Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the presence of mental illness in victims of soil instability in neighborhoods affected by rock salt extraction from a mining company located in the city of Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil. It is a quantitative, descriptive-analytical, and cross-sectional study. The sample was intentional and non-probabilistic and consisted of 158 participants, with a 0.50 "power of effect" (moderate size effect) and a 99.9% confidence level. A link was made available on social media with an invitation to participate in the online survey. Most participants were adult, female, black/mixed-race, with a high level of education, and reported a perceived worsening in monthly income, physical and mental health, and in the self-perception of their lives after the relocation of their homes. Most participants had depressive symptoms (87.34%), moderate and severe anxiety (55.7%), and positive screening for common mental disorders (77.22%). By analyzing the current perception of the changes in the lives of former residents before and after being relocated due to the ground instability, it was identified that, after relocation, those with greater psychiatric demand and suicidal ideation had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, symptoms of severe anxiety, and positive screening for common mental disorders. This research highlights the importance of elaborating policies, strategies and actions to prevent impacts on mental health, recovery, and health rehabilitation in scenarios of socio-environmental disasters. Implementing preventive measures and offering adequate psychological and social support can reduce the detrimental effects of such disasters on the affected population.