Impact of mental health legislation on public interest and awareness of common mental disorders: Insights from an infodemiological study of search volumes from 2004 to 2021 in the Philippines

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Behavioral Sciences

Document Type

Article

Source Title

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

Volume

211

Issue

10

First Page

791

Last Page

795

Publication Date

10-2023

Abstract

This study explored online public interest using search volumes for various mental disorders using an infodemiological design. Google Trends search volumes for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and substance abuse from January 2004 to December 2021 in the Philippines were described and compared. In addition, interrupted time series and mean comparisons were done to determine the impact of the Philippine Mental Health Act. Findings show that public interest was highest for major depressive disorder, followed by anxiety disorder, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Among them, public interest in schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse improved following the Act's legislation. The uneven stigma of mental disorders and the incomplete implementation and unequal focus of Philippine mental health promotion programs can explain these findings. Thus, mental disorders with low public interest should be given attention in mental health awareness activities.

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Digitial Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1097/NMD.0000000000001691

Disciplines

Legislation | Mental Disorders

Keywords

Mental health laws—Philippines; Mental illness—Philippines; Mental illness—Public opinion

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