Abstract

As stated by the World Health Organization or WHO (2019), for an individual to be instrumental in the progress of the society, the health of that individual should be in great condition for one's state of health is not only vital to that individual but also to the community. Health does not only regard one's physical health nor emotional health but also the mental health of an individual. As defined by the WHO (2014), mental health is the state of well-being wherein every individual comes into the realization of their potential, thus they are able to cope with the normal stress in life, they are able to work productively and efficiently and they are able to contribute greatly to the society. In the recent years, mental illness has been a crucial issue seen all over the media for it accounts numerous casualties. According to an WHO article (2018), it was asserted that almost 800,000 suicides were recorded annually because of mental illness. In the local context, the President Rodrigo Duterte enacted the Mental Health Law that is said to safe-keep the basic rights of all Filipinos pertaining to the mental health and the fundamental rights of those citizens who are in need of mental health services. As stated by WHO (2018), providing access and excellent care to the citizens is the vital role of every healthcare professional. With that being said health care consists of services which encourage health, avoid illnesses, and provide health care services to the whole population. Thus, the attitude of healthcare professionals towards mental health problems, is the focal point of this study for these individuals greatly impact patient care, therapeutic process and recovery. The present study aims to describe the various attitudes of healthcare professionals, specifically five anesthesiologists, toward mental illness in the setting of a public hospital in Pampanga. Semi-structured interviews were used in conducting the data gathering. After securing the responses of the respondents, the data was then transcribed and underwent open coding to secure themes that were emerging from the answers of the respondents.