Context:

Adolescents living in settlements in rural areas face difficulties accessing health services. Therefore, it is essential to conduct research to better understand who these young people are and to identify the problems they face related to mental health.

Objectives:

To describe the sociodemographic profile of adolescents residing in rural settlements in the state of Amapá, and to identify the physical and psycho-emotional symptoms associated with common mental disorders.

Method:

Quantitative study conducted with adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. The data collection instrument consisted of two parts: the first included sociodemographic variables, and the second used the Self Reporting Questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of the data was processed using SPSS software, version 22.0. Bivariate analysis was performed to compare sociodemographic characteristics with common mental disorders. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee, Opinion No. 47848421.2.0000.0003.

Results:

The majority of the adolescents surveyed were women (57.8%), with low education levels (34.4%), income of 1 to 3 minimum wages (59.4%), Catholics (45.3%), and self-declared brown skin color (53.1%). The indicator for common mental disorders (CMD) was 51.6%. CMD was positively associated with female sex (p=0.04), considering (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion:

The only sociodemographic variable positively associated with the indicator of CMD was sex; the possible origins are concentrated in gender differences, associated with patriarchal customs. The results highlight the challenges to be overcome in the Amazonian rural environment, such as ensuring access to mental health care services.

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