Mental health today has become an increasingly important topic of discussion and concern. With the advancements in technology and the fast-paced nature of modern life, the importance of maintaining good mental health has never been more evident.
During the media launch held by Capstone-Intel Corporation recently, the primary focus of discussion revolved around the nationwide survey on mental health. The survey was conducted from September 20 to 27, 2023 with a total of 1,210 respondents.
The board members of Capstone-Intel, namely Mr. Eero Brillantes (Chairperson, President, and CEO), Dr. Guido David (Chief Data Scientist), Atty. Nic Conti (Chief of Public Affairs), Geraldine Torres-Brillantes (COO and Chief of Development Communication Studies), and Ella Kristina Coronel (Research and Publications Director) were all present at the event.
Capstone-Intel, as a dynamic research agency, is committed to actively supporting and advancing its mission of facilitating the implementation of government programs through its research initiatives.
“The first stage ng aming ginagawa is to get the public and the officials to be aware of our survey findings on mental health and then from there we will engage the necessary government agencies to share with them the data that we have gathered. Lastly, ‘pag mayroong LGUs na lalapit sa amin para magpatulong in terms of getting the survey when it comes to mental health gagawin namin iyan. We’ve been conducting briefing sa government agencies sa varieties of issues,” said Mr. Brillantes.
During the media presentation on the survey findings, respondents were asked to rate their overall mental health and well-being. The results of the self-assessment revealed that 52% of respondents reported their mental health as good, 33% as excellent, 13% as fair, and 2% as poor. However, Dr. David expressed concern about the rates of fair and good mental health.
“What’s clear about this information, alarmingly ang 15% dahil medyo mataas ‘yon. That’s more than one out of ten (people),” stated Dr. David. He emphasized the importance of addressing this issue by providing an example.
“I am also aware sa schools and universities, there is relatively under staff ang psychological team nila, which means ang guidance counselor nila ay isa lang sa buong school. These are policies that we must reevaluate. The world is different now, and we must face these modern challenges, including depression, so we have to scale up ang staffing natin. And because they are under staff it’s difficult for them to reach out to students who are having issues na hindi na pala nila alam (na issue na). Culturally, nahihiya ang mga bata na lumapit kasi they’re different. If there’s more staff, then we can actually be more proactive than reactive lang,” explained Dr. David.
Meanwhile, Atty. Conti delivered an enlightening explanation focused on the critical matter of mental health management within our society.
“Ang isa pang problema natin ay ‘yong (halimbawa) tao dine-deny niya na na mayroon siyang issues. Ang dapat kung may issues ka sa mental health, you seek support and guidance, ‘Mayroon ba akong diperensya?’ Kung ikaw mismo ay hindi mo alam na ‘yon ay issue na sa mental health then you will deny na may issue,” explained Atty. Conti.
The survey findings also indicate that 21% of the respondents have sought assistance from a mental health professional, which highlights the prevailing insufficiency of government initiatives and societal support in this area.
“Isa sa mga dahilan na kaunti ang nagpapakonsulta sa professionals regarding mental health among others ay ‘yong mismong professionals ay kulang. Bahagi ng survey na ipakita hindi lamang sa publiko pero lalo na sa gobyerno na sana magkaroon ng polisiya to encourage more professionals that will take up courses relating to mental health. Dapat ma-integrate ang pagkakaroon ng mental health services sa general health services,” said Atty. Conti.
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Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency.
