MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE ALSO A PRESSING CONCERN FOR DOMESTIC HELPERS
In addition to physical health issues, Dr Tong observed that mental health is a bigger concern.
He estimated that around one in five domestic helpers who visit Bethesda Medical for medical consultations have expressed varying degrees of stress and anxiety, due to homesickness or concerns about their financial situation.
However, Dr Tong stressed that this number only accounts for those domestic helpers who are open about what they’re going through. The actual number facing mental wellness issues could be higher, he said.
“Most of them come to live in Singapore as the first time they have ever been abroad. They then have to live in another person’s home that does not feel like their own, and some of them don’t even have friends or a social circle to fall back on.
“Due to the helpers’ social isolation, homesickness, and lack of interaction with like-minded people of the same background and culture, there will likely be stressors that will affect their health,” he said.