Exploring Lifestyle Correlates of Mental Health Among Low-Income Filipino Men in Rural Areas

The 2017 Mental Health Act in the Philippines sought to enhance integrated care; nevertheless, rural regions continue to lack sufficient resources. This study aimed to examine the mental health of low-income Filipino men aged 18 years and over residing in rural areas of the Philippines and explore the relationship between their mental health status and lifestyle and self-care behaviors. A convenience sample of 426 men completed a cross-sectional survey capturing sociodemographics, depression and anxiety, psychological distress, health-related quality of life, and a range of lifestyle behaviors. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlations, t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Among 426 rural Filipino men (mean age = 49.3 ± 17.2 years), moderate psychological distress was observed, with 8.2% meeting criteria for depression and 14.8% for anxiety. Distress correlated positively with both depression (r = .228) and anxiety (r = .332) and inversely with physical (r = -.239) and mental quality of life (r = -.298; all p < .01). Regular exercise and seeing a doctor were linked to lower stress levels, less symptoms of depression, and higher standards of life. On the contrary, using herbs to treat ailments has been linked to more pain and anxiety (all p < .01). The results highlight the importance of integrating community-based mental health promotion with culturally accepted self-care practices. This study provides a foundational framework for increasing mental health care access among Filipino men in rural areas of the Philippines and developing culturally appropriate programs for improving their mental health through culturally accepted self-care practices.