, abuse, health financing for mental disorders, pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and disas...

Acta Medica Philippina, 2020

Background. There is an increasing number of distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) due to adverse working conditions and unresolved post-repatriation issues. The enactment of the Republic Act 11036 (Mental Health Act) in 2018 supports the commitment of the State in promoting and protecting the mental health of every Filipino. Methods. A systematic review of literature was conducted to generate evidence-based policy tools for the round table discussion conducted by the UP Manila Health Policy Development Hub, engaging all major stakeholders from all sides of the policy issue. Strengths and challenges of the current government initiatives in the phases of predeployment, deployment, repatriation, and reintegration were discussed to attain consensus policy recommendations. Results. Increased migration led to a cascade of distressed OFWs and their subsequent need for trained mental health professionals. In host countries, challenges in on-site services include (i) limited psychiatr...

The Filipino Public Stigma towards People with Mental Illness , 2017

Yamada, C., et al. (2021). "Quality of life among people who use drugs living in poor urban communities in the Philippines." International Journal of Drug Policy 93. Background: The quality of life (QOL) and mental health of people who use drugs (PWUD) in the Philippines, especially those living in poor urban communities, are highly concerning due to the situations surrounding drug use and the ongoing hard-line antidrug policy. This study aimed to investigate the QOL and mental health status of PWUD, compare them with a comparison group with no history of drug use, and identify factors associated with QOL among Filipino PWUD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with recruitment from a community-based rehabilitation programme and poor urban communities in Muntinlupa in 2018. QOL was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF, while psychological distress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-6) and the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5), respectively. Multivariable linear regressions with each WHOQOL-BREF domain as a dependent factor were conducted to establish three predictions: age-and genderadjusted QOL means, factors associated with QOL among PWUD, and interaction of lifetime drug use with each covariate. Results: In total, 272 PWUD and 402 comparison participants were recruited. Most PWUD were current drug users (53%), primarily of methamphetamine (70%). Among PWUD, the prevalence of moderate to severe psychological distress was 70%, and probable PTSD was 28%-both rates higher than those among the comparison group. All four QOL domain scores (physical, psychological, social, and environmental) of PWUD were lower than those of the comparison group. Multivariable regressions showed that psychological distress, current drug use, selling drugs, experiencing discrimination, and being never-married were associated with lower QOL. Higher individual income, household resources, social activity participation, and service use for drug use problems were associated with higher QOL among PWUD. Stratified and interaction analyses revealed that the QOL of PWUD was more sensitive to changes in individual income relative to the QOL of comparison group. Conclusion: A comprehensive intervention addressing psychological distress reduction, economic empowerment, and social inclusion-complementary to abstinenceoriented programmes-may improve the well-being of Filipino PWUD.