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Socio-cultural determinants and barriers to providing effective mental health services to the Filipino community in Belgium

Cordero, Sarah
(2020)

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Cordero_27911800_2020.pdf
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Details

Supervisors
Filion, Nataly
Faculty
Faculté de santé publique
Degree label
Master [120] en sciences de la santé publique
Abstract
The Philippines has a poor track record in providing mental health (MH) care to its population (WHO, 2006). Due to the historical, political, religious and social context of the country, MH awareness has not been a priority for the government. For this study, the researcher chose to interview Filipino immigrants in Belgium, as they benefit from easy access to mental health care while simultaneously possessing the cultural, political, religious and social background of the Philippines. The general objective of this research was to explore the perception of MH as well as the potential barriers and socio-cultural determinants that affect the help-seeking behavior (HSB) of members of the Filipino community in Belgium. The results of the qualitative research using semi-directive interviews of ten participants revealed that several factors such as the “soft & severe” & perception of mental illness, the subsequent stigmatization of MH and MH professionals, the concept of “hiya”, attribution theory, the concept of resilience, the lack of connection between Western practitioners and Filipino patients, the preference for lay network and lower levels of acculturation prevent, to a certain degree, members of the Filipino community in Belgium from seeking out mental health support. The first of its kind, this study focuses on the MH perception of Filipino immigrants in Belgium and highlights snippets of reality experienced by these people when it comes to mental health. This first exploration of the subject is just a scratch on the surface of the profoundness and implications of the help-seeking behavior of this community. The intricate relationship between the different factors affecting HSB mentioned in this study as well as other unexplored factors reveal the complexity of the process in seeking out professional help for this specific population.