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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

The Effects of Private Health Financing towards the Prevalence of Mental Health Problems: Case Study in Malaysia

Zariyawati Mohd Ashhari, Diana Rose Faizal, Tan Pei Wen

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v10-i7/7433

Open access

This study examines the determinants of private health financing for the mental health of Malaysians. It investigates the relationship between socioeconomic status and the private health financing towards the mental health problem. In Malaysia, the rate of mental illness patients is increasing; with some form of mental illness affecting approximately 12 percent of Malaysians aged 18 to 60. It is believed that the lack of awareness and financial burden due to the increase in living costs is considered to be part of the factor affecting the mental health in Malaysia. The results from the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) show a strong mediation between private health expenditure towards the relationship between socioeconomic status and mental health problem. Hence, these further strengthen that private health expenditure as importance factors related to mental health problem. Therefore, people should invest or spend some money for health expenditure in mitigating mental health problem in Malaysia.