The plight and promise of mental health providers in the face of a warming planet: perspectives and experiences from the Philippines

A systematic review of mental health and climate change in the Philippines

The Philippines are at the forefront of climate change impacts, including those related to health and well-being, but information on mental health and well-being are typically underreported. To help address this research lacuna, we conducted a systematic literature review. We aimed to provide an overview of current research knowledge and research gaps regarding the impacts of climate change outcomes on Filipinos' mental health and well-being. Consulting 8 databases, we identified 951 records. The final analysis included 32 studies: 16 quantitative, 11 qualitative, 2 longitudinal, 2 experimental, and 1 published report. A narrative synthesis has been performed to synthesize the findings from included studies. Studies were presented in four sections: 1) Risks to mental health following a natural disaster, 2) Determinants of post-traumatic stress disorder risks, 3) Resilience and post-traumatic growth following natural disasters, and 4) Personal experiences and other mental health outcomes. Reviewed data show that climate change outcomes strongly and negatively impact Filippino's mental health and well-being. Climate change outcomes also, negatively affect mental health through indirect (e.g., sleep disorders) and long-term pathways for example by being exposed to stressors such as migration, conflict, and violence. A set of coping strategies was identified which include banding together, mobilizing health experts, and expanding the local relationships with health workers. Future prospective studies should assess the effects of rising sea levels and vector-borne diseases among frontline communities. More interventional studies assessing preventive interventions and health promotion initiatives should be carried out to mitigate mental health disorders and improve well-being, thus contributing to improved health outcomes.

The COVID-19 pandemic's effects on mental and psychosocial health in the Philippines: A scoping review

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remained at elevated risk for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic because of persistent stressors to their health systems. Simultaneously facing high infection rates, strict containment measures and natural disasters, the Philippines provides important grounds for health research in LMICs. This review examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected mental and psychosocial health in the Philippines. This scoping review included literature in English from 2020 to mid-2022 from PubMed, PsycInfo and SCOPUS, and used the PRISMA-ScR and PCC-question model. Two independent reviewers conducted blind article screening and data extraction using COVIDENCE software, followed by consensus building, data charting and analyses. This work identified 405 publications across PubMed (N = 56), PsycInfo (N = 106) and SCOPUS (N = 243), of which 76 articles addressed the Philippines. Article types included 54 research articles, 10 opinion pieces, 4 literature reviews, 6 letters to journals, 1 study protocol and 1 other report. These findings focused primarily on health professionals (N = 23) and educators/learners (N = 22) and reported mostly on moderate-to-severe clinical outcomes such as fear, depression, anxiety or stress. Coping behaviors, like resiliency and other ways of adapting to the pandemic, including religious, spiritual and community-oriented approaches highlighted experiences with stringent infection prevention and control measures to contain COVID-19 in the Philippines. The COVID-19 pandemic brought severe challenges to mental and psychosocial health in the Philippines. The literature focused mostly on healthcare workers and educators/learners, and moderate-to-severe mental health outcomes in these groups. There is a need to expand studies to other sociodemographic groups and communities across the Philippines. Future work stands to benefit from more in-depth qualitative, mixed methods, longitudinal and representative quantitative research in LMICs following this pandemic. Literature reviews remain important to synthesize post-pandemic experiences by providing context for future studies and health practice in the Philippines and other LMICs.

The role of mental health nurses in planetary health

This article will critically explore the concept of planetary health and locate the role and identity of the mental health nurse (MHN) within it. Like humans, our planet thrives in optimum conditions, finding the delicate balance between health and ill-health. Human activity is now negatively impacting the homeostasis of the planet and this imbalance creates external stressors that adversely impact upon human physical and mental health at the cellular level. The value and understanding of this intrinsic relationship between human health and the planet is in danger of being lost within a society that views itself as being separate and superior to nature. The Period of Enlightenment witnessed some human groups viewing the natural world and its resources as something to exploit. White colonialism and industrialization destroyed the innate symbiotic relationship between humans and the planet beyond recognition and in particular, overlooking the essential therapeutic role nature and the land facilitated within the well-being of individuals and communities. This prolonged loss of respect for the natural world continues to breed human disconnection on a global scale. The healing properties of nature have effectively been abandoned within healthcare planning and infrastructure, which continue to be driven principally by the medical model. Under the theory of holism, mental health nursing values the restorative capabilities of connection and belonging, employing skills to support the healing of suffering, trauma and distress, through relationships and education. This suggests MHNs are well situated to provide the advocacy the planet requires, through the active promotion of connecting communities to the natural world around them, both healing the other.

Mental health service, training, promotion, and research during typhoons: Climate change experiences from the Philippines

Climate change poses a significant threat to mental health, potentially increasing the rates of mental health adversities and disorders. Therefore, mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, play a crucial role in addressing and mitigating these consequences. The Philippines, as a highly climate-vulnerable nation, serves as an exemplary case highlighting the roles these professionals can undertake in the climate change response, including providing services, engaging in education and training, promoting mental well-being, and conducting surveillance and research, such as studies exploring the causal relationship between mental health outcomes and climate change.