Abstract:
The study aimed to determine the attitudes of the people towards issues in mental health in the Philippine setting. Negative attitudes towards mental health and people living with mental illness include stigma, or the negative social remark towards an idea or person, which may result in discrimination, prejudice and isolation towards people living with mental health issues and the subject matter itself. Related research has shown that consequences of having a negative attitude may include social isolation, low self-esteem, and poor help-seeking behavior for those who have been living with mental health issues. In addition, the level of awareness and knowledge of an individual towards the subject matter is an important key in the formation of an individual’s attitude towards mental health.
The study made use of mixed methods design by conducting a survey to collect quantifiable data, as well as in-depth interviews with randomly-selected participants. About 134 respondents aged 18-35 years old from Metro Manila were administered the survey questionnaire while 11 were given in-depth interview. Results show that out of the 134 respondents, about 92% were aware of what mental health is, but they are largely influenced by their amount of knowledge as well as socio-cultural factors such as their beliefs that have been passed on to them by their interactions with their family and community. Further discussions were recommended to lessen misconceptions and negative attitudes towards mental health especially in communities in areas where access to information is limited.
