Mental health and the right to land: impacts of large landowner and socio-environmental conflicts on indigenous and quilombola populations in Ceará/ Saúde mental e o direito à terra: impactos dos conflitos latifundiários e sócio-ambientais nas populações indígenas e quilombolas do Ceará

This presentation examines the psychosocial impacts resulting from the constant threat to Indigenous and Quilombola territories in Ceará, marked by land conflicts, environmental racism, and fragile state action in guaranteeing territorial rights. Although these rights are recognized in the Brazilian Constitution, territorial regularization remains limited: among the fifteen Indigenous groups in the state, only two territories are officially recognized, and none of the 87 self-identified Quilombola communities holds full land titles. This scenario produces legal and territorial vulnerability, intensifies conflicts, and worsens health conditions, reflected in rising rates of common mental disorders, suicide attempts, violence, and substance use. The presentation stems from the research project“Detection of mental health risk factors and protective factors among Indigenous and Quilombola populations in Ceará”, coordinated by Prof. James Ferreira Moura Junior (UNILAB) and grounded in Community Psychology. Using a mixed-methods design, the study investigates mental health conditions and the quality of care offered in municipalities with Indigenous and Quilombola populations. Data collection included standardized instruments (AUDIT-C, SRQ-20, ASSIST), as well as talking circles and semi-structured interviews with community leaders and residents, addressing experiences of illness, care practices, territorial relationships, and interactions with the public health system. The thematic analysis of qualitative data (Braun & Clarke, 2016) revealed that land and socio-environmental conflicts are among the main factors aggravating mental health in these communities, emerging as the central focus of this oral communication.