CEBU CITY – High financial costs of mental health care services and stigma-related factors such as feeling embarrassed or ashamed, being perceived as “crazy” or weak, concern about family and other people’s reactions are the top barriers why Filipinos don’t seek help for mental health.
According to the study, 65 percent of the responders perceived that barriers to access and treatment stigma have decreased since the advent of COVID-19. Most provider testimonials at 62.6 percent emphasized that the transition to teletherapy ensured care continuity and in some cases, switching to teletherapy allowed for the expansion of services and service areas.
“These study findings suggest that in the face of widespread challenges posed by pandemics or disasters there is a reduction in stigma related to seeking mental health care. Further, greater accessibility to mental healthcare services through telehealth create opportunities for providing care for those that may not otherwise seek support because of distance, travel costs, or other similar barriers,” Dr. Vincenzo Bollettino, Program Director of the HHI Resilient Communities noted.
Perceived mental health concerns
The majority of respondents or 97.9 percent perceived an increase in mental health concerns in the help-seeking population in the Philippines since the pandemic hit. Respondents observed an increase primarily in anxiety at 97.9% and depressive disorders at 97.2% followed by bipolar and related disorders at 49.0%, trauma-related disorders at 46.2%, and suicide risk behaviors (e.g., suicidal ideation and suicide attempts) at 44.1 percent.
Increases in schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders at 24.8%, substance-related and addictive disorders at 16.6%, and obsessive-compulsive-related disorders at 13.1% were less frequently reported, the study said.
Survey respondents recommended increasing training for mental health providers or staff, more mental health service providers, better internet connectivity; more government funding for mental health and greater awareness-raising for services to better reach communities in need.
Almost 26.1% of respondent testimonials endorsed successes in increasing the availability of mental health services and increasing awareness of the importance of mental health through public and community education during the pandemic.
The survey/study was participated by 145 MHPSS providers composed of Psychiatrists, psychologists that comprised the majority of responders while 75.2% from mental health services providers in private practices, 44.1% from public hospitals while 39.3% were from the private hospitals across various regions including NCR and Metro Manila.
Data for this survey study were collected between February 1 and April 30, 2022, using an online self-report, English-language survey of adults who were practicing or providing MHPSS services in the Philippines.
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