Current situation and challenges for mental health focused on treatment and care in Japan and the Philippines - highlights of the training program by the National Center for Global Health and Medicine

Abstract

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 disaster child psychiatry in both countries. Round table discussions provided an opportunity to explore the similarities and differences between the two countries in terms of the themes discussed during the lectures. The training program identified the need to collaborate with other professionals to improve the diagnosis of mental disorders in children and adolescents and to increase the workforce capable of addressing mental health issues among children and adolescents. It also emphasized the importance of cooperation between government efforts during and after disasters to ensure that affected children and their families are provided with the care and support that they need.

Typhoons During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines: Impact of a Double Crises on Mental Health

“…A scarcity of well-trained psychiatrists exists in communal settings which allows locals to find alternatives to training workers in identifying and managing mental health concerns especially trauma. 38 One such example is the initiative by the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol which aims to train workers in rural and city areas to manage mental health concerns within their communities. The DOH has also requested the local government units to increase mental health institutes like Don Susano Rodriguez Memorial Mental Hospital in Pili as such institutes are few in number in the region and in the country.…”

“…40 Teachers were also identified as key players in addressing mental health issues of children and hence initiatives to provide psychological first aid training to them are helping address their mental health needs. 38 Other suggestions include the use of telemedicine to help navigate the burden of mental health issues, and implementation of disaster risk reduction management and psychological interventions to Filipinos who were greatly affected by both natural disasters and COVID-19 pandemic. 41,42 Psychological interventions include coping strategies, psychological first aid, debriefing, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychosocial support, and community-based interventions.…”

Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling–Artificial Neural Network Hybrid Approach in Determining Factors Affecting Perceived Usability of Mobile Mental Health Application in the Philippines

“…In recent years, mental health has emerged as one of the most important public health concerns [ 2 , 3 ]. Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorder, and mood disorder among others have been prevalent in countries worldwide.…”

“…Among all the mental disorders, depression and anxiety disorder are the most common problem. Globally, an estimated 264 million people are affected by depression—among which 20% are children and adolescents [ 2 ]. Moreover, it is estimated that 264 million adults around the globe have anxiety disorders [ 4 ].…”

“…Accordingly, data show that the number of Filipinos affected by mental illnesses has tremendously increased. An assessment of the Philippines’ mental health system reported a 16% prevalence of mental disorders among children [ 2 , 8 ]. In addition, the latest Global School-Based Student Health Survey found that 16.8% of students aged 13–17 had attempted suicide one or more times during the 12 months before the survey [ 2 ].…”