DIGEST - Volume 11, Issue 1

10 TPC Digest Christian D. Chan, Stacey Diane Arañez Litam T he emergence of COVID-19 created significant pandemic stress, a visible public health crisis, and anti-Asian sentiment. Due to pandemic stress, prejudices, and stereotypes associated with COVID-19, the rising prevalence of discrimination and violent rhetoric toward Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities continues to proliferate. The Pew Research Center specifically noted that three in 10 Asian adults have experienced racial discrimination since the beginning of the pandemic. East Asians have been frequent targets of anti-Asian sentiment and violence, which heightens experiences of distress and mental health issues. AAPI communities, however, are not monolithic. The consistent aggregation of AAPI communities and ethnic groups has historically combined health outcomes and population metrics but fails to acknowledge unique nuances of culture and disparities within the larger grouping. Although East Asians have been explicit targets of the surging anti-Asian sentiment, Filipino communities still face the severe effects of physical and mental health disparities. With the advent of COVID-19, Filipinos are still susceptible to the risks of mental health issues, given the convergence of racism, deaths among Filipino health care workers, and a lower likelihood to seek mental health care. T he conglomeration of these physical and mental health disparities stems from years of institutional racism and colonialism that have plagued Filipino communities. With the overlap of mental health disparities, Filipino communities tend to exhibit poorer health outcomes (e.g., diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure) and higher rates of psychological distress, depression, substance use, and suicidal ideation. A number of these issues can be linked to cultural nuances in Filipino communities related to cultural values, acculturation, internalized racism, and colonialism. For instance, some Filipinos may espouse the mindset of colonial mentality , which is a set of beliefs grounded in denigration of Filipino culture, superiority of American values, and favor of Whiteness. Cultural values and histories of Filipino communities often dovetail with barriers to accessing mental health care. For instance, the cultural expressions of hindi ibang tao (in Tagalog, “one of us”) are differentiated from those who are ibang tao (in Tagalog, “not one of us”) to display how much trust is invested in health care providers instead of family members. Based on the convergence of racism, public health issues, cultural denigration, and utilization of mental health services, professional counselors can draw on a litany of interventions by infusing culturally responsive practices, encouraging racial socialization, increasing critical consciousness of racism and colonialism, and promoting community-engaged opportunities for mental health literacy and access. Based on approaches consistent with racial socialization, professional counselors can reflect how Filipino communities have survived histories of racism and colonialism, protect cultural assets, and transmit cultural experiences and knowledge to future generations. Critical consciousness can also serve as a key factor in altering attitudes toward professional mental health services. For example, professional counselors can identify how the endorsement of colonial mentality and anti-Asian sentiment result in the mistrust of health care providers, especially professional counselors. For professional counselors, learning about indigenous Filipino values can invite possibilities to cultivate cultural assets and increase culturally responsive coping strategies with Filipino clients. Because Filipino communities draw from a wealth of community resources and members, it is critical for professional counselors to expand their interventions by involving community stakeholders, building opportunities for mental health literacy and access, and leveraging community partnerships to dispel cultural myths on mental health. Drawing from health equity initiatives, it is also important for professional counselors to expand the pipeline for Filipino counselors and invite input from Filipino communities, which would increase the visibility of mental health as an ongoing public health concern during COVID-19. Christian D. Chan, PhD, NCC, is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Stacey Diane Arañez Litam, PhD, NCC, CCMHC, LPCC-S, is an assistant professor at Cleveland State University. Correspondence may be addressed to Christian D. Chan, Department of Counseling and Educational Development, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, cdchan@uncg.edu. Mental Health Equity of Filipino Communities in COVID-19 | A Framework for Practice and Advocacy