The mental health of Filipino Americans is emotional and cognitive status of Americans of Filipino descent. Filipino-Americans utilize mental health services less than some Asian-American groups.
Mental illness
Suicide In a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young Filipino women were more likely to have suicide ideation than most minorities. Paradoxically, however, there are lower rates of committing suicide among Filipinos than Caucasians or other Asian groups. Lower rates of suicide in Filipino-Americans are attributed to the influence of Catholicism in Filipino culture and the availability of social support from extended family.
Depression Depending on other identity markers such as sexuality and age, certain Filipino-American groups are estimated to have more or less depression rates than their Chinese-Americans counterparts. In cases where Filipino-Americans report higher rates of depressive symptoms than other Asians, this could be because Chinese-Americans and other East Asian groups who experience depression are less likely to medically report their illness due to cultural stigma; further, these groups are more likely to seek non-Western treatment outside of hospitals, which further skews the statistics on their mental health reports. According to the findings of a study by Napholz and Wenbin, Filipina-American working women who have an equal commitment to work and relationships report having less depression, higher self-esteem, higher life satisfaction, and lesser levels of role conflict than women who are committed to either work or relationships. In a study in Cebu, Philippines, it found that the multigenerational living arrangements of Midlife Filipina women in relation to their family, affects their mental health. For example, living in a larger household reported a higher score of depressive symptoms in mid-life Filipina women, due to stress brought on by caregiving duties and loss of privacy and control. Co-residency of adult females with their older parents, affect their mental health based on the power dynamics and their role in the family. For example, the mental and physical health of a younger adult female in the family may suffer if she is at the bottom of the hierarchy, compared to that of an older adult female in the family who may have more power and respect. Having life transitions, such as losing a spouse, resulted in increasing depressive symptoms; and intergenerational co-residency, for example, transitioning from having grandchildren to no longer living with grandchildren, resulted in decreasing depressive symptoms. Asian American and Pacific Islander immigrants are less likely, than any other minority group, to seek mental health care and treatment because of stigma attributed to shaming the family, self-reliance, and being reserved. Support groups and religious networks are agencies that Filipina immigrants use to alleviate the stress of adapting in another country. Providing psychoeducation and having culturally competent mental health providers are what would be helpful in the context of mental health treatment, as well as more studies and research on Filipina's role commitment and interventions, are necessary.
Causes
Colonialism The after-effects of colonialism (American colonization of the Philippines from 1898 to 1946) still influence some Filipino-American immigrants. One large effect of American colonialism on Filipino-Americans' mental health is colonial mentality. Studies show that Asian Americans have more serious disorders and have more prolonged stays at mental institutions than Caucasians. Out of all Asian American groups, Filipino Americans have the highest rate of stays at mental institutions.
Immigration Immigration is associated with mental illness in Filipinos. Filipino immigrants take part in fewer mental health services than other Americans. Filipino Americans were once immigrants. Filipinos are one of the largest groups of Asian-American immigrants. About 1.66 million Filipinos are immigrants. Some Filipino immigrants do not apply for programs such as Medicaid because they are worried that it would reduce their chances of becoming citizens. Filipino immigrants can also face racial discrimination, which is associated with depression and increased substance use. Asian American immigrants are diagnosed with depression for various factors, such as not understanding English or inability to take health exams. The Filipino American Community Epidemiological Study (FACES) examined situations that may cause mental illness in Filipino immigrants. Employment worries increase stress, which can cause mental illness. Males who do not know English well enough are more prone to mental illness than English speakers. Female immigrants were more likely to have long-term disorders. Males are more susceptible to disorders that lead them to depend on alcohol and drugs.
Hiya Hiya, a Tagalog word defined as "a sense of shame, loss of face, or embarrassment," plays a role in Filipino-Americans' use of mental health services. Hiya plays a negative role in Filipinos' ability to seek help from mental health professionals. The fear of bringing shame to oneself and the family can prevent Filipinos from seeking professional mental health aid. Hiya can also cause Filipinos to seek anonymous, online mental health help instead of in-person professional help.
Models of Filipino-American identity and experience Several models have been constructed to characterize the Filipino-American experience. These theories include the Identity Development Model, colonial mentality and the Model Minority Myth.
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