The Philippines’ very first mobile application geared towards providing mental health support and self-care reminders had its soft launch on Friday, with a wider launch through Google and Apple stores to be available soon.
Developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its RenewHealth project, and in collaboration with the Department of Health (DoH), the app Lusog-Isip was conceived to address Filipinos’ mental struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic, including substance abuse problems, according to the two agencies.
“We need to empower people with the information and tools to keep themselves and their families and their communities mentally healthy, and, as its name says, that’s what Lusog-Isip aims to do,” said USAID Philippines’ Office of Health director Michelle Lang-Alli, at the app’s virtual soft launch. “Lusog-Isip” translates to “mental health.”
The app provides access to exercises, audio guides, journaling, and mood-tracking, which aim to help users cope with their struggles and mentally improve over time. It also has a referral network of psychosocial service providers nationwide, for those who want to take it a step further and seek professional help.
In May, the DoH said that the pandemic saw 3.6 million Filipinos battling mental health issues. Of these, 1.14 million have depression, 847,000 struggle with alcohol use, and 520,000 suffer from bipolar disorder.
USAID’s initiative RenewHealth, which handles the development of the app, is a five-year project that focuses on helping Filipinos who are trying to reduce or prevent drug dependence via self-help or community-based rehabilitation.
“We understand very well that substance abuse is part of the broader concern of mental health,” Ms. Lang-Alli explained.
A pilot test of the app in September was aimed towards these individuals, and it turned out to be successful, according to Patrick L. Angeles of RenewHealth. The test was carried out in groups where the effectivity of DoH’s mental health toolkit or workbook was also measured, to gauge the difference between the two.
The majority (85.9%) of the 206 respondents said that the app was “satisfactory,” with both the toolkit and the app able to improve well-being. However, Lusog-Isip’s advantage was that it was also an avenue for emotional release.
“Participants said that the journaling feature improved their awareness of stressors and became an avenue for them to vent,” shared Mr. Angeles.
Beverly Lorraine C. Ho, director of the DoH’s Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, added that Lusog-Isip is adapted to the Philippine cultural context, where mental health and substance use have only begun to be talked about widely.
“Mental health is health and we must continue to take care of ourselves and each other during this pandemic,” she said, reiterating that the National Center for Mental Health hotline 1553 is always available for those who require a mental health professional. — Bronte H. Lacsamana
