OPPi Opinion Groups

We received a total of 561 responses in our poll. Based on these responses, OPPi identified four opinion groups through the data, which we labelled post-hoc based on their attitudes towards mental health issues: (i) Group A (44.2%): Lower Trust in Mental Healthcare System, (ii) Group B (26.9%): Higher Trust in Mental Healthcare System, (iii) Group C (27.6%): Undecided on Mental Healthcare System, (iv) and Group D (1.3%): Unclassifiable. The figure above summarizes these trends.

This group formed 44.2% of all responses, and was characterized by strong disagreements, relative to the other opinion groups, on mental-health-related statements relating to the quality of healthcare in Singapore. These touched on statements that speak to the helpfulness of mental health hotlines, the standard of both public and private mental healthcare, as well as the confidentiality of mental health diagnoses at public healthcare institutions. These participants also largely disagreed on the sufficiency of government initiatives to address the lack of job opportunities for fresh graduates due to COVID-19:

• I trust that the mental health hotlines available will be helpful in addressing my issues (46% disagreed)
• I think that the standard of public mental healthcare in Singapore is satisfactory (79% disagreed)
• I think that the standard of private mental healthcare in Singapore is satisfactory (41% disagreed)
• I trust that my mental health diagnoses at public healthcare institutions will remain confidential to prospective employers (43% disagreed)
• I think government initiatives to address the lack of job opportunities among fresh graduates due to COVID-19 are sufficient (54% disagreed)

This group formed 26.9% of all responses, and was characterized by a higher sense of trust towards the standard of mental healthcare in Singapore, relative to the other opinion groups. These touched on statements that speak to the ease of accessing information to seek help for one’s mental health, and the standard of both public and private mental healthcare. These participants also, unlike the other opinion groups, felt that individuals from low-income households were at greater mental health risk, and were more likely to disagree with the statement that changes to work/school arrangements during COVID-19 had negatively affected their mental well-being. While these participants exhibited a higher sense of trust towards the standard of mental healthcare in Singapore, the lack of full consensus nevertheless indicates potential barriers to seeking mental healthcare in this group:

• I find it difficult to access information to seek help for my mental health in Singapore (57% disagreed)
• I think that the standard of public mental healthcare in Singapore is satisfactory (40% agreed)
• I think that the standard of private mental healthcare in Singapore is satisfactory (46% agreed)
• Individuals from low-income households are at greater mental health risk. I believe that they should be given additional support (27% disagreed)
• Changes to work/school arrangements during COVID-19 has negatively affected my mental well-being (63% disagreed)

This group formed 27.6% of all responses, and was characterized by being largely undecided on statements relating to COVID-19, confidentiality of mental healthcare at public institutions, and the influence of media on mental health conditions. 

• I trust that my mental health diagnoses at public healthcare institutions will remain confidential to prospective employers (40% were undecided)
• The restrictions on social interactions/activities since COVID-19 hit has negatively affected my mental health (31% were undecided)
• I think government initiatives to address the lack of job opportunities among fresh graduates due to COVID-19 are sufficient (57% were undecided)
• Changes to work/school arrangements during COVID-19 has negatively affected my mental well-being (38% were undecided)
• My understanding of mental health conditions have largely been influenced by mainstream media (31% were undecided)